Mother tongue amy tan discussion questions Rating:
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In her essay "Mother Tongue," Amy Tan discusses the complexities of language and how it can shape one's identity. Throughout the essay, she reflects on her own experiences as a Chinese-American writer and the challenges she faced in trying to navigate and express herself in two different languages.
One key theme in the essay is the power of language to both connect and divide people. Tan describes how her mother's "broken" English, which was heavily influenced by her Chinese heritage, made it difficult for her to communicate with others and caused her to feel self-conscious and isolated. At the same time, however, Tan also acknowledges the unique beauty and richness of her mother's language, and how it helped to bring them closer together.
Another important theme in the essay is the idea that language is not just a tool for communication, but also a marker of identity and belonging. Tan reflects on how her own language skills, both in English and Chinese, have influenced her sense of self and her relationships with others. She also discusses how language can be used to reinforce stereotypes and discrimination, citing the ways in which her mother was often judged and treated unfairly because of her accent and linguistic choices.
Throughout the essay, Tan raises a number of thought-provoking questions that could be used as discussion points:
How has your own relationship with language shaped your identity? Do you feel more comfortable speaking certain languages or in certain settings?
In what ways has language been a source of connection or division in your own life or in society at large?
How has language been used to reinforce stereotypes or discrimination, either personally or more broadly? How can we combat these negative effects?
How do you think language influences our relationships with others and our sense of belonging?
Do you think it is possible to fully express oneself in a second or third language, or is there always a sense of "lost in translation"? How do you think language shapes our thoughts and emotions?
Overall, "Mother Tongue" offers a nuanced and thought-provoking exploration of the complexities of language and its role in shaping identity and relationships. It encourages readers to think critically about their own language skills and experiences, and to consider the ways in which language can both unite and divide people.
"Mother Tongue" by Amy Tan Flashcards
How has modern technology benefited the U. Tan mentioned that students at school would often get higher grades in math rather than English. She believes that all the ways to speak English are important in their own way, and serves a purpose. Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. This is intended for high school students, but is designed to be easily adaptable in order to fit into younger classrooms. What categories does she divide English into? She also knows that each of these types of English are just as important as their counterparts and may be key parts of life for others like her. Often, these questions are in the form of fill-in-the-blank sentences or analogies, which assume all test-takers have a universal experience.
In addition to communication with the personnel, interaction with the healthcare system includes obtaining the information from the books, magazines, and booklets. Amy Tan spoke about how she speaks simple English to her mother for her to be able to understand. Waterboarding is a technique that involves immobilizing subjects on their back with their head inclined downwards. I began to write stories using all the Englishes I grew up with. I suggest you have multiple times in mind, since your schedule may not mesh with mine! What might be the purpose of an author making the decision to write whole sections in Spanish? When speaking to people who are strangers or your colleagues the way she spoke was very proper and correct.
The impact of patient characteristics, as well as racial and ethnic variables, can also have an important impact. But to our friends we use slang and certain words to express ourselves. Chinese way, came only to show respect, don't stay for dinner. In this lesson, students explore this issue by brainstorming the different languages they use in speaking and writing, and when and where these languages are appropriate. Tan has the epiphany that her writing can only be complete when it embraces all her languages—and thus, all her selves. For formal assessment, use the.
She speaks differently to people at offices, banks, etc. Amy Tan expresses that she was speaking to a large group of people giving a speech about her book and how she was speaking English in a way her mom has never heard before. This ideal reader, is of course, her mother. Although Tan is now proud of her mother tongue, she reveals the reason behind her defensiveness about its supposed imperfection. Amy Tan uses two types of English a formal type in which she uses less broken English and a lot more proper words and she used this when talking to stranger or people who have an established business relationship with her and she has an informal English which is a lot more lax and uses her broken English a lot more she uses it when talking to her mother or husband or people who she is comfortable around. Ask students to explain what Tan means by "different Englishes.
Questions on Tan’s Mother Tongue Free Essay Example 448 words
After reading both poems by Robert Frost "The Road Not Taken" and "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" , in a 250 word essay, compare and contrast the speakers in both poems, using the questions below as guidelines. She knows the right time and place to switch from Broken English, formal or casual when she is outside in the world. She does not even really notice at first when it happens she was automatically doing it. Since Tan grew up in a house with an English that diverted from the mainstream, she struggled to navigate the way English was taught in school. Tan also mentioned how switching between her personal forms of English is a natural occurrence.
How did it shape her own perception of herself? Amy talks about the different ways on speaking English in this piece of writing. Try to join my meeting at the start of the hour, not at the end—since I may be talking to other students or have another appointment after the hour is up. I think she did that to be comfortable with situation and to respect her mother language as well. Thus, Tan understands the common tendency to assume that the different use of a language implies poor cognition. A variety of factors and circumstances that impact the emergence and severity of issues in one system can have a role in the performance of the other. Ask whether they notice stereotypes at work in the situations they describe.
One of those types of English is the one she uses in her everyday professional life, such as when she is giving a speech. In this Assignment, you examine a case study and analyze the symptoms presented. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works. We are more respectful towards our elders, teachers, and boss. Writing with a chip on her shoulder, Tan first wanted to focus on crafted, technically perfect sentences, as if to prove that she had finally mastered English. It was only when she began to write for an ideal reader that her stories began to flow.
What is happening in each poem? Assignment GuidelinesFirst, revise your Week 4 Key Assignment according to instructor feedback and peer review. I believe that the bankers and servers that dealt with Tan deliberately chose not to understand because they put very little effort into the conversation. Works Cited Imai, Susumu, Derek Stacey, and Casey Warman. Adjust groupings as needed to accommodate the number of students in your class. But my mom married a very intellectual man, and this changed the way we spoke in significant ways. Assignment 1- to 2-page case study analysis In your Case Study Analysis related to the scenario provided, explain the followingThe cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary pathophysiologic processes that result in the patient presenting these symptoms.
