How does each have its own type of power? "Mother tongue," as it is used in the title of this piece, is a pun on the traditional idea. 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. Do you think her idea is valid? 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. Life Span 4 . Mother Tongue Questions and Answers - eNotes.com She is the second of three children born to Chinese immigrants, Daisy and John Tan. She is motivated to make this argument to explain her method as a writer and her intellectual, literary, linguistic, and personal progress in uniting her two identities and to show that these identities need not be separated. Tan speculates that because Asian Americans score so much higher on math achievement tests than on English tests, they are encouraged to pursue math and science in college. What assumptions are people making about Tan's mother in these situations and why? 15)? Tan divides the essay into three sections. Indeed, Tan conjectures that many Asian American children are probably encouraged to pursue careers in jobs requiring maths and science rather than English for this reason. (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.). Identify the message of Tan's essay, "Mother Tongue." 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. In one or two paragraphs, describe the personal experience that the writer had in "Mother Tongue", and the understanding she gained through her reflection about the experience. 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. Those tests were constructed around items like fill-in-the-blank sentence completion, such as, "Even though Tom was, Mary thought he was --. In "Mother Tongue," Amy Tan explains that she uses multiple "Englishes" in her daily life. [/Pattern /DeviceRGB] Amy Tan | Biography, Books, & Facts | Britannica Students are most likely to conclude that Tan and her mother do have a close relationship and should support their opinion with at least three of the following examples: a. The phrase "mother tongue" refers to the language people learn to speak first. 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 Amy Tan "Mother Tongue" How do you want to study today? Consider the story "Mother Tongue." Students in disagreement might point to Dove's consuming interest in reading, which seems largely uninfluenced by her family, and Cisneros's belief that her desire to write came from a "hunger" she felt, even with her family. 4. Stephen Crane Amy Thompson Amy Tan Anne Tan 2. 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. 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. She alludes to several instances where people, even a doctor, would not take her mother seriously because of the way she spoke. eNotes Editorial, 10 Nov. 2019, https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/in-amy-tan-s-short-story-mother-tongue-explain-258339. 11th Review / Critical Thinking Questions. In Tan's experience with the SATs, it was suggested that Tan's strengths lie within mathematics and science because of her higher scores on those exams; it didn't account for her struggle with understanding the format of the test questions. What argument is Tan making here about language and its connection to our identity in "Mother Tongue"? 2)? -better explain her mother's tongue and how others were effected (including herself) Mother Tongue by Amy Tan questions & answers for quizzes and worksheets 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. Get started for free! After youve written your literary analysis, and you dont feel very confident in it, pass it along to one of the Kibin editors. endobj The talk was going along well enough, until I remembered one major difference that made the whole talk sound wrong. << M.A. When this occurred, everyone was much more cordial with Amy than with her mother: promises were made and apologies graciously extended. Latest answer posted October 28, 2019 at 10:43:03 PM, Latest answer posted November 08, 2020 at 3:49:32 AM. To what extent do you think that speaking a non- standardized English (through grammatical differences or an accent) "limits . 20 terms. Because dogs are legally required to be on a leash, letting your dog run free in the park is a(n) _______. /ca 1.0 Does the story feel complete as is? 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. 7. But to me, my mother's English is perfectly clear, perfectly natural. But once Tan had arrived and upon hearing her perfect English, the staff had taken the case up with more urgency. Theyll help you make Amy Tan proud by assisting with proper language and other editing. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. 