linguistic identity

Joseph Palagonia
ENGW_1100_34
Professor Young
August, 30, 2015


             I have selected three meaningful quotes from How to Tame a Wild Tongue, which connect linguistics to culture. My first quote states, "Ethnic identity id twin skin to linguistic identity- I am my language. Until I can take pride in my language, I cannot take pride in myself." My next proceeding quote, "Pachuco is a language of rebellion, both against Standard Spanish and Standard English. It is a secret language. Adults of the culture and outsiders cannot understand it. It is made up of slang words from both English and Spanish." My last quote chosen states, " There is no one Chicano language just as there is no one Chicano experience. A monolingual Chicana whose first language is English or Spanish is just as much a Chicana from Michigan or Chicago or Detroit is just as the Southwest. Chicano Spanish is as diverse linguistically as it is regionally." The opening scene begins with the doctor stating, " We're going to have to control your tongue." This is ironic because the overall message of this essay, is linguistic defines who a person is entirely. Personally, I do not know much Spanish, therefore the writing was difficult to understand. I think Anzaldua used spanish in her writing to represent the degree of difficulty it takes to understand a different language. Academic English can be defined as Spanish (standard) due to it's specific focus of one language. Chicano Spanish integrates multiple different spanish dialects mixed with a secret form of the language which causes it to be classified as nonstandard. Speaking and writing is a big part of the person I am today. A person's accent or dialect alone, can explain a lot about their personality or culture. Like Anzaldua, in English there are forms of secret languages as well. To most it is just considered slang talk, but two or more people can relate to a hidden statement through slang code, for example inside jokes or statements most people will be confused by the meaning. When I am speaking with my friends we usually talk in a more relaxed slang dialect of English, but when I am around my parents or a professor I speak more respectfully and professional due to the formal position they hold before me. The quote, "I am my language," means we are how we talk. There are plenty of revealing facts about a persons identity that can be distinguished through language alone, for example race and or culture. The introduction of this essay connects to the conclusion because it discusses how other ethnicities are willingly able to give up their tongues, but Chicana language is far more important to the Chicana culture for it to be denied. The language we speak identifies cultural background of family heritage. Without identity it is impossible to be unique. My identity is the most important thing going for me, because my name is what classifies me different from the man next to me. For example, How to Tame A Wild Tongue states, " With that recognition, we became a distinct people, we became aware of our reality and acquired a name and a language."