Many non-traditional students begin to fall behind in their education due to linguistic and pedagogical differences between the way they speak and write naturally and the way they are expected to speak and write in the classroom. The problem is that many teachers advocate the use of Standard English in the classroom and do not permit students to speak in their own voice, which leads the students to totally silencing their ethnic voices. According to Horner and company by privileging Standard English as the main dialect, all other dialects are devalued, but this is also difficult to avoid because Standard English dominates society, in both textbooks and media (Horner, et al 305) During the late 90’s The Oakland School district in Los Angeles …show more content…
She writes of growing up in a dual culture society, of how she and many other children of immigrants spoke Chicano (a dialect created by the children of Mexican immigrants.) Chicano’s are generally looked down upon by the Mexican’s as not being Latina enough because by intermingling both English and Spanish. Anzaldua felt that she was distancing herself from her heritage, and that she was being forced to learn Standard English by her teachers, because she was living in the US. Anzaldua write that “they were told that their language was wrong and that the repeated attacks on their native tongue began to diminish their sense of self-worth. (Anzaldua …show more content…
She believes that all speakers of English have the right to know where the prescriptive rules of English come from and that the speaker has the right to make informed decisions about which rules are appropriate for their writing. Curzan believes that students must learn to question and challenge the rules of English grammar while also being aware of them and being able to utilize
Usually, if you speak anything other than Standard English, it is looked upon as negative thing. One topic the books looks at is if there should even be a divide between the “professional world” and someone culture. I think in the classroom we should help student become culturally aware and embrace their culture, but it is also out job to prepare them for what society is right not. Right now there is a very large divide between culture (if your culture is not the dominate one) and the professional world. We should let student embrace and explore their own language but also encourage them to learn Standard English. As teachers we should also teach students when and where Standard English is more appropriate versus their own language
“Standard English was imposed on children of immigrant parents, then the children were separated from native English speakers, then the children were labeled “inferior” and “ignorant” (Hughes 70) because they could not speak Standard English. In addition to feeling inferior about their second language skills, these students also felt inadequate in regard to speaking their own mother tongues” (qtd in Kanae)
This marginalization is still prevalent today, as Black English is still overwhelmingly stigmatized and discredited in nearly all academic settings, particularly within American culture. Jordan’s demonstration that Black English is not given respect or afforded validity in academic and social settings still rings true today. Black English-speaking students see little to no representation of their language in the classroom, and are often actively discouraged from speaking the language of their community and of their upbringing. This suppression and delegitimization of a valid method of communication represents colonialist and white supremacist notions of language, social homogeneity, and latent institutional racism, and has negative, even dire, consequences for the students
America is a presumptuous country; its citizens don’t feel like learning any other language so they make everyone else learn English. White Americans are the average human being and act as the standard of living, acting, and nearly all aspects of life. In her essay “White Privilege: The Invisible Knapsack,” Peggy McIntosh talks about how being white has never been discussed as a race/culture before because that identity has been pushed on everyone else, and being white subsequently carries its own set of advantages. Gloria Anzaldua is a Chicana, a person of mixed identities. In an excerpt titled “How to Tame a Wild Tongue,” she discusses how the languages she speaks identifies who she is in certain situations and how, throughout her life, she has been pushed to speak and act more “American” like. McIntosh’s idea of whiteness as a subconscious race that carries its own advantages can enlighten why Anzaldua feels like she
She believes her identity is being taken away because she is looked down upon for speaking Spanish in America. Throughout her essay, she talks about how her First Amendment right was violated because society feels that if you speak American properly in America, you will live a better life. When Anzaldúa says “I will no longer be made to feel ashamed of existing” (416), she’s stating that regardless of what people continues to think of her, she’ll still remain proud and faithful to her language. When saying, “I will no longer” represents assertiveness. It’s as if she 's taking a stand against everybody that told her that she really isn 't an authentic Hispanic like them because she stands out due to her different background. The word “existing” hints that she will no longer participate in disliking herself because of other people 's opinions. It was evident that she planned to live for herself by loving who she is in spite of past incidents. One of the themes in the passage is embracing who you despite the fact that you may not be like the rest of the people around you. Self-acceptance triumphs other people 's approval. Overcoming obstacles that in past had an effect on you is an achievement anyone would be proud of. When you make it a priority to not let those obstacles to no longer trouble you in the future is even
It is important for teachers to realize that everyone communicates differently. Some people have different dialects, vocabularies, and some people even communicate without using words. As a teacher, it is our job to support and teach the concept that there is no such thing as a superior language. According to Stubbs, people all have their own basic language and it is what we do with those languages that matter (????). We should not judge someone and try to make them change just because they sound funny to the supposed superior language. Did anyone ever stop to consider that for some of these children, they think that there teacher sounds funny? Instead of trying to make students change we should be helping these students embrace their
Preceding her youth, in 1977, Anzaldua became a High School English teacher to Chicano students. She had requested to buy Chicano texts, but was rejected to do so. The principal of the school she worked for told her, in Anzaldua’s words: “He claimed that I was supposed to teach “American” and English literature.” She then taught the text at the risk of being fired. Anzaldua described, “Being Mexican is a state of soul – not on of mind.” All in all, the reprimanding she had to endure only made her stronger: “Until I can take pride in my language, I cannot take pride in myself.” It led to Anzaldua embracing her Mexican culture even more, contrary to shoving it aside. Anzaldua transformed her beliefs into something both cultures can applaud, and be honored
At the beginning of the essay, Anzaldúa recounts a time when she was at the dentist. He told her, “We’re going to have to control your tongue” (33). Although he was referring to her physical tongue, Anzaldúa uses this example as a metaphor for language. The dentist, who is trying to cap her tooth, symbolizes the U.S. who is similarly seeking to restrict the rights of minority groups. Nevertheless, the tongue is preventing the dentist from doing his job. Likewise, there are several minority groups who refuse to abide to the laws of dominant cultures and are fighting back. Anzaldúa also touches on a personal story that happened at school. When she was younger, she was sent to the corner because apparently, she spoke back to her Anglo teacher. The author argues that she was unfairly scolded because she was only telling her teacher how to pronounce her name. Her teacher warned her, “If you want to be American, speak American. If you don’t like it, go back to Mexico where you belong.” This short story provides an understanding of what Anzaldúa’s life was like. It demonstrates how even at a young age, she was continually pressured because of where comes
By providing those words, Anzaldua confirms that a new variant of Spanish has appeared. One possible purpose Anzaldua may have in mind is protecting their language from the Anglo Americans, by doing this she is fighting the idea that there is only one sole language to learn. Anzaldua provides a list of a few variant languages spoken to offer as proof. For example, she listed “standard English, working class and slang English, standard Spanish, standard Mexican Spanish”. When Anzaldua mentioned “standard English and slang English”, she was referring to how we speak differently towards people, there’s a difference to the way someone speaks at work and with their buddies, and Anzaldua emphasized this to show that everyone has a variant language. By providing a list complied of English and Spanish sub-languages, it’s clear that Anzaldua is targeting – those who speak the sub-languages – as her audience. I agree with the direction she is taking regarding the viewership, because the issue mainly concerns those who speak a variant language. Anzaldua’s use of her variant language reinforces how much she really understands concerning the alienation of the language. At the end, Anzaldua states “…yet possessing a malleability that renders us unbreakable, we, the mestizas and mestizos will
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...
