Wednesday, September 7th
Today’s PowerPoint: Here is the Link
Homework, Due Monday, Sept. 13th
Read “Mother Tongue” by Amy Tan, write a response to the questions on OpenLab.
- What did you think of this text? Explain!
- What is it mostly about? Write a 2-4 sentence summary. Be specific. Refer to the text itself. Use quotes even!
- What is the genre of the text? What is the tone?
- Amy Tan writes, “Recently, I was made keenly aware of the different Englishes I do use.” What does she mean by this? What different “Englishes” does she use? When does she use them?
- What does Amy Tan mean when she uses the term “mother tongue?”
- What was Amy Tan’s perspective on her mother’s English as a child? How does it change over time? What influences led to her shift in perspectives?
- Why do you think Amy Tan wrote this article? Who do you think is her intended audience?
- Think about your relationship to the languages in your life. Describe at least two different languages or forms of language that you use either in speaking or writing. For example, when you text or email vs. when you speak. Or when you speak to a family member vs. a friend. Or a professor vs. a friend. Does it change depending on your audience? How? Why?
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What I think about the story was interesting for me on her situation as a reader felt what she was going through. It a situation that I have been through as well with mine. I think that this story bring reader interest on how she expresses her mother.
The book is telling about Amy mother that she struggles on english. That other people wouldn’t take her seriously because of her english. That the mother only hope she had was Amy. The only daughter that could speak perfect english. Amy realize that how people treat her mother differently cause of her english. It was being used as joke because of her english.
This genre on of the story is an essay.
What was Amy talking about the different english it was referring to a lingo that her and her mother used different out in public. In the essay she wrote about how her mother never heard her use those english at her instead of someone else.
What she meant about mother tongue was meant the way she speaks that makes her be herself.
When Amy was a child she felt ashamed the way her mother can’t speak proper english. But when she got older she realizes on how people treat her and embrace it to see what was being said to her.
Amy wrote this article on how she felt what means to her mother. That she let the reader explain what her mother and her are going through. To see one of the reader could relate to her story. It makes me realize that I feel the same way as her because I do have a mother like that to.
What I felt having two different language is more useful to understand other people even in text having to respond the same language or lingo is being understandable to other people.
1.I think it’s an interesting text because it makes you think about the different ways people talk and how it can affect their life on a daily basis.
2.It’s mostly about the different “Englishes” Amy Tan uses and how she changes her language depending on who she’s talking to. It also shows how there’s a difference on the way people are going to treat you based on the way you speak English. It also talks about how teachers tend to put kids that do better in math or science, in those fields rather than giving them a chance to go into the literature field.
3.The genre of this text is academic journal. The Tone is negative.
4.When Amy Tan writes,”Recently I was keenly aware of the different Englishes I do use”, she means that she realized that she was talking in different types of ways depending on who she’s talking to. She uses a formal English as well as a more simple English. She uses formal English when she gives speeches or is in meetings and uses a more simple English when she’s around her family.
5.When Amy Tan uses the term “Mother Tongue”, she means the language that she speaks with her mom.
6.As a child, Amy Tan was embarrassed of her mother’s language. Over time, she learned to embrace her mother’s language.The influences that led to her shift in perspectives are when she realized that that was her mother’s language and that it’s totally fine to speak that way.
7.I think Amy Tan wrote this article to let people know that it’s okay to speak in a different way than other people. The intended audience is immigrants.
8.My language changed depending on who I am talking to. For example when I write an email, I try to be as formal as possible, whereas when I text my friends, I write in a more simple and casual way. The reason for that is that in certain situations you need to talk in a correct way in order to be taken seriously but with friends and family you can usually talk the way you want and it doesn’t really matter.
I liked how relatable the text was. It made me reflect on how as a child and adolescent I helped my family translate due to my family members having limited vocabulary in english. While they now have more knowledge in English they don’t ask for much help but as a child they needed more help and I would do the best I could. Children from immigrant parents can relate to helping their parents all the time which is why I enjoyed the text because it makes me feel represented.
It is mostly about the types of relationship Tan and her mother had with English, in the text Tan mentions how she liked language and has a passion for it which is why she’s a writer. In the text she mentions that because of her mother Tan was often helping her mother because of the language barrier and was put in a situation that children of non immigrants would be able to understand. Tan notices that even if english is not her strongest skill she wants to pursue it in language.
I think this text may be a personal essay because Tan mentions the relationship she has with language. The tone may be informal because the author mentions their thoughts and also humorous in a way it’s casual as if they were conversing with the reader.
By different “englishes” she means whether she uses simple language or advanced language that may have advanced vocabulary. Tan uses simple English with her mother and advanced English in different environments whether it’s school or work related.
Amy Tan means by the term “mother tongue” the language her mother and her use to communicate whether it was simple or not it’s the language they bond with and understand each other in.
At the beginning she mentions how she was embarrassed about her mom’s English because she had always been the interpreter and the one to do everything. She also did not like how people would make faces and judge her mother because her English was not advanced. As she grows she comes to the conclusion that her mother tried her best. School is what influenced her to change her perspective because english was not her strong skill despite having difficulty her passion was the english language and she tried her best to become good even if she was not good at the beginning. She fought to become better and made mistakes to learn from it.
