The Respect And Pride Of Language

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The Respect and Pride of Language The world is filled with people of many different origins, roots, and backgrounds. Accordingly, the world knows of numerous different languages. Some languages have evolved to become more popular and more widespread in use than others, and some even gain a higher sense of status than others. In Anzaldua’s piece, “How to Tame a Wild Tongue,” Anzaldua, by using her own Chicano background as an example, argues that it is of utmost importance that any individual be proud and supportive of their individual language no matter how unpopular it is, because a person’s primary language serves a large role in defining their personal identity. In the introduction of Anzaldua’s piece, Anzaldua uses the example of a physical tongue that cannot be controlled by the dentist during a dental operation to help convey the fact that it is impossible to suppress one’s native language. She states that, “Wild tongues can’t be tamed, they can only be cut out” (pg. 77). She also states that people like her childhood teacher tried to ban her from speaking Spanish during recess, and her university tried to suppress her Chicano accent. Anzaldua responds with the statement, “Attacks on one’s form of expression with the intent to censor are a violation of the First Amendment” (pg. 77). This clearly displays her displeasure to the suppression of her native language, which she experienced when growing up. Anzaldua continues into her next section, ‘Overcoming the Tradition of Silence’, to discuss how she, as a female, use to be taught to be kept silent as part of her culture. She notes that none of the rules she was taught she heard of being applied to men. Therefore, self-expression was more limited for a Chicano female than a Chicano male. She borrows a quote from Irena Klepfisz to describe the inability of expression that Chicano females

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