2. Native Language Essay
Language is universal. People voice their ideas, emotions, and thoughts across to the world through language. Multitudes of people across the country
speak a varierty of languages. However, a foreigner is reduced to their native language, and sometimes has difficulties mainstreaming English into their
dialect. A nativelanguage is a foreigner's blueprint for the world to hear. Native language gives homage to a foreigner's culture and home life. Native
tongues open doors for education and job opprutunities. A native tongue is translated in books and plastered on signs across the communites. Imagine
if language decreased to just English, and no another language existed. People would mirror each other, and have no idea of diversity. So where...show
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Foreigners find comfort when using their native language at home. Also, people belittle a foreigner's native language. Mujica reports a known
politician in favor of adopting English as the official language for the United States, and she felt the train of thought was dense (217). Foreigners
are singled out, for not comprehending English. Rodriguez recalls a gringo [American or English person] rudely asking "What can I do for you?",
Rodriguez sensed he could not adapt to the gringos society, but stay safely tucked away in his Spanish society (213). Also, people make a foreigner's
native language feel too formal. Rodriguez describes the nun who introduced him to his first classroom in his new academic career, and how her voice
echoed with a dullness, while she sounded each syllable of his Hispanic last name (212). Equally important, people insinuate English to foreigners.
Youngquist and MartГnez–Griego observed that many of the families at a local learning center spoke Spanish, and limited English, and tried to teach
English to their children. Instead of helping their children learn English, it interrupted the learning development for both languages (92). Peopl humble
a foriegner's language. In addition, language barriers challenge a foreigner's public life. Foreigners survive in the public limelight with only their native
tongue to guide them. They are forced to survive through broken English. For instance, Rodriguez
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4. The Power of Language Essay examples
The Power of Language Language plays an important role in communication by bringing people together and enriching their relationships.
Language can also alienate those who do not speak it properly, or at all, from those who do. The essays, Mother Tongue, by Amy Tan, best known
for her book, The Joy Luck Club, and Se Habla Espanol, by Tanya Barrientos, delve into the many powers that language holds. These essays reflect
how by not speaking a language in proper form and by not speaking a language at all, affects the lives of the subjects of the stories. People who can
speak a certain language, but only in 'broken' form, are generally looked down upon by native language speakers. In her writing, Mother Tongue, Amy
Tan writes about her...show more content...
However, many Hispanic families were and in some cases, still are viewed as lower–class citizens. According to Barrientos, "To me, speaking Spanish
translated into being poor. It meant waiting tables and cleaning hotel rooms. It meant being left off the cheerleading squad and receiving a
condescending smile from the guidance counselor when you said you planned on becoming a lawyer or a doctor" (561). They are not respected in
a lot of communities, they live dirty, and they have bad jobs. These stereotypes are reasons why Barrientos did not want to be called Mexican and
never wanted to learn Spanish. If diversity had been celebrated when Barrientos was a child, as it is celebrated and honored now, she would have
grown up speaking Spanish and being proud of her heritage. Children are very impressionable and tend to take on others' opinions as their own, but as
they grow older, they develop a greater understanding and perspective of the way things are and the way they should be. As adults, both Tan and
Barrientos learned to accept and embrace the languages that previously embarrassed them. Barrientos immersed herself in her Mexican heritage and
enrolled in many Spanish classes. With each enrollment, she faced yet another stereotype that came with being of Mexican ethnicity; her instructors
thought she should already know Spanish since she was Latina. Barrientos is now determined to learn her native language. Tan has learned to love the
way in
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