Summary of "Mother Tongue"

Summary of “Mother Tongue”

Amy Tan, the daughter of a Chinese immigrant family was born in 1952 in the state of California. In her essay “Mother Tongue”, she mention about different kinds of English language that she use with her mother and when she use outside of her family and how English language that she use at home affect her life as she grow up. She says when she talks to her mother, she used a kind of English language that she considers “broken” because it contains a lot of grammar mistakes and incomplete sentences. To her it seemed perfectly clear and understandable because she grew up with that kind of English with her mother but for some others like her friends, when they talk to her mother, some people can understand part of it but some are not understand at all. Many similar situations happened to her mother when she talked to people outside, many people did not take her seriously because of her “Broken English”. Many times Amy had to pretend to be her mother in the conversation on the phone with others to help her mother to get a better service for her business. Because of this situation, she felt bad about her mother’s English that limited her mother’s communication and expression. Amy Tan said that her life was also affected by this “Broken English”. She said that she and most of other Asian Students didn’t do well in school when it comes to English subject because the English they used at home had its limits in the ability of its thinking and expression. Even though there are many possible correct answers during English exam, but Asian students, including her, could not answer correctly. Asian students tend to excel in Math and Science subject because there are often only is one correct answer, but because of this reason, many never become Asian writers as teachers suggest students to study only what they are good at. In Amy’s case, she liked language and that’s why she studied more and became a writer.

 

My Response….

I totally understand her mother’s situation and how it affected her mother’s confidence of speaking with others. The whole story could not explain any better about the problem that I myself face today, just like Amy Tan’s mother. I have been living with my spouse for 6 years and we have developed a kind of “Broken English” that we use at home. For me and my spouse, we totally understand each other using our own language that we developed but when I hear him talk to others I can tell the differences. I asked my spouse to talk to me like he talk to others but it always come back to “Broken English” that we have between us. When I talk to people outside, sometimes I find that people do not understand me at all. They lose their interest when I try to say something and that frustrates me. Many times I asked my spouse to make a phone call for me because I have lost my confidence of speaking with other on the phone just like Amy Tan’s mother. I found it’s difficult for them to understand what I try to say.