Language has been a difficult part of my life. During my elementary school it is compulsory to learn a variety of types of languages. The first language that I learned in school was Malay it was the language of native land speakers, the second language that I was asked to learn was Chinese and followed by English. When conversing with my Malay peers speaking the language of the native was crucial, Mathematics was taught in Malay, Sciences was taught in Chinese. Hence, both languages weren’t a language to be ignored. Language is a form of communication and it is considered to be a solely human mode of communication as a consequence being able to specialize in multilingual one has to face many challenges.
Firstly, learning a second or third language one has to face multiple challenges. Forcing someone to learn a language as their second or third language is inappropriate; as a consequence it would result in abhorrence. At home, Chinese was one of the primarily language to be spoken if an inappropriate phrase or words are used the consequences would be severe. Chinese was the language I was force to learn under the influence of my parents. For them it’s a cheerful frame of mind, reinforced by relaxation. From my prospective point of view it’s more like a medicine that puts all ghosts of fear on the run. During my elementary school I attended a Chinese school whilst Chinese was a compulsory language. Barbara Mellix was a student who graduated with a master’s degree in creative writing from the University of Pittsburg her article “From outside in” was published in the Georgia review in the summer of 1987. As pointed out by Mellix in her article she highlighted her childhood experience was similar to mine. She portrays herself being ...
... middle of paper ...
... legitimacy of myself. Until I am free to write bilingually and to switch codes without having to translate, while I still have to speak English or Spanish when I would rather speaks Spanglish” (288) Anzaldua clearly express the challenges she faced being multilingual one have to be prepared to forgo another language.
In conclusion as Melix, Achebe and Anzaldua pointed out in their article being multilingual one has to face many obstacles. Forcing to learn a new language as a second or third language may result in a disappointment. Code switching is often used when speaking different languages to different peer group. And Last but not least Fluency in languages is crucial one has to face criticism if an inappropriate language is used. However, if these challenges are overcome it will yield many upsides such as better communications, personal relationship and etc.
Anzaldua grew up in the United States but spoke mostly Spanish, however, her essay discusses how the elements of language began to define her identity and culture. She was living in an English speaking environment, but was not White. She describes the difficulty of straddling the delicate changing language of Chicano Spanish. Chicano Spanish can even differ from state to state; these variations as well as and the whole Chicano language, is considered a lesser form of Spanish, which is where Anzaldua has a problem. The language a person speaks is a part...
First, Anzaldua writes about her experience as a multilingual Chicana, who faced harsh criticism from not only Anglos but also other Spanish speakers (Chicanos and non-Chicanos); an experience that
Language is an important part of who we are. It influences the way we think and behave on a great scale. However, sometimes it is forced upon us to go in different directions just so we can physically and mentally feel as if we belong to the society in which we live in. Just as we see in Amy Tan’s “Mother Tongue” and Richard Rodriguez’s “A Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood”, both authors faced some challenges along the way by coping with two different languages, while still trying to achieve the social position which they desired.
Language manifests itself at the very core of an individual. It provides the basis for how we observe the world and its phenomena. Different languages are capable of expressing thoughts that are exclusive to that language. too informalLanguages goes so far to allow people to express different personality traits and pertain to different cultures of the world, allowing for a great sense of community to emerge among those who share a languagenoice. Good thought but rephrase. While it is not the sole factor in all of these things, it provides much more than simply a means to an end. It influences different aspects of one’s life, and can come to lead one to how they choose to develop as a person. Language is a fundamental support upon which one may experience life.
Most people who grow up with a foreign language spoken in there house grow up with an advantage in society. This advantage can only occur once the individual learning that foreign language also learns the dominant language spoken in that country. Once both of these languages are learned and mastered, the individual has now placed them se...
Learning a language is quite possibly one of the most difficult and time- consuming endeavors a person could ever undertake. Therefore, it comes as no surprise, that a limited number of second languages are taught in schools across the western world, and languages are sometimes failed to be passed on to children growing up in a different country than their parents did. Even in Canada, an officially bilingual country, only 15% of Canadians speak English and one unofficial language (Statistics Canada 2008) and in America, only 21% of the population is versed in two languages (Logan, 2003). It has become apparent that there is a need for Canadians and Americans to learn a second language. For a country to survive, it needs to rely on other countries as there is no one country that can produce within it’s borders all the means to meet the needs of it’s people. Furthermore, with the threat of international terrorism, the economic crisis and environmental ruin looming above countries all over the world, governments and organizations need to work together to come up with solutions. These cross culture collaborations would not be possible without the ability of even a few people present to speak each other’s languages. Conversely, by remaining monolingual, skills and knowledge will become concentrated only in certain countries and as the transfer of knowledge will cease the rate of human advancement will slow. This report intends to discuss the interpersonal and personal benefits of learning a second language, and investigate different ways of learning. To accomplish this, I have conducted secondary research into the interpersonal and personal benefits of learning another language. These particular areas of research were cho...
