Language-wise, my mom and dad's dialect, they're pretty obscure. It's Chinese, but not your traditional Chinese, like Cantonese or Mandarin. It wasn't something that I got to use very much growing up. We eventually just spoke English around the house.

In this quote, James Wan reflects on his family's dialect and how it was different from the more widely spoken forms of Chinese like Cantonese or Mandarin. He points out that his parents spoke a dialect that was relatively obscure, suggesting that it wasn't part of the mainstream Chinese language options commonly spoken in larger Chinese communities. This uniqueness made it less accessible to others and, in some ways, isolated it from broader linguistic or cultural circles.

Wan goes on to explain that, growing up, he didn't use this dialect much and that his family eventually switched to speaking English around the house. This shift reflects the reality for many children of immigrants who, over time, adopt the dominant language of the country they live in, often at the expense of the native language or dialect of their parents. English became the primary language of communication in the household, marking a transition in his personal experience and cultural identity.

The idea of not being able to use the family dialect highlights the challenges of preserving one's heritage and culture when living in a different country. Language is often a key aspect of cultural identity, and Wan’s experience suggests a loss or diminishment of that connection over time as families integrate into a new society. This experience is common among second-generation immigrants who may feel distanced from their heritage language due to practical reasons like social integration or the dominance of the local language.

Originating from Wan’s own upbringing as a child of Chinese immigrants, this quote provides insight into the experience of balancing cultural identity with assimilation into a new environment. As a successful filmmaker known for his work in Hollywood, Wan’s words reflect the challenges of navigating multiple cultural influences, and the complexities of language and identity that come with it.