According to Anzaldua, “ Chicano Spanish is considered by the purist and by most Latinos deficient, a mutilation of Spanish”(Anzaldua 32). The Chicano Spanish versus Spanish conflict that occurs in Latino society is a prime example of people considering themselves to be right in a situation where there is not a right answer. The Latino’s who speak Spanish that they believe to be normal are disturbed by the Spanish language changing. They believe that their own views are being challenged, they believe that they are correct, and they believe that anyone who challenges their views is inferior. The people who view all other views are, in reality, just trying to make themselves look more powerful. Like in Tan’s essay, people demeaned others in order to promote their own views, therefore, gaining power over the others who they demeaned. According to Tan, “ She said they would not give her any more information(...) And when the doctor finally called her daughter, me, who spoke in perfect english-- lo and behold-- we had assurances the CAT scan would be found”(Tan 2). The doctors treated Tan’s mother differently due to her use of what they considered “broken language”, leading to her being treated inadequately. People have an image of what they consider to be the right English, anyone who does not speak the right English is usually considered to be uneducated. In both Tan’s and Anzaldua’s essays, the lack of open-mindedness is one of the reasons that people want to become more powerful than others. People fail to realize that what they believe in is not always the right answer, like with stereotypes, the people are trying to gain power over others in order to make themselves seem more
In this summary the author Tanya Barrientos is explaining how hard it is be different. In the beginning of the summary Barrientos explained how people automatically assume that she is Latina. She grew up in an English-speaking world. Her parents are born and raised in Guatemala but she moved to the United States at the age of three. When her parents came to the United States of America they stopped speaking English immediately. Her parents wanted her to read, talk, and write only in English. She felt like she was the only one who needed to learn how to speak Latino, even though she looks like she can already. In the summary she went on saying that she was trying to fit in and become a regular person so other Latinas won’t judge her. All she
In addition, both essays reflect how the language they spoke intertwines with their identity and how it sometimes has an impact on the way they interact with society. The effect of the language on their identity is demonstrated through what the authors may call their “different languages.” Although Tan uses more of a personal narrative style than Anzaldua, Anzaldua uses definitions and quotes to demonstrate how her identity was influenced as well. Anzaldua mentions the examples of the different languages by describing “Home tongues”, “Chicano Spanish”, “Chicano Texas Spanish”, “Pachuco” and many others. She uses personal narrative to describe the “Home Tongue” by stating it was the language she spoke with her sisters and brothers.
The essay “How to Tame a Wild Tongue” by Gloria Anzaldua is relevant to today’s society, because it brings to discussion important social issues such acculturation, racism, and sexism. A major social event that she lived through and was an advocate of was the Chicano movement, which influenced her in her writing. This essay is not only written solely using her intelligence and research, it also comes from personal experience. Furthermore, she says that she will not be silenced anymore, that all people deserve the right to freedom of speech and the freedom to their culture. Not to have to submit to the dominant cultures found here in the United States. This essay is directed towards two groups
The contrast between the Mexican world versus the Anglo world has led Anzaldua to a new form of self and consciousness in which she calls the “New Mestiza” (one that recognizes and understands her duality of race). Anzaldua lives in a constant place of duality where she is on the opposite end of a border that is home to those that are considered “the queer, the troublesome, the mongrel and the mulato” (25). It is the inevitable and grueling clash of two very distinct cultures that produces the fear of the “unknown”; ultimately resulting in alienation and social hierarchy. Anzaldua, as an undocumented woman, is at the bottom of the hierarchy. Not only is she a woman that is openly queer, she is also carrying the burden of being “undocumented”. Women of the borderlands are forced to carry two degrading labels: their gender that makes them seem nothing more than a body and their “legal” status in this world. Many of these women only have two options due to their lack of English speaking abilities: either leave their homeland – or submit themselves to the constant objectification and oppression. According to Anzaldua, Mestizo culture was created by men because many of its traditions encourage women to become “subservient to males” (39). Although Coatlicue is a powerful Aztec figure, in a male-dominated society, she was still seen