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. A Summary and Analysis of Amy Tan's 'Mother Tongue' Already a member? One time Amy did this with her mother's stockbroker. Mother Tongue | Reading Quiz - Quizizz Tan uses points from her personal life and from her work to show that there is no need to separate one's language and identity. ______ to influence. The nature of the talk was about my writing, my life, and my book, The Joy Luck Club. He come to my wedding. Latest answer posted March 29, 2020 at 10:08:05 AM. indiiigo. Do you feel that people's abilities can be judged fairly by these kinds of tests? Mother Tongue by Amy Tan: Audio with Whiteboard Animations -uses quotes to give an example of her mother's English This progression is typical of many stories, both long and short, but in this case you can apply it to tone as well. She recognizes that her mom is in fact able to comprehend complex sentences in English, but just struggles to express herself clearly in the language. I selected the article Mother Tongue by Amy Tan. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. /Creator ( w k h t m l t o p d f 0 . Her language, as I hear it, is vivid, direct, full of observation and imagery. In the essay, Tan discusses her relationship with language, and how her mothers influence has shaped her use of English, as well as her attitude to it. She observes that her mother is treated differently because of the way she speaks. What is Tan's strategy behind including a lengthy, direct quotation from her mother (para. Take a practice test. Amy Tan - Mother Tongue | Genius endobj Take Tan's mother's experience with the doctors as an example. Learn. I spend a great deal of my time thinking about the power of languagethe way it can evoke an emotion, a visual image, a complex idea, or a simple truth.. Focus your studying with a path. 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. %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz Chinese age I was nineteen. Amy Tan, in full Amy Ruth Tan, (born February 19, 1952, Oakland, California, U.S.), American author of novels about Chinese American women and the immigrant experience. An overarching theme of Tans novel is mothers emigrating to America in the hope that their daughters will have better lives than they did. But I wince when I say that. -allows Amy to go in to saying how she was effected by her mother's tongue. Symbolism, structure, and tone are only a few literary devices you can use for your analysis, but they are the ones thatll help you get the most out of your analysis. 7. More recent to this story, her mother had been diagnosed with a benign brain tumor, but when she went to the doctor's office, the CAT scan was lost and no one was remotely concerned with her need to understand her prognosishaving lost a husband and son, both to brain tumors. 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. Mother Tongue by Amy Tan Analysis - Free Essay Example - StudyDriver.com This establishes ethos as she admits that her specialty is in being a writer. Amy Tan begins her essay by offering her personal opinions on the English language. 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." 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. How would you describe Tan's attitude toward her mother? /Width 625 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. By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University). Accept any answers that address the concern of the question and are elaborated by examples or details from the literature or from life. The local people call putong, the river east side, he belong to that side local people. (para. department stores, at banks, and at restaurants did not take her seriously, did not give her good service, pretended not to understand her, or even acted as if they did not hear her. Some say they understand 80 to 90 percent. Mother Tongue Essay - 795 Words | Bartleby What is the context of Mother Tongue? Amy Tan's "Mother Tongue" | LAmyths Latest answer posted March 29, 2020 at 1:00:09 PM. Then write an essay in which you explain the use of English in your life and communications. If too important won't have to stay too long. Chinese custom. "But I have noticed in surveys in fact, just last week that Asian students, as a whole, always do significantly better on math achievement tests than in English. Mother Tongue, by Amy Tan Comprehension 1. In referring back to her experiences through the anecdotes, Tan realizes that she uses a different type of English when with her mother. 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. All together, we expect forty or fifty volunteers to work on the project. As for accents, it's usually a stereotype of some sort. } !1AQa"q2#BR$3br Tan mentions several different emotions when talking about her mothers English. It literally means one's first language. How does she establish ethos by this juxtaposition? Why? What motivates her to make such an argument?" When she's not working, she's constantly trying to expand her creativity through music, writing, art, and animation. https://www.etsy.com/shop/TolentinoTeaching?ref=seller-platform-mcnavSubscribe to Tolentino Teaching for online teaching resources: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxVnC3TU90xGfwGGJj--dHA?view_as=subscriberHere is the software I use to make my videos: