Mother Tongue Essay

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Stacy Ilderton Mr. McSweeney English 101 16 June 2011 Mother Tongue In “Mother Tongue” (World Views,2010) Amy Tan compares the interactions of the broken English she uses with her mother to the sophisticated English that she uses when she is in a formal atmosphere. When conversing with her husband, Tan initiates that she switches from formal English to broken English. For them, it is a language of intimacy and a way to express their feelings for each other. For her mother and her, it is their mother tongue and the language that allows them to bond together. Tan acknowledges her mother’s broken English to be full of grammatical errors, yet it is unique and natural. Because Tan grew up with her mother’s broken English, she was ashamed and didn’t feel like she fit in. It limited her perception of her mother and how she expressed herself. Her thoughts weren’t clear and people never took her seriously whenever she went out in public. Some people would ignore her and not even acknowledge she was there. Tan felt the effect of her mother’s English would limit her possibilities in life. Amy Tan describes how she was really proficient with English, but she never tested or did well in the subject in school. She wasn’t obligated to do well in it and preferred mathematics and science more. She always believed she would gain more achievement in mathematics and science. Tan questions why there are not more Asian-Americans found in American literature. She believes that Asian students may use broken English, but tend to steer away from writing and they direct their path of success towards math and science. Tan proved the societal accusations wrong and became an English major in college. In the end, Amy Tan constructs stories about the bond she has with her mother and their broken English. She reveals it to be full of passion when she talks, the imagery of her words

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