Because of her broken English, Amy's mother was told by the doctors that they lost her scan and did not apologize nor care about it. One time it was a call to her stockbroker in New York. Even though language is not an object you can hold, Amy Tan still uses language to symbolize different, more ambiguous concepts. How does she use language in the rest of her story to portray this rebelliousness? She alludes to several instances where people, even a doctor, would not take her mother seriously because of the way she spoke. Be sure to consider the anecdotes regarding Tan giving a speech, the stockbroker, the CAT scan, and Tan's experience with the SATs. Mother Tongue, by Amy Tan Comprehension 1. "9 [5 Discuss how and why parents identities and personalities are often a source of embarrassment or tension when people are young. Here's what she said in part: "Du Yusong having business like fruit stand. 62-67. c. rout Identify them and describe their effect. She then contrasts this with a moment when she was walking down the street with her mother and she used the more clipped, informal English she naturally uses with her mother, and her husband. endobj Read the excerpt from Amy Tan's essay "Mother Tongue - Brainly This progression is typical of many stories, both long and short, but in this case you can apply it to tone as well. When describing the wording for people who cannot speak English fluently, she makes sure the audience knows of her feelings toward the most common terms. 2. Latest answer posted March 28, 2020 at 9:26:15 PM. Tan notes in paragraph 21 that she thinks of her mother as her audience when she writes stories. What is the author's purpose, style, and tone in the story? The different forms of English that mother and daughter speak are also a product of their backgrounds: whilst Tans mother is a Chinese immigrant to America, Tan was born in the United States and has grown up, and been educated, in an English-speaking culture. Amy's mother refused to leave the office until someone called her daughter. She said they would not give her any more information until the next time and she would have to make another appointment for that. This point leads on to Tan's presentation of the virtues of her mother's way of speaking. How do you think Kemal Ataturk would have responded to later Islamic modernists such as Sheikh Kabir and perhaps Saira Khan? Focus your studying with a path. Every piece of literature, whether its an epic novel or a haiku, has some sort of structurewhich is simply the organization of the material. In this guise, I was forced to ask for information or even to complain and yell at people who had been rude to her. /Type /ExtGState taylor_garrett36. How is Amy Tan's use of the phrase "mother tongue" ambiguous? Does it drag on too much? Mother Tongue, by Amy Tan - OlyPen State your opinion in an essay, and support it with evidence from at least two of the essays. So mad he lie to me, losing me money. She said she had spoken very good English, her best English, no mistakes. What does Tan mean when she says, "I think my mother's English almost had an effect on limiting my possibilities in life as well" (para. tests, and the SAT. So I never did well on tests like that. (para. Use Tan's ideas about different kinds of English from "Mother Tongue" as a basis to consider the kinds of English you encounter every day. Mother Tongue by Amy Tan - Essay Summary, Analysis, Review 6) rather than paraphrasing what she said? Latest answer posted March 28, 2020 at 9:26:15 PM. Mother Tongue Essay - 795 Words | Bartleby She is the second of three children born to Chinese immigrants, Daisy and John Tan. She wouldn't budge. But to me, my mother's English is perfectly clear, perfectly natural. I've heard other terms used, "limited English," for example. While it may be difficult for some people to understand it, it is part of who she is, and it does not reflect negatively on her mother because it is "different." She recounts a time when the doctors at the hospital were unsympathetic towards her mother when they lost the results of the CAT scan they had undertaken on her brain, but as soon as the hospital at her mothers insistence called her daughter, they issued a grovelling apology. A good literary analysis might explain these transitions, and how they affect the structure of the piece. stream How did Tans teachers identify her when she was in high school? The phrase "mother tongue" refers to the language people learn to speak first. In "Mother Tongue," Amy Tan uses people's inclination to assume as a way of exploring the subject of identity. Latest answer posted March 29, 2020 at 10:08:05 AM. She observes that her mother is treated differently because of the way she speaks. 