The talk was going along well enough, until i remembered one major. If the authors name is included in a signal phrase, you only need to cite the page number in parentheses. She is raised by her mother who speaks broken english, and the outside world where perfect english is spoken. Amy tan has ethos on the subject of english and how it is used in a variety of tongues because her mother is chinese and immigrated to california. She also speaks smart english, but she also speaks her childhood english. In some countries, the term native language or mother tongue refers to the language of ones ethnic group rather than ones first language. Amy tan born february 19, 1952 is an american writer whose works explore mother daughter relationships and the chineseamerican experience.
But where tan really gets to something deep, is this idea how we acquire language. Oct 29, 20 mother tongue is an essay by amy tan describing her life with her mother in america. Essay on amy tans a mothers tongue 973 words bartleby. As the title of the story, amy tans essay mother tongue focuses on the use of english language by her mother, which she stated as broken english. Tan says that experts believe that a persons developing language skills are more influenced by peers. Stay connected to your students with prezi video, now in microsoft teams. Mother tongue, by amy tan home is where the heart dwells.
Feb 12, 20 as i was reading mother tongue i picked up on the reflective tone amy tan was using to convey the message to her readers. Amy describes how we speak differently to family compared to how we speak to people out in public. Different forms of language and their different roles in daily life always fascinate her. She has to tell people her mothers english is broken or fractured. Read this english essay and over 89,000 other research documents. Summary for amy tans mother tongue free essay example. Throughout the reading it showed how hard it was and still is for asian americans to work through the difficulties of the english language. Mother tongue is an essay by amy tan describing her life with her mother in america. How do they further her argument first, you must identify what her argument is.
She loves writing and thinks about how language influences everything. Amy tan born february 19, 1952 is an american writer whose works explore motherdaughter. Arrange for copies of the essay mother tongue by amy tan. Now customize the name of a clipboard to store your clips. She grew up taking phone and making phone calls for her mother. People were telling her how her english was not as valuable because her knowledge came from her mother, a second language speaker. Jose state university alumni speech and language pathologists university of california, santa cruz alumni university of california. And by that definition, i am someone who has always loved language. Hasham mahmood english 1030, section 37 september 17, 20 summaryresponse assignment in the essay mother tongue by amy tan, tan claims the idea that we speak different languages to communicate with each other and that our intelligence is judged by the way we speak. At several points in her essay, tan relates anecdotes. A rhetoric and reader for writers, edited by marjorie ford and jon ford, 7th ed.
How the broken speech of her mother has had an influence on her life. Michelle blay september 16, 2014 summary and claim of mother tongue amy tan complains of how her literacy on the english language was affected by the obstacles that she had to encounter of how others were judging her and her mom in her essay mother tongue. She holds a bachelors degree in english and a masters degree in linguistics 1973 from san jose state university. In the essay mother tongue by amy tan, the author describes how her mothers english influences her in her career and life that the mother tongue does not limit her as a writer, but shaped her and her perception on life instead. As i was reading mother tongue i picked up on the reflective tone amy tan was using to convey the message to her readers. Mother tongue by amy tan meet your next favorite book. In some countries, the term native language or mother tongue refers to the language of ones ethnic group rather than ones first language sometimes, the term mother tongue or mother language is. I cannot give you much more than personal opinions on the english language and its variations in this country or others. Judy grahns awardwinning book now in an expanded edition uses personal memories, etymology, legend, and recent and ancient history to explore the importance and meaning of. Apr, 2017 in the essay mother tongue by amy tan shows how english does not have only one type, but a variety of ways to be used and understood. Make an overhead transparency of the discussion questions for mother tongue, or arrange for an lcd projector to show the questions to the class. Students may conclude that tan and her mother did not have a close relationship if they. Tan has written several other novels, including the kitchen gods wife, the hundred secret senses, the bonesetters.
Great art takes inspiration, and inspiration comes from many different sources. A first language, native language or mother fatherparent tongue also known as arterial language or l1, is a language that a person has been exposed to from birth or within the critical period. Analysis of mother tongue by amy tan 841 words 4 pages. In the accompanying workbooks, the mother tongue student workbook 1 and 2, blue. And by that definition, i am someone who has always loved languagetan 76. In the accompanying workbooks, the mother tongue student workbook 1 and 2, blue sky daisies provides the practice exercises in. She has written several other books, including the kitchen gods wife, the amy tan chinese. Mlastyle works cited bibliographical entry models for selected essays reprinted in our muller textbook. As a fictional author, tan is amazed by language and. Reflecting on amy tans essay mother tongue in amy tans work mother tongue, the author explains that in some situations, she hears herself say things like not waster money that way 54. Amy tan is an asianamerican writer whose works focus a lot on relationships between mothers and daughters. Tan and her mother they had a close relationship because, 1.
She also grew up to be ashamed of her mothers poor speaking skills. In the amy tans mother tongue, she states that she is someone who has always loved language. I believe tan wrote this article not only toward her critics, but also towards herself as a reflection of her relationship with her. Amy tan, a chineseamerican novelist, portrays this well in her short essay mother tongue. In 1993, tans adaptation of her most popular fiction work, the joy luck club, became a commercially successful film. Tan says that experts believe that a persons developing language skills are more. What she is hears is her mothers english coming out of her mouth.
