Mother tongue, written by Amy Tan provides a description of the forms of English languages adapted by different individuals during their migration to the United States of America and their adjustment to the American culture. 8th Feb 2020 Credibility is established because both authors show the struggles that they had to go through, and make the reader understand the ways that these struggles shaped their lives. Amy Tan has written several books including the hundred secret senses, thekitchen god’s wife, and bonesetter’s daughter, etc. If you need assistance with writing your essay, our professional essay writing service is here to help! pg.… Show Show. Writing is a dynamic undertaking as it takes different styles and approaches in presenting arguments, as well as in the choice of language to convey ideas. By not letting others dictate what she can or cannot do she is able to go further than most would expect. Tan also balances each part of the rhetorical triangle very effective and thoughtful essay. People would often assume that her mother was uneducated, even though she “reads the Forbes report, listens to Wall Street Week, converses daily with her stock broker and reads all of Shirley MacLaine books with ease- she does all kinds of things I can’t begin to understand” (Tan 300). Do you think a more formal style would strengthen her credibility? “Mother Tongue” by Amy Tan Essay; Amy Tan’s Mother Tongue Essay; Amy Tan’s ‘Two Kinds’ and Jamaica Kincaid’s ‘Girl’ Essay; Amy Tan’s ‘Two Kinds’ and Jamaica Kincaid’s ‘Girl’ Essay; Amy Tan’s “Two Kinds” and “Best Quality” Essay “Double Face” analysis from :The Joy Luck Club” by… First, the author uses logos and reasoning in … Amy Tan’s “Mother Tongue” as a Literacy Narrative. Although there are many differences in the styles of the two writers, they are both effective in their use of rhetoric. Ashley's Blog. The reader is made to feel empathetic towards the situation. She teaches others with disabilities to embrace the things that make them different. Amy Tan purpose of writing this article is to encourage other ethical groups that may struggle with a language barrier to go for writing if that what you enjoy. In Amy Tan’s ‘ Mother tongue ’, we are taken through matters of linguistics as we join Tan in her description of ‘broken English’; this she further compares to the standards English. She gives numerous examples of different language from the different influences in her life. As a reader you are made to feel the road block that is put in the way of her mother. Amy has a keen grip on “proper” English, most likely due to her being raised in America. "..all the Englishes I grew up with." Tan explains to her audience that she was introduced to the English language in many ways. 301 certified writers online. We're here to answer any questions you have about our services. It wasn’t until Tan came and explained what her mother was talking about that the doctor would take the situation seriously. Tan elaborates this idea by scrutinizing her mother's language, her own use of English and society's response to different people's English usage. Mother tongue commonly means the language first learned by a person, but for the author, Amy Tan, it has special meaning. In the essay, she successfully expresses all three of rhetorical styles such as logos, ethos, and pathos. People with autism fall under a stereotype that they aren’t able to be normal or do normal things. She has a personality to her voice and talks in a way that is all her own. “Mother Tongue” an article by an author named Amy Tan is about the many different forms of the English language that she has used and continues to use throughout her life. I am fascinated by language in daily life. She is not seeking the approval of critics and chooses not to write like a professor even though others might believe she should. How the broken speech of her mother has had an influence on her life. Learn More. “Mother Tongue” an article by an author named Amy Tan is about the many different forms of the English language that she has used and continues to use throughout her life. Company Registration No: 4964706. The main idea of Amy Tan's "Mother Tongue" is the limitations that imperfect English can impose in society and the richness that such English can bring to writing. By Amy Tan • Art by Gabe Leonard I am not a scholar of English or literature. By directly addressing the audience she is able to show that she wasn’t writing this essay just to share her ideas, she really wants the reader to understand what is happening, and why it is such a difficult situation. She uses her writing as a strategy to effectively prove her point. The main idea of Amy Tan's "Mother Tongue" is the limitations that imperfect English can impose in society and the richness that such English can bring to writing. Title: Mother Tongue, by Amy Tan - mother tounge Author: Heather Simon Created Date: 8/1/2013 6:09:07 PM What is the authors main point? Mother Tongue by Amy Tan – Key Points and summary. Her questions urge the listeners to ponder their own experiences and lead them to believe that they should make changes. In her essay ‘Mother Tongue’, Amy Tan tries to use her personal experience to describe the importance of language in a society. Mother Tongue by Amy Tan. The post Mother Tongue by Amy Tan first appeared on COMPLIANT PAPERS. You can view samples of our professional work here. By revisiting past occasions where her mother spoke in “broken English”, Tan explains how people developed preconceived notions of her mother’s intelligence based solely on how fluently she spoke. Tan’s purpose was to show us how language separates, unites, or isolates those who don’t speak the common way as well as others. King is able to establish a motivational tone, and makes the reader want to see the good in a situation most would consider bad. She is precise in her quest yet finds time to ask and question what is appropriate and considered as proper grammar and English. Background & Summary of Mother Tongue Amy Tan is an Asian-American writer whose works focus a lot on relationships between mothers and daughters. Amy Tan’s short story, “Mother Tongue” is an admirable tale that discusses the implied meaning of languages and how language is not only a device of communication, but a social tool of measuring an individuals’ worth. Her experience and mostly success makes her credible. eNotes critical analyses help you gain a deeper understanding of Mother Tongue so you can excel on your essay or test. The reaction from the crowd shows her use of humor, and how she is able to make light of a tough topic. Even though her autism has presented challenges she views her diagnosis as a unique ability because of the imagination it has provided her. Let’s look at how Amy Tan brings her mother and her language to life. She takes such a positive approach in her speech and manages to look at her autism in a positive way. Her honesty about a personal matter makes her very trustworthy. She recalls a time when a hospital would not look for a lost CAT scan for her mother until she came to translate. Key Points: Mother Tongue. They know” (King 01:36). King aims her speech at people that need to understand that different