2. Amy Tan's essay "Mother Tongue" is a wonderful tale that addresses the substance of languages and how language is not only a tool of communication, but a sociological tool of measuring individual worth. Du Zong father wasn't look down on him, but didn't take seriously, until that man big like become a mafia. A scholar would push to discover and learn about their particular subject, while the writer is to take their findings and put them into practice. Tan uses it with this definition, but also utilizes it to refer to the language her mom spoke (Chinese). That was the language that helped shape the way I saw things, expressed things, made sense of the world. She adores her as any other child would adore their own mom. Tan calls this clipped informal language her mother tongue, because it was the first language she learned and it helped to shape the way she saw the world and made sense of it. This shows how the way English is spoken affects how one is treated. How did Tans teachers identify her when she was in high school? (Hint: Think about how she defies modern language standards and refuses to call her mothers language broken or limited without putting those terms in quotation marks.). Why does Tan believe that envisioning a reader specifically, her mother enabled her to write more authentically? defining her mother's tongue and other's interpretations of it (their reactions), -how other's react to her mother's tongue - pretended not to understand her or hear her, did not take her seriously, and did not give her good service. Mother Tongue | Reading Quiz - Quizizz Amy Tan's Messages in "Mother Tongue" Short Summary - GraduateWay Cell Bio Exam 1. Why? The mother tongue shapes. Latest answer posted March 28, 2020 at 6:52:46 PM. The Qin bureaucracy had civil and military divisions and a justekst\underline{\phantom{\text{justekst}}}justekst. On what were these descriptions and perceptions based according to paragraphs 15-16 of "Mother Tongue"? In "Mother Tongue," Amy Tan explains that she uses multiple "Englishes" in her daily life. In both cases, the perception based on her mother's "limited" English gave people the idea that Amy's mother wasn't very bright, or worse, was not worth their time. 6. Mother tongue Flashcards | Quizlet What organizational pattern does Tan use in "Mother Tongue," and how does she control her tone? What is the author's purpose, style, and tone in the story? Cite the text as needed to clarify and support your response. Answers will vary widely, depending on students' personal experiences, situations, and viewpoints. (para. /Producer ( Q t 4 . c. The story helps readers understand one of Tan's points: her mother's English does have intent, passion, imagery, and rhythm, and it shows the complexity of her thoughts. Jing-mei's mother quizzes her on various topicsincluding state and national capitals, complicated mathematics, and weather predictionin hopes that she might possess a talent like the children. And my mother was standing in the back whispering loudly, "Why he don't send me check, already two weeks late. 8. [/Pattern /DeviceRGB] Discuss the way stereotypes or bias affect how we see ourselves and others. One time Amy did this with her mother's stockbroker. three subjects -talking to her mom "My mother was in the room", Tan quotes a "terrible line" she once wrote "That was my mental quandary in its nascent state." Yet some of my friends tell me they understand 50 percent of what my mother says. Print. /Creator ( w k h t m l t o p d f 0 . >> -uses quotes to give an example of her mother's English But many people who hear her mother speak can only partially understand what she is saying, and some even say they can understand nothing of what she says, as if she were speaking pure Chinese to them. Tan grew up speaking the formal acrolect of English she learned at school and the more vivid, less correct variety her mother used. Explain the meaning of Tans title and how it relates to her own identity as both a Chinese American, a daughter, and a writer. There can be one tone throughout the entire piece or many different tones. She majored in English at college and began writing as a freelancer. $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ? What argument is Tan making here about language and its - eNotes /SA true Tan identify the different categories she discusses in "Mother Tongue" almost in the last paragraph, where she named all the kind of English she uses. She reads the Forbes report, listens to Wall Street Week, converses daily with her stockbroker, reads all of Shirley MacLaine's books with easeall kinds of things I can't begin to understand. 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. As a writer, she used the rigid, grammatical acrolect she had learned at school; as a daughter, she used the more forceful, vivid English spoken by her mother, for which she cannot even find a name, since she dislikes calling it "broken.". 10th ed. Just because there are several tones throughout Mother Tongue doesnt mean that there isnt one overarching tone. Chinese custom. Whereas, for me at least, the answers on English tests were always a judgment call, a matter of opinion and personal experience, (para. What is the context of Mother Tongue? Learn. How would you describe Tan's attitude toward her mother? Then write an essay in which you explain the use of English in your life and communications. Illustrate your observations with examples from Tan's essay, your own experience, or others you know. /Filter /DCTDecode But now you have to do a literary analysis on itand suddenly its short length seems like more of a burden than a blessing. In literature, tone is the feeling an author conveys to the audience. ". Explain the meaning of Tans title and how it