From the Story of Gloria Anzaldua
1.
The
opening scene discusses how the tongue has a mind of its own. The tongue is a
part of who we are and what we say. We can express who we are so easily without
a tongue. It reveals the culture a person with in a few words.
2.
Anzaldua
use of the Spanish throughout her writing helps the reader relate to her
culture. It made sense to me because I am part Latino on my mom’s side and it
is very difficult for her to express herself sometimes without the use of
Spanish.
3.
Academic
English cannot be defined as a Spanish standard nor Chicano Spanish as a
nonstandard. The standard is very different to each person. An example of this
is my mom using Spanish as her standard language when I use English as mine.
When inferring one language is standard to another, it can create issues with
the social ranks at home.
4.
The
idea of writing and speaking Academic English is to help the person in the
future find a job easier. It is not necessary to be fluent or perfect at
Academic English. The only thing that is important is the actions they commit.
An example is a fluent Spanish speaking accountant and an English accountant.
If the Spanish speaking accountant makes better decision and makes me more
money, I will use him every time.
5.
The
most common types of English can be found in New York City when it comes to
dialects such as a Brooklyn dialect compared to a Georgia dialect. In the
south, they use the word “boy” in a derogative sense because of the history
that has occurred more than 70 years ago. Southern people think Northern people
stress the “ogs” in dogs.
6.
The
only type of secret language that I use to talk to friends is my gamer talk. An
example would be a “noob or you are trying to be a trick2g?”. Only certain
people understand the references or terms.
7.
Depending
of the friends I am talking to, I usually speak a non standard English because
I do not need to impress or impersonate somebody. If I meet somebody new, I
speak differently depending on the personality of the other. I usually talk
with the same formality they talk to me. With my mom, I speak a non standard
English because it is easier to express my ideas and she understands me but
when it comes to a professor, I speak very properly and educated. I do so in
order to show my respect.
8.
Anzaldua
said “If you really want to hurt me, talk badly about my language.” A language
can be said to be the person. It is who they are, their culture, their
everything. We derive our language from our country and especially our parents.
It is mocking who we are.
9.
The
beginning and the ending both talk about control. In the beginning, the dentist
was trying to take control of the tongue with cotton and in the end it talked
about the control with laws. No matter what is being done, los mexicanos-Chicanos
will be resilient and live by themselves. She says, “we, the mestizos and
mestizos, will remain.”
10.
Language
is part of our identity. It is part of the culture that we belong to that has
lasted hundreds of years. We have to be proud where we come from and what
language we speak. We only live life once and we must be who we are and be
proud of it.
11.
The
author believes it is important to have an identity. A friend once told me that
as men, we only have our balls and our word. If we don’t have our word, we
don’t really have much. Having an identity that pleases everybody is not
important to me. I only care that a few people love me for who I am because I
only need a few people in this world to be content. The author is proud where
she is from and keeps pushing the idea of language is who we are and in a way
she is right. Our culture will keep living on from one generation to the other
through stories and language.
