Mr. Daniel Fung
Teaching Assistant
Department of Linguistics and Modern Languages
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
From Linguistics to Life
Whenever I reminisce about my time as a teaching assistant (TA) in this 10-year-old department, I realise that my one-year sojourn, though brief, has marked a momentous milestone in my life. I wish to take this opportunity to share experience as a TA in the department.
My first impression of CUHK linguistics students, undergraduates and postgraduates alike, was their diligent pursuit of knowledge. It was not uncommon for me to receive a dozen emails per day, especially when a test or an examination was drawing near. I tried my best to answer as quickly as I could, but more often than not I found the questions difficult because they involved something outside the scope of the course, of which I was not always entirely sure. It was especially challenging when I was questioned by students in face-to-face appointments, to such an extent that I became speechless sometimes. This was not necessarily a bad thing, of course, for it simply demonstrated how students had a strong desire for knowledge, how for the TA teaching is also learning, and how there is no limit to learning for both teachers and students. In such situations I would consult other resources for answers while inviting students to come up with a response as well, before following up on their questions later. A year of work as a TA has made me realise the vast amount of knowledge I am unfamiliar with, and at the same time confirmed my passion in applied linguistics. I believe the other three full-time TAs in my year shared similar experiences and thoughts, as we all went on to pursue doctoral studies in Australia, the U.K, and the U.S.
That being said, textbook knowledge is surely not everything. I do not mean the clichéd significance of criticality and analysis, for admittedly they are important in making coherent connections between broken pieces of knowledge. I am however referring to the meaning of education, which perhaps is even more cliché-ridden. To quote the respectable late Nelson Mandela, ‘education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world’. This is all the more true nowadays. I can still recall the District Council election in November 2011, when Dr Lawrence Cheung urged students to vote in the election (not for particular candidates, of course), for he believed voting to be the social responsibility of citizens. Likewise, Prof. Tony Hung often encouraged students to read the news so that they could be aware of the things going on around them. What I learnt from them is that life is far too meaningful to be confined to research in the ivory tower. Even now as I am studying for a doctorate overseas, I am still concerned with the society of Hong Kong.
No man is an island. The professors, lecturers, and staff members at the Department of Linguistics and Modern Languages are good role models who cherish their bonds with one another; this has certainly helped cultivate a supportive departmental atmosphere. My first day at CUHK – I was introduced to amiable colleagues by the friendly staff – is still fresh in my memory. I then met the other full-time TAs, and gradually the four of us became friends and had lunch together almost every day. Similarly, I could hardly name any student who did not relate well with each other. There was not much of a boundary between professors and students in this department, which in my observation was one big friendly and well-functioning family. As the Catholic theologist and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Hélder Câmara has suggested, ‘to walk alone is possible, but the good walker knows that the great trip is life and it requires companions’. My days in the department were truly precious, and I hope to keep long-term contact with everyone I came to know. As I move on in my life, I am also grateful for every person who has accompanied me at different times.
The department has inspired me to pursue a doctorate, to persistently care about the world, and to treasure my companions in life. I do not know how my students lived their lives after graduation (and so I am excited to read this commemorative volume), but I am convinced that most will find it pleasant to look back on their study at CUHK, and to draw out something that has positive impacts on their lives and the society in general.
I have given out grammar tree and syntactic analysis assignments before (and if any of my former students want to analyse my writing, I would be more than happy to mark it). Now, I have another assignment, not only for my former students, but also for every reader of this book. The assignment is to create your own writing by reflecting on your life from time to time and making good use of what you have learnt. It will be a lifelong assignment, and only you can mark it.