Her mother had a brain tumor and her father and brother both died of brain tumors. Amy tan explains in her story about her love of literature and how her mothers broken english has inspired her to write. Her mother is the audience reader for the joy luck club, a book about motheranddaughter relationships. Her novel the joy luck club was adapted into a film in 1993 by director wayne wang tan has written several other novels, including the kitchen gods wife, the hundred secret senses, the bonesetters daughter, saving fish from drowning, and the valley. In one or two paragraphs, describe the personal experience that the writer had in mother tongue, and the understanding she gained through her reflection about the experience. Dec 01, 2009 read this english essay and over 89,000 other research documents. A summary of amy tan s mother tongue free essay example. I believe tan wrote this article not only toward her critics, but also towards herself as a reflection of her relationship with her mother and how it has led. Amy tan is an accomplished fictional writer with five books in her name among other literary works. The nature of the talk was about my writing, my life, and my book, the joy luck club. In this essay ive compared rhetorical analysis of amy tans mother tongue with james baldwin if black english isnt a language, then tell me, what is. Amy tans article called mother tongue the new world reader is very enlightening and opened my eyes to the struggles that asian american families go through on a day to day basis.
What point is she making with the example of the stockbroker. It is an invitation to see english as a variety of ideas and expressions of oneself. Tans latest book is a memoir entitled where the past begins. Amy tan, the author of the book mother tongue, wanted to use her writing skills and opportunity through this book to make readers realize how not being a native american, as she and her mother were not, can hamper how a person deals with daytoday situations. Amy tan tells the story of how she becomes to have a strong natural love for language. Mother tongue by amy tan by sharon charles on prezi. A few examples of this was with amys friends, the stock broker, and the doctor.
Amy tan explains how culture may effect what you do and enjoy in life. In mother tongue, amy tan expresses the limitations caused by the use of imperfect english in society and her struggles to revitalize it into her life and her writing. For many bilingual and multicultural people, the choices of which language they use and how they use it correspond to the social or cultural community to which they belong. How one speaks and what they pick up on happens in the home and other people see them differently based on the way they speak. Read amy tans essay mother tongue then select the best answer for each question. In the story mother tongue, amy tan talks about how she recently noticed that the english she uses at home, is different from the type of english she uses in her stories, or when speaking to other people outside of her family. Reflections on amy tans mother tongue, essay sample. In 1989, upon learning that her fellow panelists at a symposium on the state of english would include scholars who studied the english language, tan wrote this.
These include books, journals and newspapers a book on versatility. Yet, she changed her mind and decided to write a book about mothers using the language that she has been growing up with, her broken mother tongue, in which she captured the language she and her mother used to talk to each other, the english language that is a verbatim translation from chinese. Be sure to consider the anecdotes regarding tans giving a speech, the stockbroker, the cat scan, and tans experience with the sats. She spends a great deal of her time thinking about the power of language the way it can evoke an emotion, a visual image, a complex idea, or a simple truth. Mother tongue by amy tan key points and summary emmanuel. You may refer back to the reading as you take the quiz. Tan describes her mothers english as broken or fractured 40. English 101 mother tongue amy tan makes a valid point about the use of different englishes that are spoken in different places and to certain people.
Students may conclude that tan and her mother did not have a close relationship if they support this opinion with valid examples. Amy had a hard time as a child because of the different englishes that were spoken. A first language, native language or motherfatherparent tongue also known as arterial language or l1, is a language that a person has been exposed to from birth or within the critical period. Tan was proud of her mother who had a unique way of communicating in english language that is why in her book she chooses to discuss about her mother. Amy tans mother tongue link to story amy tan is speaking of writing her book joy luck club theres a scene below, so in that sense it works as a good example of a literacy narrative in that tan writes about writing something. Amy tan is considered an author at the forefront for imaging the chineseamerican experience. In mother tongue, tan writes about the awareness and discrimination about broken english compared to standard english. What one says may sometimes vary based on the person, situation, or event as well. Clipping is a handy way to collect important slides you want to go back to later. Summary mother tongue after reading the strongly written mother tongue by amy tan, it shows a great deal of strength from the asian american culture. Mother tongue, by amy tan mother tounge essay writing.
She was reflecting on her past experiences with her mother and those that interacted with her. Her mother attends a lecture that tan is delivering, and tan realizes that her mother is hearing tan speak a kind of english that she does not use at home. Amy tans story mother tongue 631 words 123 help me. Amy tan mother tongue english 101 mother tongue amy tan makes a valid point about the use of different englishes that are spoken in different places and to certain people. Adapted for modern students blue sky daisies brings a fresh look to the classic grammar text from george kittredge and sarah arnold, the mother tongue book ii. Their relationship is one of wonderful love and comfort, one where they can speak broken english mother tongue and have it mean something very special.
Discussion questions for mother tongue what point is tan making with the example of her mother and the hospital. For example, when amy was giving a talk to a large group of. In the essay mother tongue by amy tan shows how english does not have only one type, but a variety of ways to be used and understood. Sep 12, 2011 amy tans article called mother tongue the new world reader is very enlightening and opened my eyes to the struggles that asian american families go through on a day to day basis. In tans essay she quotes her mothers speech to demonstrate her mothers broken english, it was a very trivial story but the thing that is worth looking at was her mothers grammar. Her novel the joy luck club was adapted into a film in 1993 by director wayne wang. Dont judge a book by its cover or someones intelligence by her english. Her mother relies on and trusts tan to talk to the doctors about the cat scan. Born in oakland, california, in 1952, amy tan is a chinese ameri. How did the language variety of tans mother affect tans. Sep 18, 20 hasham mahmood english 1030, section 37 september 17, 20 summaryresponse assignment in the essay mother tongue by amy tan, tan claims the idea that we speak different languages to communicate with each other and that our intelligence is judged by the way we speak. In tans essay she quotes her mothers speech to demonstrate her mothers broken english, it was a very trivial story but the thing that is worth looking at was her mot. The main aim of the study is to point out of cultural racism that is present all over the world.
593 542 996 856 719 839 1029 585 41 1129 43 463 95 1091 599 543 1462 736 295 692 1059 431 988 219 1344 684 15 997 547 1464 990 1008 1047 585