In the Chinese language, we address acquaintances with the words that English speakers reserve only for close family and friends – Auntie, Uncle, Big Sister, Little Brother, and even the word for Grandma is used when addressing older women.
I wonder, is this language used because the family unit was always supposed to be our community, our village? Were we supposed to have a wide network of Yee-Yee’s (Aunts) and Paw-Paw’s (Grandmas) who had a hand in raising our kids and supported one another?
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