relates to her own identity as both a Chinese American, a daughter, and a writer. ACCTG 205: CH 1 Vocabulary. Mother Tongue questions & answers for quizzes and worksheets - Quizizz English Mother Tongue Deleted User 87 plays 15 questions Copy & Edit Live Session Show Answers See Preview 1. All together, we expect forty or fifty volunteers to work on the project. I gone to boy's side, they haveYMCA dinner. The talk was going along well enough, until I remembered one major difference that made the whole talk sound wrong. -7 space 17 space. I cannot give you much more than personal opinions on the English language and its variations in this country or others. Take Tan's mother's experience with the doctors as an example. I hesitate to use the word plot in the case of Mother Tongue because it doesnt seem to have much of one, at least not in the traditional sense that most fiction stories do. Because there are quite a few different tones in this short story, they transition from one to the other. Psst 98% of Kibin users report better grades! Identify the message of Tan's essay, "Mother Tongue." Our experts can deliver a "Mother Tongue" by Amy Tan essay tailored to your instructions for only $13.00 $11.05/page 308 qualified specialists online Learn more Main text A person's "mother tongue" is usually considered to be their first language, but in this story, it refers to her "mother's tongue," or the version of English that her mother speaks. She says even her husband started speaking this kind of English together and that it has come to represent intimacy. mother tongue amy tan chinese american writer amy tan, whose mom moved from her homeland china to america to make better life for her daughter, struggles with 3-2 Writing Plan 5-3 Feedback and How does this story help you better understand the point Tan is making in her essay? Tan uses an example of her mother going to New York to yell at her stockbroker, after not receiving her check from cashing out her portfolio, to show us that even though her language skills were sub par, she could still very effectively communicate her feelings and ideas. Tan refers to how much language impacts/changes our lives. Where "mother tongue" usually refers euphemistically to someone's first language, here it refers. Amy Tan's "Mother Tongue" | LAmyths Tan acknowledges that, whilst she did well in maths and science, subjects with a single correct answer, she was less adept at English. It has always bothered me that I can think of no other way to describe it other than "broken," as if it were damaged and needed to be fixed, as if it lacked a certain wholeness and soundness. endobj Log in here. Amy sets up this comparison by describing a talk that she gave about a book and had given so many times before that it was entirely familiar to her. 11th Grade - Poems by Emily Dickinson: Accessed 2 May 2023. Who are the experts?Our certified Educators are real professors, teachers, and scholars who use their academic expertise to tackle your toughest questions. Explain the meaning of Tans title and how it relates to her own identity as both a Chinese American, a daughter, and a writer. How does Tan avoid stereotyping Asian Americans in general and Chinese in particular in this essay? I knew what the tests were asking, but I could not block out of my mind the images already created by the first pair, "sunset is to nightfall"--and I would see a burst of colors against a darkening sky, the moon rising, the lowering of a curtain of stars.And all the other pairs of words --red, bus, stoplight, boring--just threw up a mass of confusing images, making it impossible for me to sort out something as logical as saying: "A sunset precedes nightfall" is the same as "a chill precedes a fever." nNSm`NO8 SL6x 9 tG%rzo=>ca3`!VW19>:HmoM!>? _E nYKyrO [%eLm ii+;t9xt;md/C?dSh[`N:)$9HAJI%i2. Writer discussed: Amy Tan's "Mother Tongue" (Link to story) Amy Tan is speaking of writing her book "Joy Luck Club" (there's a scene below), so in that sense it works as a good example of a literacy narrative in that Tan writes about writing something. Language is thus more than just a cultural marker: Tan reveals, in Mother Tongue, the extent to which it is a tool of power (or, depending on the use, powerlessness), particularly for those from migrant backgrounds. Include details from the text. What is Amy Tans primary identity according to what she says in paragraphs 1-3 of "Mother Tongue"? -allows Amy to go in to saying how she was effected by her mother's tongue. In referring back to her experiences through the anecdotes, Tan realizes that she uses a different type of English when with her mother. The same was true with word analogies, pairs of words in which you were supposed to find some sort of logical, semantic relationship -- for example, "Sunset is to nightfall as is to ." Her language, as I hear it, is vivid, direct, full of observation and imagery. vN'p3:OKjd;C~_O>V0 9G^_`*:?