Amy Tan Mother Tongue Analysis

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Language is a fundamental necessity one needs to function in a given society. It is what allows one to express themselves in their speech, writing, or thoughts. Without this, functioning in a given society would be difficult. In “ Mother Tongue” by Amy Tan, she uses her mother as an example of the different types of English that exist and how different language is used depending on the situation and circumstance one is in. “Lately, I’ve been giving more thought to the kind of English my mother speaks. Like others, I have described it to people as “broken” or ‘fractured” English.’” (Tan 380) Amy Tan like many others uses the term broken, fractured and sometimes limited to describe her mother’s English. “Broken” when being referred to the way one speaks a language, means that one does not speak a proper or well-spoken language. Amy’s mother’s English, due to it not being considered proper, limited her mother in ways that are not surprising. Growing up, Amy on many occasions had to pretend to be her mother due to others not taking her mother serious. This experience is what made Amy realize her advantage in life being able to speak proper …show more content…

This answers the question of how one talks depending on their situation and circumstance. When she is with her family, she tends to use the same English that is spoken to her. When she is writing or talking about her work, she talks professionally. Like her, many use different types of language depending on their situation and circumstance. One would not speak the way they would to their boss, the same way one would speak with their family or

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