In "Mother Tongue," Amy Tan explores the complexities and nuances of language, specifically the variety of English that she was raised speaking: "broken English." Through the lens of her personal experience, Tan illustrates how language can both empower and disadvantage individuals, particularly those who are not native speakers or who speak a non-standard form of a language.
At the beginning of the essay, Tan describes her mother's "broken English," which she characterizes as a "kind of English that is hard to understand." This language, which is influenced by her mother's Chinese heritage, is often viewed as inferior or wrong by mainstream society. Tan recalls instances where she has felt embarrassed or ashamed of her mother's English, particularly in situations where she has had to interpret for her mother or where her mother's English has been viewed as a deficiency.
However, as the essay progresses, Tan begins to see the value and beauty in her mother's unique way of speaking. She reflects on the ways in which her mother's "broken English" has actually allowed her to communicate more effectively in certain situations, such as when she was negotiating with a car mechanic or a store clerk. In these instances, her mother's unconventional way of speaking has given her an advantage, allowing her to convey her thoughts and needs more clearly and effectively.
Furthermore, Tan explores the ways in which language can shape and influence an individual's identity. She reflects on how her own language and writing style have been influenced by her mother's "broken English," and how this has impacted the way she is perceived by others. She notes that when she writes in a more standard form of English, she is often viewed as more intelligent and competent, but when she incorporates elements of her mother's "broken English" into her writing, she is often viewed as less educated or credible.
In conclusion, through the exploration of her own experiences with "broken English," Amy Tan highlights the complexities and biases surrounding language and how it can both empower and disadvantage individuals. She ultimately argues for the value and beauty of diversity in language, and the importance of celebrating and embracing linguistic differences rather than viewing them as deficiencies.
Mother Tongue by Amy Tan: Critical Analysis
Tan came to realize this because when Tan was with her mother, she spoke English differently, more simply, like her mother. Tan 2006 underlines that it is necessary to understand the cultural and linguistic background of the speaker. This was not the first time it had happened, and it would not be the last. In conclusion, although different at first glance, both of the essays offer excellent examples of conversational writing that invigorates the audience to follow their own passions. Moreover, using simple language may make a literary work more understandable and clear for readers. As someone who comes from a mixed family and identifies as Asian-American, I related a great deal to her upbringing, and in many instances down to the exact circumstance. Analyze English should not be considered as a single language.
Mother Tongue Amy Tan Analysis
Specific evidence that supports my claim that Amy 's mother did have a good understanding of English, was when she effortlessly reads "the Forbes report" or "Shirley MacLaine books with ease" Tan, 2006, p. Often, she would have to intervene so her mother could be understood. She saw color and vibrancy in the language, and the tests always seemed to want her to choose the most bland answers. While both the contents and the writing approaches differ for the two writers, the texts are equally engaging and moving. However, in the end, Tan comes to the third aspect, stating that, ultimately, she could make these limitations beneficial to her.
Mother Tongue Analysis
It hit her that the two worlds she had grown up in had impacted her writing as well as her life. Tan has a history of being ashamed of her mother when out shopping and elsewhere in public because people assume her mother is less intelligent than she is because of her fractured English. In spite of all, the truth of her mother holds better in English than her speaking ability and can easily reading in high-levels. She found that on these tests, there were analogies and sentence completions that threw her for a loop. Write an essay about the various ''Englishes'' that you speak, particularly if English is not your first language. Why are there few Asian Americans enrolled in creative writing programs? Amanda Knapp Amanda Knapp has taught and tutored English at the college level for over ten years. As mentioned previously, the tones of the two essays, while both conversational, still differ.
Mother Tongue by Amy Tan
She became aware of how she spoke was when giving a lecture about her book The Joy Club and realized her mother who was in the audience did not understand what was being discussed. King seems to generalize most of his statements, extending his own experiences to a general rule. When she was young, her mother's English would cause her embarrassment. She gets frustrated with me because she believes it is her English, and mine is… mine. It is a tongue almost inherited by your culture and upbringing, not by the letters you trace as a young child. And liberty not in the many, many words the dictionary boasts to those who dare open it, but the liberty to express yourself without fearing who you might be perceived as when the conversation is over.