*zr In directly quoting her mother, Tan is able to demonstrate her mother's speech patterns in text form. Eliasib. Tan believed that her mother's English reflected the quality of what she had to say-that the imperfections in her speech meant that her ideas were just as imperfect. What organizational pattern does Tan use in "Mother Tongue," and how does she control her tone? This could create a gap in their education "level" as you usually don't absorb much of the content if you've no clue what the teacher is saying. Some visitors on a search for new healing substances (looks, look) at medicinal plants. What argument is Tan making here about language and its connection to our identity in "Mother Tongue"? Now important person, very hard to inviting him. Chapter 8 and Symbolism in The Great Gatsby, The Language of Composition: Reading, Writing, Rhetoric, Lawrence Scanlon, Renee H. Shea, Robin Dissin Aufses, Edge Reading, Writing and Language: Level C, David W. Moore, Deborah Short, Michael W. Smith. Find and create gamified quizzes, lessons, presentations, and flashcards for students, employees, and everyone else. -breaking the paragraphs (spaces) /CreationDate (D:20210407080443+03'00') b. Already a member? I selected the article Mother Tongue by Amy Tan. This is not to say that people of other countries do not learn English as well, but generally there is a language specific to the place where they were born: this is their mother tongue. Tan is very attached to her mothers English to the point that she doesnt want to refer to it as broken. To her it symbolizes home because its the English she grew up with. How do they further her argument? Amy Tan - Mother Tongue | Genius defining her mother's tongue and other's interpretations of it (their reactions) -defining her interpretation, others interpretation, and how it influenced her writing structure 1st part -1-7 -awareness of the diff types of English -nature of her mother's English The class tests at school which reduced English proficiency to an ability to recognise a correct answer are thus contrasted with Tans resounding final words of Mother Tongue, which see her seeking to capture the passion of her mother, the nature of her thoughts, and the imagery she uses: all things which her daughter has clearly inherited a respect for, and which school tests fail to capture or observe. Her mother, too, was clearly aware of how her use of the language affected how seriously people took her, for she used to get her daughter to phone people and pretend to be Mrs Tan. Students' essays will probably address slang and jargon that they use, standard English that they use for most of their school experiences, and possibly formal English that they may use with relatives or in work situations. endobj How does Tan feel about her mother's tongue, -her mother's "limited English" limited her perception of her mother. This is a key part of Feathers from a Thousand Li Away, and it helps us to understand Tans conflicted attitude towards her mothers use of language as explored in Mother Tongue. 1. Along with her BS in marketing from Florida State University and MA in museum studies from Johns Hopkins University, she has spent the past 7 years learning how best to reach and teach people using the power of words. %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz How is Amy Tan's use of the phrase "mother tongue" ambiguous? Mother Tongue Quiz Flashcards | Quizlet Remember this quote as you read through and relate the rest of the content to this idea. "What argument is Tan making here about language and its connection to our identity in "Mother Tongue"? How does she establish ethos by this juxtaposition? Write the correct word in the space next to given definition. d. Her mother is the audience (reader) for The Joy Luck Club, a book about mother-and-daughter relationships. /CA 1.0 All of these questions will help you pinpoint the essays effectiveness. In Amy Tan's essay "Mother Tongue", Tan reveals how she was sculpted into the successful writer she is from the struggles of language speaking her mother had to face. It has always bothered me that I can think of no way to describe it other than "broken," as if it were damaged and needed to be fixed, as if it lacked a certain wholeness and soundness. Economics Semester 2 SG 40-60. Answers will vary but should include points similar to the following: a. Tan includes the story to give readers an example of just how her mother's English sounds and how expressive it is. ~"iW]JL^kP(K/N\' |! The author notes that the language her mother speaks is very different than "American English," but that it is deceiving in that her mother understands more than one might think when listening to her speak. Tan seems to love and respect her mother despite her language boundaries. 6 0 obj And I believe that it affected my results on achievement tests, I.Q. Mother Tongue (by Amy Tan) Flashcards | Quizlet 18, Tan)". Analysis of "Mother Tongue" by Amy Tan: DRAFT - GraduateWay Here is the text: http://www.umsl.edu/~alexanderjm/Mother%20Tongue%20by%20Tan.pdfSupport me by buying mugs, t-shirts, notebooks and more! Multiple-choice 30 seconds 1 pt Where was the author born? Discuss how Tan broadens the essay's relevance by going beyond just her personal experience and raising issues that would be germane to her audience. Mother Tongue by Amy Tan questions & answers for quizzes and worksheets - Quizizz Find and create gamified quizzes, lessons, presentations, and flashcards for students, employees, and everyone else. Hopefully this list leaves you feeling like youre no longer short on ideas for your analysis of this short story. Tan highlights this dichotomy when she writes about giving her speech, saying the proper English words that she was using felt strange to say when her mother was in the room. Who is the intended audience for "Mother Tongue"? But I do think that the language spoken in the family, especially in immigrant families which are more insular, plays a large role in shaping the language of the child. 