I think Amy Tan wrote this article for children of immigrant parents because most children tend to struggle with English if their first language isn’t english. Readers may relate to how they have helped their parents as children because their parents may only have had a basic understanding of english.
When I speak English I feel the most comfortable because I have more experience, I speak with my friends and sibling in English as well in school and work environments. When it comes to other relatives I speak in spanish but my spanish is not that great however I can have basic conversations before I start to stutter. Based on the audience and platform there will be many different languages used. On social media I can be more careful of what to say because I wouldn’t to post something I might regret later on like people have mentioned its best to not say something or do something that you may regret later on because once its on the internet it is permanent. However when it comes to texting friends or family while you still have to be conscious of what you’re going to say there is more trust and you don’t really have to keep your guard up since it is someone you most likely have built a relationship with.
I enjoyed reading this text a lot, it feels very relatable since she talks heavily on her struggles with English, being raised in a immigrant household. I liked how her mother was a huge part of this text and her story.
The story highlights the authors interpretation of English and journey of being a writer in it. She realize how different english can be because she grew up in a Chinese family. Her mother in specific had “broken” or “limited” English and the author mentioned how that affected how she would talk herself and how she viewed her. She had many experiences where she had to speak for her mother in calls or was embarrassed. But soon she realized that she shouldn’t be held to what standard English is and that the way her mom speaks is fine, and there own “mother tongue”
The genre of the text is a essay. The tone is very personal and comfortable.
When Amy says this, she means she realized that she has a different way of speaking to various people and groups. When presenting in front of others she become more refined, using a wide vocabulary. But it differs with her mother.
Mother tongue is the language she grew up on. The way of speaking that only she and her close intimate family can understand completely.
When she was a child she viewed her mother English as broken and bad. She was embarrassed. However as she grew older she couldn’t help but wince at saying she was a ashamed of her. These experiences where she had to be the connection for her mother because of the barrier is what shifted her perspective eventually. As well, as her exposure of English in different places like school.
She wrote this article to talk about her experiences and journey to be the writer she is now. To also relate to immigrant children who experienced the same feelings she had.
I have many ways of speaking, when I speak to a professor or any stranger I tend to have a more polite and friendly tone. With family and friends, im definitely more comfortable so my language and tone changes. I tend to speak more casual or will use more slang.
-This text is extremely relatable to me and my mother’s form of communication. My grandmother grew up and lived in Dominican Republic throughout her whole life, and came to the United States for a better life for her and her children. Because of her not understanding and studying customs before arriving, she never knew how to speak “proper English”. Yet, as Amy kept mentioning in her text, that form of “broken English” has stuck with me and I considered it as my own version of English.
-This text is about Amy Tan and her mother form of communication when it comes to English and how that affects the environment of her mother. There has been several times in which her mother has gotten mistreated and looked as less then just because of her “broken English”. Even though Amy had to help her mother communicate several times, her mother’s English will always be apart of her and her upbringing, even including it in her book, The Joyluck Club.
-I believe it could be a memoir.
-She is talking about how her way of speaking changes depending on who she is talking to. Compared to her mother, she speaks more fluently and longer when it comes to other groups of people. When talking to her mother, it is very short and to the point.
-I believe mother tongue is the way Amy and her mother communicate with one another, how the language socially may not be perfect but they both understand each other and are having meaningful conversations.
-At a younger age, Amy was very embarrassed by her mother’s form of speaking, often getting upset because she has to “save” her mother from several situation. She would be called in to speak for her mother and to help her resolve any situation. However, she started to respected her mother’s English once she starts to realize that her mother’s English was apart of her own English.
-Again, my mother main language is Spanish. Due to this, her English is simple and she doesn’t understand concept such as grammar or social norms. An example would be – “Have a good day.” “Ok.” Or – “How are you.” “Ok.” Or even “Are you going to purchase this item?” “Ok”. As you can see, my mothers English isn’t the best. I mainly speak to her in Spanish, however there will be times where I must speak in English. My English will be become very limited and would be very simple. However, if I am having a meeting or doing a presentation, I will speak in full length and will try to incorporate a lot of vocabulary.
1. This text connect to me personally as I also have parents that don’t speak english and when they try, I understand it myself but to other it will be hard. This text really went into depth of how she grew up with her mother who didn’t speak much english
2. It is about the author’s relationship with her mother and how she grew up with her mother who has broken english, when only she can understand her while other something can’t at times.
3. I think this is a slice of life of the author’s childhood and how she grew and look back on her past
4. When she speak to other people she uses standard form of english that she learn at school and through books which is more formal, other then when she speaks with her mother
5. It is the english that the author and her mother understands and grew up with and came to an understanding with.
6. When she was a child she thought of her mother’s english as annoying because she has to be the one who has to interpret what her mother means to other people as other won’t understand her mother clearly. As she grew older she came to an understanding with her mother’s english and think is just fine and don’t wanna call it broken but it is.
