Bay Area ethnic communities (San Jose, San Francisco: live in, statistics, Koreans)

[silverkris]

Same with SF. Many Chinese people in the Bay Area speak Cantonese.

Yes, many do, but the Chinese Americans are no longer monolithically Cantonese-speaking, as most were 50-60 years ago, and many of them were Toishanese. You still have a major core of them in San Francisco and Oakland's Chinatowns, but elsewhere, such as in the suburbs, you have also many more Mandarin speaking people, particularly in Santa Clara County, southern Alameda County - immigrants from Taiwan, and other parts of China.

[Taboo2]

Originally Posted by silverkris

Yes, many do, but the Chinese Americans are no longer monolithically Cantonese-speaking, as most were 50-60 years ago, and many of them were Toishanese. You still have a major core of them in San Francisco and Oakland's Chinatowns, but elsewhere, such as in the suburbs, you have also many more Mandarin speaking people, particularly in Santa Clara County, southern Alameda County - immigrants from Taiwan, and other parts of China.

Every East bay school I've seen teaches mandarin and many people speak it. They prefer SF to Oaklands Chinatown.

[zutt]

Are there any Brazilian communities in the Bay Area?

[silverkris]

Originally Posted by Taboo2

Every East bay school I've seen teaches mandarin and many people speak it. They prefer SF to Oaklands Chinatown.

Well, Mandarin is the lingua franca of China - meaning that it's a common language other than one's regional dialect. Typically someone in China who has a basic education (the vast majority of the people 55 years and under) will be able to speak Mandarin in addition to his/her local/provincial dialect. Thus it is taught in schools for that reason.

Cantonese is the provincial language of Guangdong province, and the reason that it is so common or prominent in overseas Chinese communities (particularly North America) is because historically the bulk of Chinese immigrants have come out of there (though not always - the majority of Filipino Chinese are of Fujianese origin, Sino-Thais are mostly of Chiuchow stock). Of course nowadays Chinese communities outside of China are more heterogenous in origin. You'll find that a large percentage of those in New York City's Chinatown are Fujianese. And a lot of the owners of Chinese restaurants in Europe are from Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province.

[NorCal Dude]

Originally Posted by Dave Coe

Foreign Born Population by County(from city data):

Contra Costa:

• Mexico (28%)
• Philippines (13%)
• El Salvador (4%)
• China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (4%)
• India (4%)
• United Kingdom (3%)
• Vietnam (3%)

Marin:

• Mexico (18%)
• Guatemala (8%)
• United Kingdom (7%)
• El Salvador (5%)
• Canada (5%)
• Germany (5%)
• Iran (4%)

Alameda:

• Mexico (23%)
• Philippines (13%)
• China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (10%)
• India (7%)
• Vietnam (6%)
• Hong Kong (3%)
• Taiwan (3%)

Santa Clara:

• Mexico (24%)
• Vietnam (15%)
• Philippines (10%)
• India (8%)
• China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (6%)
• Taiwan (4%)
• Korea (3%)

San Mateo:

• Mexico (22%)
• Philippines (19%)
• China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (6%)
• El Salvador (6%)
• Hong Kong (4%)
• India (3%)
• Nicaragua (2%)

San Francisco:

• China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (26%)
• Philippines (11%)
• Mexico (8%)
• Hong Kong (6%)
• Vietnam (6%)
• El Salvador (5%)
• Nicaragua (3%)

Hong kong should be added as China. Tiawan might as well be too. At the rate the dollar and US prestige is declining its only a matter of time before China rightfully annexes this territory.

[clongirl]

Originally Posted by silverkris

Well, Mandarin is the lingua franca of China - meaning that it's a common language other than one's regional dialect. Typically someone in China who has a basic education (the vast majority of the people 55 years and under) will be able to speak Mandarin in addition to his/her local/provincial dialect. Thus it is taught in schools for that reason.

Cantonese is the provincial language of Guangdong province, and the reason that it is so common or prominent in overseas Chinese communities (particularly North America) is because historically the bulk of Chinese immigrants have come out of there (though not always - the majority of Filipino Chinese are of Fujianese origin, Sino-Thais are mostly of Chiuchow stock). Of course nowadays Chinese communities outside of China are more heterogenous in origin. You'll find that a large percentage of those in New York City's Chinatown are Fujianese. And a lot of the owners of Chinese restaurants in Europe are from Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province.

Thanks for that--- it was fascinating! You really know your "Chinese" culture!

[silverkris]

Originally Posted by clongirl

Thanks for that--- it was fascinating! You really know your "Chinese" culture!

Thank you. Takes one to know one...I'm a 2nd gen Chinese American and have lived/worked in HK, Shanghai and Taipei.

[Taboo2]

Originally Posted by silverkris

Well, Mandarin is the lingua franca of China - meaning that it's a common language other than one's regional dialect. Typically someone in China who has a basic education (the vast majority of the people 55 years and under) will be able to speak Mandarin in addition to his/her local/provincial dialect. Thus it is taught in schools for that reason.

Cantonese is the provincial language of Guangdong province, and the reason that it is so common or prominent in overseas Chinese communities (particularly North America) is because historically the bulk of Chinese immigrants have come out of there (though not always - the majority of Filipino Chinese are of Fujianese origin, Sino-Thais are mostly of Chiuchow stock). Of course nowadays Chinese communities outside of China are more heterogenous in origin. You'll find that a large percentage of those in New York City's Chinatown are Fujianese. And a lot of the owners of Chinese restaurants in Europe are from Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province.

I see, thanks. Our friends are from Beijing and Zhenjiang near Shanghai. Let's not even get into the local village dialects. Lol

[clongirl]

Originally Posted by silverkris

Thank you. Takes one to know one...I'm a 2nd gen Chinese American and have lived/worked in HK, Shanghai and Taipei.

Me too, but you'd never know. Unfortunately my grandparents were of the mindset to adapt and assimilate when they moved to the mainland (from Hawaii) rather than pass down anything interesting about our heritage besides taking our shoes off at the door. He spoke Cantonese in Chinatown, was very active and well known in the Chinese community in San Francisco but didn't want anyone else in the family to be a part of it! Weird, huh.

[Dave Coe]

Originally Posted by jade408

There is a very large Afghan community in Fremont. Fremont also has tons of South Asians -- Pakistani and Indian.

There is a good sized Fijian (Indian descent) community in Hayward. There are also some Tongans and other Pacific Islanders in Daly City/South SF and on the Peninsula.

There are good sized Filipino areas in Daly City and Union City.

San Jose has a big Vietnamese community.

There are some Portuguese people still in San Leandro/Castro Valley Area. There are also lots of Ukrainians in the Bay Area, but I am not sure where they live.

There are lots of Ethiopians in North Oakland (around Temescal and north). If you drive up Telegraph from about 40th to the southern end of Berkley you'll see at least 10 Ethiopian restaurants. The vast majority of them are on Telegraph, but the are a few more around the Lake and one in Piedmont Ave in Oakland.

Parts of the mission are full of Central Americans (Guatemala primarily)

There is a Koreatown in Oakland between Uptown and Temescal. And there is also a cluster of Middle Eastern Markets etc near the Mosque in Korea town.

Oakland Chinatown is mostly Cantonese (not Mandarin).

There are also lots of Nigerians all over the Bay Area, but no clustered community.

There are also Japantowns in SF and San Jose.

I think there is also a Koreatown in the Silicon Valley. Is the middle eastern area in Oakland mostly Arab. In LA's westside the middle eastern area is more Iranian. Based on the statistics in seams the Silicon Valley has the most Iranians in the Bay Area. I havn't seen the statistics for any Arab countries though.