https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=18708\u0026awinaffid=844903\u0026p=Where I get my background music: https://www.epidemicsound.com/referral/pg826v/Microphone I use: https://amzn.to/3kYpflxMy favorite books on writing:The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person's Guide to Writing in the 21st Century by Steven Pinker: https://amzn.to/38m0FWmHow to Argue with a Cat by Jay Hendrichs: https://amzn.to/2MWQXCsThe Elements of Style Fourth Edition: https://amzn.to/2MZeentOn Writing Well by William Zinsser: https://amzn.to/30ouPnJMy Social Media LinksInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tolentinoteaching/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tolentinoteaching/?eid=ARCDTu1yPrWNU95MIiqiab32h2xup6OJBVFlENV03XB6HHUOFxeS0gGlYvdIx-bKlzwzEW7N8uwtCagPTwitter: https://twitter.com/TolentinoTeach**Disclaimer: Tolentino Teaching is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and AWIN, affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to www.amazon.com and http://paidforadvertising.com/ endobj Tan wrote 'Mother Tongue' in 1990, a year after her novel The Joy Luck Club was a runaway success. Tan, author of "Mother Tongue," explains that her mother's language had the greatest influence on her understanding of English. She says even her husband started speaking this kind of English together and that it has come to represent intimacy. The difference between them not only lies in how they sound when spoken, but which one you speak can impact how others treat and perceive you. Tan notes in paragraph 21 that she thinks of her mother as her audience when she writes stories. (para. Math is precise; there is only one correct answer. Yet some of my friends tell me they understand 50 percent of what my mother says. And I believe that it affected my results on achievement tests, I.Q. 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. tests, and the SAT. d. Her mother is the audience (reader) for The Joy Luck Club, a book about mother-and-daughter relationships. Each story holds a key to understanding her main argument points. 8. 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 /CA 1.0 Edit. Tan seems to love and respect her mother despite her language boundaries. 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. 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. /SM 0.02 Underline the verb in parentheses that correctly completes the sentence by agreeing with the subject. Here, Tan alludes to the concept of the "mother tongue": a child's earliest language, often used with a primary caregiver, who in many instances is the mother. 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 she use language in the rest of her story to portray this rebelliousness? three subjects 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. She wouldn't budge. You can read Mother Tongue here before proceeding to our summary and analysis of Amy Tans essay below. Whereas, for me at least, the answers on English tests were always a judgment call, a matter of opinion and personal experience. Works have been adapted for film, opera, and TV mother tongue first language Whom does the author focus on in this narrative? When Amy first decided she wanted to be a writer, she was not encouraged to do so: English was her second language, and the peculiarities of the language (which confuse native English speakers, such as analogies) often confused her. Tan grew up in Northern California, but when her father and older brother both died from brain tumors in 1966, she moved with her. This English is expressive, grammatically distant from proper forms, hard to understand for some native English speakers, and perfectly comfortable to Amy. When writing about becoming an English major in college, Tan said that she had always been rebellious. /ColorSpace /DeviceRGB Latest answer posted March 28, 2020 at 9:26:15 PM. Chinese way, came only to show respect, don't stay for dinner. In dividing the essay into sections, she is able to flow through to her points clearly and subtly. "Mother tongue," as it is used in the title of this piece, is a pun on the traditional idea. 1. 22 terms. 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. 2. Because she was in a family where their home language wasn't English, her scores in English weren't as good as the ones she received in math. Amy Tan "Mother Tongue" Flashcards | Quizlet There can be one tone throughout the entire piece or many different tones. Its not about how long a story is, but rather about its content. Be sure to consider the anecdotes regarding Tan giving a speech, the stockbroker, the CAT scan, and Tan's experience with the SATs. taylor_garrett36. 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. What is the author's purpose, style, and tone in the story? How many subjects does Tan explore in the essay? What Is the Main Idea of Amy Tan's "Mother Tongue?" - Reference.com Describe how others (those who do not know her intimately) see Tan's mother versus how Tan describes her in "Mother Tongue." What is the difference? while growing up, what assumption did Amy Tan make about her mother because of her mother's language skills? 