7.She wrote this article to talk about how she grew up with her mother’s broken english and how she came to an understanding with it so other can relate to her such as child’s of immgrants who is just trying their best to provide for them
8.When I email a teacher I use more formal english such as a dear in the beginning and thank at the end while when I speak with my friend I just use words and phrase to react to them and to communicate with them because it just feel more nature to me 
To me personally, this text is relatable because I grew up with primarily Spanish speakers in my household. My grandmother and mom are both immigrants like Amy Tans mother and speak “simple” English as well. Unfortunately, growing up I used to view my family how Amy viewed her mom because of how she spoke English. I used to think that because their English was “limited” their thoughts were limited as well which was childish and ignorant thinking.
This reading is mostly about the “different English’s” Amy Tan speaks and how she uses them. She explains her upbringing and how she uses “simple” English to communicate with her mom and her husband. I think this reading is also about how even though someones English vocabulary is not advanced it doesn’t mean that their thoughts are less intelligent.
Amy Tans “Mothers Tongue” is a personal narrative. I feel the tone of this reading is humbling.
When Tan says “Recently, I was made keenly aware of the different Englishes I do use.” She means that she realized how many forms of English she speaks. She uses a simpler form of English when speaking to her mother and when speaking in professional settings she’d use a more advanced form of English using proper grammar and bigger vocabulary.
The term “mothers tongue” means the way her mom speaks and voices her opinions, thoughts and ideas.
As a child, Amy was embarrassed by her mom’s English because she thought it wasn’t “up to par” and noticed how other people would treat her mom because of it. She thought because her mom’s English was limited that her thoughts and ideas were limited and non-important as well. Over time she began to realize that is not true. The way her mom spoke English did not reflect her intelligence or the quality of her thoughts. I think she realized that if she was going through this at home, then other Asian American kids were as well and probably facing the same problems she was at school in English class.
I think Amy Tan wrote this for mainly kids of Asian immigrants but this can be relatable to almost all immigrant families. To show them that they aren’t alone and that other people go through the same things at home with their families that don’t speak English as their first language. And usually, kids whose first language isn’t English struggle in school in English and they gravitate towards math because numbers are a universal thing to understand, and their teachers probably push them in that direction as well but she is showing that regardless of the struggle and doubts she was still able to become a successful writer. And still, write in a way her mom can comprehend.
Different languages I use in my life are English, simple Spanish, and simple English. When I speak to my grandparents and the rest of my family out of the states, they are primarily Spanish speakers who know little English, I speak to them in simple Spanish because I am not fluent or simple English because they aren’t fluent.
1.My mother only speaks Haitian creole and a little bit of French, similar to Amy Tan’s mother, and she also speaks “simple” English, so to me, this text is very similar to me because I didn’t have the support when I moved here to learn how to speak English fluently. I also had to work hard to support my mother. She’s not very good, though, and when I go out with her and witness her speaking in public, I don’t feel ashamed; instead, I get angry at how other people taunt her and stare at her oddly.
2.The text is about the author’s struggles and how her mother, who speaks Simple English, was perceived by society, which influenced her to strive hard.
3.The genra is a personal essay
4.She is claiming that she has many different ways of speaking to others, such as at work, at home, and at school. For example, in the text, she stated that “the forms of English I did not use at home with my mother.” This means that she has different ways of speaking depending on who she is speaking to or the environment she is in.
5.She uses it to characterize her mother’s English as imperfect and limited.
6.Amy Tan’s perspective was that her mother’s level of English affected the way she spoke poorly and made her feel embarrassed in front of others. However, as she grew older, she came to realize that her mother’s English speaking style is acceptable once she started to put herself in her mother’s position and comprehend her viewpoints.
7.Amy Tan developed this book for immigrant children who are in a similar position to her own in order to let them know that they are not the only ones in the world who struggle with having family members who don’t speak English as their first language.
8.The way I speak English depends on where I am and who I am speaking to. For instance, when I am at home, I speak Haitian Creole because my mother does not speak English well, but I maintain the same tone as when I’m in school. However, when I am with my friends, my language completely changes.
I really like this text because I could relate to it. Growing up in an immigrant house hold my parents were very limited with there English, and I felt the same way as the author.
This passage was about a girl named Amy who’s parents came to America from China. The parents had limited English language knowledge and the girl when she was little was ashamed of her parents. But as she grew older she was proud and learned how to embrace her culture.
The genre was a personal story about the girls experience with adversity towards her parents english. The tone in the beginning of the story was very disappointing but later the tone changed to being prions and patriotic.
I think by different English’s she means the ways we talk English with different people. Some of us may talk a lot more formal with others and we may talk in a certain slang with people closer to us.
I think when she says mothers tongue she means her mothers accent and limited grammar and English.
As a child Amy was ashamed and dissatisfied with here mothers English. Over time she learns to embrace her mothers imperfect English and is proud of her culture.
I think she wrote this for those kids who may feel ashamed of there parents limited English. She wants them to learn to embrace there family. Her intended audience was for children of immigrants.
I speak 2 different languages Albanian and English. When I speak albanian I have to speak with a certain tone and grammar, I speak albanian with my family and relatives. I speak English with my brother, friends and educators. I speak English and Albanian in 2 ways formal and informal.