January 18, 2025

I was walking across a large grassy field with my mother when I asked her how to say “simulation” in Mandarin. I wondered out loud if it was supposed to be pronounced [si mo] or [shi mo]¹, once again troubled by the fading distinction between the affricates in our variety of the language.

My dad had returned and he started running towards us. My mother unexpectedly started running in the other direction but quickly had trouble catching her breath. I felt slightly panicked about the situation.