mother toungue

In the essay Mother Tongue the author, Amy Tan discusses many issues including language and cultural barriers faced by her and her family when she was growing up. Tan also discusses stereotypes and lack of respect brought on by her ethnic background and the struggles brought about by being Asian in America. Amy discusses communication problems between her and her mother although they were very close. And the set backs faced because of these communication problems that her family had with the rest of society. Amy Tan realized how much surroundings including people can change the way you use and learn the English language for both the good and for the bad. Throughout her life Amy was able to absorb the different types of language that she heard around her to better her life and career. Amy Tan’s unique background, of growing up as an Asian in America, has made her writing more dynamic than all of the American authors, the way that Tan has learned to use the English language has given her writings a dimension that no other author could possibly have.

Amy admits that although she is a writer she is not a scholar of the English language or literature. Her entire introduction of Mother tongue relates to Engl

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In just the same way I talk to my mother differently than I do my peer editing group. She made her goal disproving critics and in the end she found a way to use her many different ways to speak the English language to her advantage. When Amy speaks to book groups and educated people she subconsciously speaks sophisticated proper English.

Amy Tan’s mother was also aware of the change in the way you speak. Throughout school she faced the stereotype of being an Asian American who spoke broken English and therefore was pushed towards science and math. These subconscious changes only make you a stronger more multidimensional user of the English language. With her mother she would never use those words she uses simple broken English “Not waste money like that”. Amy learned from her mistakes and her accomplishments to become a well rounded user of the English language. It can also be seen that Tan is writing about the different ways one can speak the English language “I use them all-all the English’s I grew up with. “I spend a great deal of my time thinking about the power of language”. The broken English Amy learned from her mother has made her stories multidimensional and she has become a very successful and unique writer because of it. Broken English was perfect for Amy’s mother to speak around the house to family and friends but when it came down to getting things done in the business world she just couldn’t’ do it. She is able to write her unique stories from experience. Amy realizes how much ones surroundings can change the way one speaks the English language. “I wrote using what I thought to be wittily crafted sentences, sentences that would finally prove I had mastery over the English language”.

Approximate Word count = 1333
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

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