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As Cantonese language wanes, efforts grow to preserve it

Sik Lee Dennig shares a traditional Cantonese dim sum meal with friends, family and former students in Mountain View, Calif., on Aug. 28, 2022. Dennig says she decided to retire after teaching Cantonese classes at Stanford for more than 20 years after the university cut funding to its Cantonese program, while maintaining its Mandarin courses.While Cantonese may be on a downward trajectory, it's not dying. Online campaigns, independent Chinese schools and Cantonese communities in and outside of Chinatowns are working to ensure future generations can carry it forward. (AP Photo/Haven Daley)

City College of San Francisco Cantonese Professor Grace Yu, who's been teaching at the community college for more than 30 years, leads a class in San Francisco on Aug. 31, 2022. CCSF once had four Cantonese instructors and Yu is now the only one left. While Cantonese may be on a downward trajectory, it's not dying. Online campaigns, independent Chinese schools and Cantonese communities in and outside of Chinatowns are working to ensure future generations can carry it forward. (AP Photo/Haven Daley)

Two boys run across the playground at the Alice Fong Yu school in San Francisco, Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022. The school is the nation's first Chinese immersion public school and provides Cantonese instruction from kindergarten until the 8th grade.While Cantonese may be on a downward trajectory, it's not dying. Online campaigns, independent Chinese schools and Cantonese communities in and outside of Chinatowns are working to ensure future generations can carry it forward. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

Principal Liana Szeto looks out on a playground at the Alice Fong Yu school in San Francisco, Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022. The school is the nation's first Chinese immersion public school and provides Cantonese instruction from kindergarten until the 8th grade. While Cantonese may be on a downward trajectory, it's not dying. Online campaigns, independent Chinese schools and Cantonese communities in and outside of Chinatowns are working to ensure future generations can carry it forward. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

Fourth grade math students look over an exercise at the Alice Fong Yu school in San Francisco, Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022. The school is the nation's first Chinese immersion public school and provides Cantonese instruction from kindergarten until the 8th grade. While Cantonese may be on a downward trajectory, it's not dying. Online campaigns, independent Chinese schools and Cantonese communities in and outside of Chinatowns are working to ensure future generations can carry it forward. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

Students sit in Mei Wong's fourth grade math class at the Alice Fong Yu school in San Francisco, Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022. The school is the nation's first Chinese immersion public school and provides Cantonese instruction from kindergarten until the 8th grade. While Cantonese may be on a downward trajectory, it's not dying. Online campaigns, independent Chinese schools and Cantonese communities in and outside of Chinatowns are working to ensure future generations can carry it forward. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

First grade teacher Suzy Tom leads a class at the Alice Fong Yu school in San Francisco, Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022. The school is the nation's first Chinese immersion public school and provides Cantonese instruction from kindergarten until the 8th grade. While Cantonese may be on a downward trajectory, it's not dying. Online campaigns, independent Chinese schools and Cantonese communities in and outside of Chinatowns are working to ensure future generations can carry it forward. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

In Suzy Tom's first grade class a student points at pictures and characters on a wall at the Alice Fong Yu school in San Francisco, Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022. The school is the nation's first Chinese immersion public school and provides Cantonese instruction from kindergarten until the 8th grade. While Cantonese may be on a downward trajectory, it's not dying. Online campaigns, independent Chinese schools and Cantonese communities in and outside of Chinatowns are working to ensure future generations can carry it forward. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

First grade teacher Suzy Tom leads a class and demonstrates the order of character strokes at the Alice Fong Yu school in San Francisco, Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022. The school is the nation's first Chinese immersion public school and provides Cantonese instruction from kindergarten until the 8th grade. While Cantonese may be on a downward trajectory, it's not dying. Online campaigns, independent Chinese schools and Cantonese communities in and outside of Chinatowns are working to ensure future generations can carry it forward. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

As Cantonese language wanes, efforts grow to preserve it