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. Write the correct word in the space next to given definition. Mother Tongue - 767 Words | Bartleby So mad he lie to me, losing me money. her mother How does the author describe her mother's English early in the essay limited When she began to write fiction, she made a conscious decision to write to a specific audience: she decided to write to her mother; as she was writing about relationships between mothers and daughters in her stories. "How Poetry Comes to Me" TPCASTT // Gary Snyd, "Common Ground" TPCASTT // Judith Ortiz Cofer, SpringBoard English Language Arts: Grade 10, myPerspectives: English Language Arts, California (Grade 9, Volume 1), Glencoe Literature Course 4: The Readers Choice. When I was fifteen, she used to have me call people on the phone to pretend I was she. It is evident that Tan wants to avoid stereotyping in her essay. Unlike most of the other literature youve read for class, Mother Tongue by Amy Tan is short and pretty easy to breeze through. In Amy Tan's short story "Mother Tongue," explain the essence - eNotes Discuss how this is present in her writing of "Mother Tongue. 17) that Tan claims accounts for her high performance on math tests but not on English tests specifically, analogies? This text is a great starting point for discussions on culture, language and more. Latest answer posted March 28, 2020 at 6:52:46 PM. Why or why not? 1 0 obj Although Tan clearly appeals to pathos through personal narration and characterization, she makes some appeals to logos. Chinese social life that way. -describes how her mom influenced her writing and this is why her mom is the audience. That was the language that helped shape the way I saw things, expressed things, made sense of the world. But because she is rebellious and likes to challenge peoples assumptions about her, Tan bucked this trend. Find examples of peopleincluding Tan herselftreating her mother. Amy Tan also believes her mothers English affected her daughters school results. /Type /ExtGState Lately, I've been giving more thought to the kind of English my mother speaks. That man want to ask Du Zong father take him in like become own family. 1 2 . My mother had gone to the hospital for an appointment, to find out about a benign brain tumor a CAT scan had revealed a month ago. Test. In "Mother Tongue," do you think that Tan and her mother have a close relationship? C q" "9 [5 PDF Mother tongue quizlet answers Answers will vary widely, depending on students' personal experiences, situations, and viewpoints. 6 0 obj So mad he lie to me, losing me money. Discuss the way stereotypes or bias affect how we see ourselves and others. Include details from the text. . But Tans language, or tongue, has been shaped by her actual mother, whose first language (or mother tongue) was not English, but Chinese. 3. Read the excerpt from Amy Tan's essay "Mother Tongue - Brainly The phrase "mother tongue" refers to the language people learn to speak first. Her mother's "limited" English limited Tan's perception of her. How do each of these shifts in tone help move the reader along in the story? Fortunately, there are several different literary devices you can concentrate on for your literary analysis. -wanted to capture what language ability tests can never reveal "her intent, her passion, her imagery, the rhythms of her speech and the nature of her thoughts." Her mother attends her lectures. I didn't see, I heard it. According to Tan, why are so many Asian Americans encouraged to study math and science in college? /Title ( M o t h e r t o n g u e q u i z l e t a n s w e r s) Interesting Literature is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.co.uk. Amy Tan born in 1952 in California to Chinese immigrants. 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. literature. /SA true Although Amy Tan was born in the United States, her writing is shaped to a great degree by the immigrant experience. She adores her as any other child would adore their own mom. . Students' writing should address the specific experiences and messages of the essays that they choose. Her mother's language is colorful, powerful, and direct. Like off the street kind. 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. It was most gratifying to Amy Tan when her mother read The Joy Luck Club, Amy's first book. What are the "different Englishes" (para. Remember this quote as you read through and relate the rest of the content to this idea. The story helps the reader understand Tan's later comments about what to call her mother's English-words like limited or broken affect people's perceptions of her mother and her mother's abilities. 4)_g|a>x{9}=vyG`?>x}.(72qgn>n * {1Mo$*=rnZ|!:Oc@`g=~l^0r8 WC,f;8vu4[e$Nexug (Byo O9|'uc+#Wv8Ee,9 :?6Ns C;0:j1E 66S~o^xzYX8R9 g= ^NTw{ _s7@ "1s m?M ;o V6'=:h
mother tongue amy tan quizlet