doesn’t mean bad. ''Mother Tongue'': Further Analysis. She also teaches people that don’t have disabilities to not underestimate the abilities of people just because they don’t think the same way as we do. 301 certified writers online. A very important similarity in the two texts is the writer’s intent to stay true to who they are. Discuss the writers purpose, audience, tone and characterization. Mother Tongue, by Amy Tan. In her story "Mother Tongue," Amy Tan describes her relationship with her mother, who speaks "broken" English. Tan’s intended audience could be anyone that had to learn a new language to fit in where they live. Her use of language in this essay helps to prove her point that you shouldn’t base your judgment of someone’s intelligence on their use of an unfamiliar language. English; Amy Tan is a daughter of Chinese immigrants. In this analysis, the author compares perfect English language with ‘broken language’. With these two texts we are taught that personal experience is the best teacher, even if it’s someone else’s. She examines certain aspects of the language she speaks and writes, against the language her mother speaks and writes. Tan uses many storytelling techniques to make all the experiences feel more personal. 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. Amy has a keen grip on “proper” English, most likely due to her being raised in America. Tan vividly describes a time when her mother was treated unfairly simply because the other person didn’t understand what she was trying to say. The first line I was able to connect with was, “Recently, I was made keenly aware of the different Englishes I do use” (pg 76). King also discusses the tough question of what it means to be normal. In Amy Tan’s article “Mother tongue” she shows how her mother’s unique English led her to go through many trials and obstacles and was overlooked by many. This nonfiction narrative essay was originally given as a talk during the 1989 State of the Language Symposium; it was later published by The Threepenny Review in 1990. Disclaimer: This work has been submitted by a university student. how that affected her childhood and how it molded her to become the writer that she is. In this essay, Amy Tan talks about howlanguage influenced her life while growing up with her mother.“Mother Tongue,” is one of the essays written by Amy Tan. Tan points out the narrow-minded views that many people have of people that come from different backgrounds or cultures. What elements of symbolism and figurative language does the author utilize? Tan’s writing style gives her readers a glimpse of what it must feel like to be stuck between the two worlds. Take out the SOAPSTONE chart that we used with “Superman and Me,” and do the same thing for “Mother Tongue” and go over it. *You can also browse our support articles here >. It’s important to realize that everyone is guilty of judging someone before they know that person’s whole story. I believe that the power that she is talking about is how language can express emotions or even show an image. She knows that a positive mind is key to accomplishing goals. Communication is different for everyone as shown by the narrator’s mother, and how she has difficulty expressing her ideas so that others … In “Mother Tongue” essay by Amy Tan, Tan shares her discoveries about the different variations of English she learned growing up in an Chinese-American household, and then reflects on these findings. I am fascinated by language in daily life. Her use of humor keeps the audience interested, and it makes the overall message more memorable. She communicates her message as if she is talking with some friends. Mother Tongue Don't judge a book by its cover or someone's intelligence by her English. Tan knows what her mother means, and she feels bad that others don’t get to experience her thoughts or ideas. Registered office: Venture House, Cross Street, Arnold, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG5 7PJ. Support you analysis from the text and material from your sources. This is not an example of the work produced by our Essay Writing Service. Amy describes how we speak differently to family compared to how we speak to people out in public. She also talks in a way that makes her feel familiar with the audience. Even though there are many rhetorical strategies are used, the most effective is when she shows her reliability, and proves to the audience that she is just like any other teenager. While she is giving her speech, laughter is often heard from her live audience. Do you have a 2:1 degree or higher? At the beginning of mother tongue amy tan explains her love for language. The article that I selected for my term long critical analysis projects is Mother Tongue by, Amy Tan 2. Discussion of themes and motifs in Amy Tan's Mother Tongue. To Amy, her mother makes perfect sense and she understands everything she says. July 18, 2016. She has goodwill for her audience because she has felt the pain of being treated poorly due to language barriers. The use of King’s personal experience gives her a greater ability to convince the reader to stay positive even when faced with a tough situation. Since then, “Mother Tongue” has been anthologized countless times and won notable awards and honors, … “Mother Tongue” Mother tongue means that it is her mothers own English language, and it was how she grew up and being an immigrant. Mother tongue is usually referred to the first language a person is taught, however I think Tans use of the word mother tongue is much more intimate in a sense that she feels that ere English or her mother tongue is unique to her, and that the variation of English she speaks to her mother is her mother tongue. But that is a stereotype, and the stereotypes of things are often, if not always, wrong” (King 03:27). King is effective because of the vivid detail and metaphors that she uses to make her audience really see what is happening in her head, and better understand the ways that she lives her life. Her novel she is recognized the most for is The Joy Luck Club (1989). To donate to my audiobook career so I can continue producing audio to help students and readers, please follow this link: paypal.me/dubonmot Anything helps! She often refers to the “Englishes” that she uses. Using English as an example, the author attempts to explain how language is important in communications. Since her mother was unable to speak perfect English, the person in charge of the results did not concentrate on what she was saying. it is that one's Tan has written several other novels, including The Kitchen God's Wife , The Hundred Secret Senses , The Bonesetter's Daughter , Saving Fish from Drowning , and The Valley of Amazement . The audience learns an important lesson from the use of honestly and personal encounters. It is based on these reasons that some important aspects of language will be analyzed in this paper. Essentially, Amy ending up changing her style of writing because of her mother, who changed Amy's perception of language. Free resources to assist you with your university studies! What elements of symbolism and figurative language does the author utilize? 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