7. With the stockbroker, Tan was the one who would step in for her mother over the phone in order to express her mother's thoughts for her. Explain why Tan calls herself a rebel in "Mother Tongue" and how this identity led to her becoming a writer. This text is a great starting point for discussions on culture, language and more. She goes from being ashamed of her mothers speakingfeeling that other people will judge her familyto being proud of the rich culture behind her mothers English. She is just as special a person, despite what language she uses or how she uses it. But Tans interest in language, both as a cultural marker and as a way of expressing thought and personality, is also a prevailing theme of the novel. However, in Amy Tan's story, I believe she is making a statement about her mother's form of English: her mother's tongue. She acknowledges that when she was growing up, she was ashamed of the way her mother spoke. /Type /XObject What Is the Main Idea of Amy Tan's "Mother Tongue?" - Reference.com Tan says that her identity as a writer was originally separate from her identity as her mother's daughter. Write a journal entry from the perspective of Richard the Lion-Hearted during the Crusades. Chinese way, came only to show respect, don't stay for dinner. Include details from the text. I was saying things like, "The intersection of memory upon imagination" and "There is an aspect of my fiction that relates to thus-and-thus'--a speech filled with carefully wrought grammatical phrases, burdened, it suddenly seemed to me, with nominalized forms, past perfect tenses, conditional phrases, all the forms of standard English that I had learned in school and through books, the forms of English I did not use at home with my mother. -Informal - conversational; "So you'll have some idea.." Amy Tan "Mother Tongue" How do you want to study today? Test. . Amy Tan begins her essay by offering her personal opinions on the English language. Envisioning her mother as the reader allowed Tan to write with more fluidity. What is the context of Mother Tongue? Do you agree that family members have the greatest effect on a child's intellectual development? Symbolism is when an author uses an object, person, or place to represent a deeper concept. She says this because it could have impacted her in developing the English skills that were expected in school. Educators go through a rigorous application process, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial team. According to Tan, why are so many Asian Americans encouraged to study math and science in college? 7. When I was fifteen, she used to have me call people on the phone to pretend I was she. This was understandable. Amy Tan's "Mother Tongue" questions & answers for quizzes and /ca 1.0 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. Consider the story "Mother Tongue." Amy Tan | Biography, Books, & Facts | Britannica Language is a powerful tool, and our ability to use and understand it as humans is one of the main aspects that separate us from other species on Earth. What strategies does she use to make this argument? << I am doing an assignment about the essay "Mother Tongue," but I am having a hard time understanding the claim of the author and the target audience. In Amy Tan's short story "Mother Tongue," explain the essence of what "mother tongue" signifies in the story. She recalls a recent talk she gave, when, upon realising her mother was in the audience, she was confronted with the fact that the formal standard English she was using in the public talk was at odds with the way she spoke at home with her mother. The title of Amy Tans essay is a pun on the expression mother tongue, referring to ones first language. In "Mother Tongue," Amy Tan uses people's inclination to assume as a way of exploring the subject of identity. Two Kinds Summary - eNotes.com << Already a member? Mother Tongue Summary - eNotes.com Students in agreement might cite Tan's interpretation of analogy questions and Cisneros's poor school performance but obvious intellect that was nurtured by her family. What is similar between Tan's more contemporary version of the American Dream and the novel Of Mice and Men? -better explain her mother's tongue and how others were effected (including herself) "Mother Tongue" // Amy Tan Flashcards | Quizlet Her language, as I hear it, is vivid, direct, full of observation and imagery. She began writing fiction in 1985, and after several false starts trying to find her own style and idiom, she began to write with her mother in mind as the ideal reader for her stories.
Bargain Hunt Presenters 2018,
Are Self Defense Keychains Legal In Oregon,
Madeline Miller Husband Nathaniel Drake,
Police Incident In Norwich Today,
Jamil Hardwick Wife,
Articles M