Jesus Gabriel Cabrera Jr

English Composition l Phase 2

Broken English is a name for a non-standard, non-traditionally spoken, or written version of the English language. These forms of English are sometimes considered pidgin if they have been derived in a context where more than one language is used. This term is used mainly for foreigners and immigrants who have trouble speaking fluently in English; however, with this also comes a lack of respect or empathy towards the one speaking because they cannot understand the individual.
Amy Ruth Tan, Is an American writer born February 19, 1952, · Oakland, California, U.S. she studied English and linguistics at San Jose University, receiving her bachelor’s (1973) and master’s (1974). She became a highly successful freelance business writer in 1987, having been known for her works like Joy luck club (1989) and Bonesetter’s daughter (2001). The topic for this assignment is her work on Mothers’ Tongues (1990), A narrative essay; It explains the struggles foreigners have in other countries adjusting to their cultures and how language comprehension plays an essential role in understanding or getting your message through to another.
Mother tongue, written by Amy Tan, describes the forms of English languages adopted by different individuals during their migration to the United States of America and their adjustment to the American culture. The piece has an intense depiction of the Asian American struggles through the adaptation of the English language.
Amy Tan is of Chinese origin, so when she’s writing the story, she speaks about her viewpoints throughout the story. In the Text Mother tongue, “My mother has long realized the limitations of her English as well. When I was fifteen, she used to have me call people on the phone to pretend I was she.” (Tan 2). The text tells you that Amy tan had to help her mother translate for other people because she had what was referred to as broken English. Broken English is a term used to describe people who speak nonfluent English. Foreigners are the ones mainly clarified with broken English. They aren’t understood or taken seriously, which is why their children, who have been assimilated into this culture, help translate and better understand English for them, which is what Amy tan did for her mother. When writing this story, her audience is Americans who don’t understand the struggles foreigners go through to be heard or respected in this country. The purpose of Amy Tan’s essay, “Mother Tongue,” is to show how challenging it can be if an individual is raised by a parent who speaks limited English as Tan’s mother does, partially because it can result in people being judged poorly by others.
Amy Tan’s claim is informative and helpful on the viewpoints of foreigners who have trouble speaking English and our perceived to have broken English. When Amy tan is talking about the events of having to interpret for her mother because nobody could understand her, I think of the struggle she must have gone through with her mother had to go through and the possible difficulty of needing her daughter to try and interpret for her because nobody would take her seriously or understand her by herself. When I think of that, I think of times when I had phone calls, and people would call me, usually thinking I was somebody else. I wouldn’t understand them because of the phone audio or their accent, so id hung up, or whenever someone with a heavy accent asked me directions or they speak little English, they flashed me signs or locations for help. I’m trying to say that there is an issue with showing respect or understanding the difficulty behind foreigners or those that can communicate in a way we can understand them. We simply chalk it up to either of us being busy or them not being clear enough, which is both disrespectful and cruel.
In Conclusion, Amy tans. The narrative essay mothers tongue helps bring to light the struggles foreign families have communicating in this country and trying to assimilate into another culture. Throughout the story, she uses her experiences to highlight the importance of speaking fluent English while also revealing the need to respect an individual who has broken English. Furthermore, as we read this essay, we, as informed scholars, should look at all people despite their differences and try to understand one another with more compassion.