In today’s society, especially in the United States, most people are monolingual English speakers. As a result, these monolingual speakers are at a significant disadvantage compared to those who speak more than one language fluently. This disadvantage is crucial to realize since it is important to learn how individuals and the nation can be enhanced. Multilingual speakers have an advantage in global affairs that involve countries that speak different languages. Speaking multiple languages makes it easier to communicate with people when involved in foreign affairs. Those who speak multiple languages are also more aware of other cultures in society. Monolingual speakers are not as exposed to other cultures and have difficulty understanding or even recognizing them. Furthermore, being multilingual increases your
Throughout time the flexibility of different languages within the world today are always being tossed up in the air, if there’s disadvantages or advantages to being capable of more than one language. Although all individuals have there own opinions on being able to speak fluently with different languages, there isn’t any other way to see it besides it being a huge advantage; fully appreciating the beneficial chance to be bilingual or trilingual and sometimes even more. Communicating with more than a single voice will represent who one is and where they came from. Within two articles “Speaking in Tongues” written by Zadie Smith and “How to tame a Wild Tongue” by Gloria Anzalduas’s both demonstrate the different languages they encounter. Smith looses her chance in speaking from her voice being forced upon to change without resistance while Anzalduas’s aggressively puts up a battle to be able to keep her voice. The acceptance of varies languages isn’t in everyone category, however in time we should be more accepting and realize from articles like such that’s beneficial to learn and accept the difference languages of different cultures within the world today. Although there may be struggles upon learning the knowledge to something new, its nothing but an advantage to have with one throughout a lifetime!
There are many bilingual and multicultural people in the world today. For many, the choices of which language they use, and how they use it, correspond to what social or cultural community they belong to. Amy Tan, a Chinese American novelist, portrays this well in her short essay "Mother Tongue." Tan grew up in two vastly different worlds, using different "Englishes." The first world, which consists of her close family, she speaks what we may call "broken" or "limited" English. The second world, which is her business and professional world, Tan speaks and writes perfect standard and academic English. Having to "shuttle" between these two communities with very different languages has had many different positive and negative effects on Tan, and many other multicultural Americans who deal with similar things. I myself speak different "Englishes" as I move back and forth between my family and society.
Languages is the key to communicate. Everyone learns language at the early stage on their life when their parents trying to transmit some simple vocabulary to them. Communicate means we can give and receive knowledge through language. I was born and raised in Malaysia, which means I have to learn at least 3 languages which are Chinese, Malay and English as well. I would say learning few languages was actually a difficult task to complete. Although it was hard at the beginning, I have also found the fun part of learning several languages which is having the ability to communicate in few languages.
...xpressing her Chinese culture. Mastering a second language allows her to articulate her and her mother’s thoughts; it is a foundation for her pride and a foundation to express herself. For Gloria Anzaldua, instead of choosing one language over the other, she chose a mix of the two and fights for it. She realized the value of her language when she lost it and now treasures it. The kind of Spanish she speaks is neither English nor Spanish, but both. It is overflowing with culture from Medieval Spain, France, Germany, etc., just from the origins of the words. It is her pride and a representation of herself, fighting and living. In conclusion, in addition to Lera Boroditsky’s article proving that the structure of language affects how we think, the articles by Eric Liu, Amy Tan, and Gloria Anzaldua show how language is a foundation for a person’s culture, pride, and self.
At this case, possessing a capability of multilingualism is, in fact, forms a bond between people. Speaking with a foreigner in a language that is not native to the listener sounds illogical. It was reminding me of my grandma’s story of the necessity to learn foreign language. My grandma’s husband, or my grandpa, was an air force that always moved from one place to another during his duty and my grandma accompanied him also. One day, my grandma went shopping in her new environment (in Solo, Middle Java) yet she had no idea about the language in that place. The vendor asked “where she come from?” yet my grandma replied it wrong and thus my grandma began to learn the Basa Jawa (Javanese). Hearing grandma’s story, I learned something: learning foreign language means having a new friend, befriend with more
Being multilingual has great importance. As previously presented, it keeps cultural diversity alive and creates better communication with the rest of the ...
Therefore, this is able to encourage the ability to communicate and appreciate the depth and diversity of the world. Communication with two different countries, or three, or four, will further bring the world closer together, in hopes of closing the divide between some countries. By learning a second language, it can significantly broaden your native language as it gives you stronger vocabulary skills, improved literacy skills and a better understanding of the grammar and construction of your own native language. Furthermore, this can help you in other educational studies. Though it is possible to travel to another country without acquiring the native language, the experience you will have is greatly diminished as you will not see beyond the surface of their culture. Additionally, knowing the native language makes travelling easier, by being able to order meals in restaurants, ask and understand directions. Additionally, it makes it easier to find accommodation, it’s more enjoyable, informative and more satisfying. You are able to further understand and appreciate international literature, music and films, by being able to understand word plays, innuendoes, cultural references, metaphors and further improve your ability to speak the
As time goes by and as the global community develops, the world grows more and more international, making second or third language acquisition become necessary to the majority. With the growing importance of multiple language ability, more and more parents think of bilingual or multilingual education, which means acquisitions of two or more languages, for their kids. In fact, we do have many reasons showing why multilingual education is important and beneficial, such as aspects of interpersonal relationship, employment, brain health, and so on.