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Amy Tan Mother Tongue Summary

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The essay, "Mother Tongue", by Amy Tan, is about the effect that "broken" English can have on people. In this case it is the authors mother. Throughout the essay Tan speaks about the different types of English she uses. What many would consider improper English is the type of English she uses to talk with her mother and family. When she is speaking to others who aren't her family speaks more formally than she normally would.
Tan's mother's first language is Chinese and her second language is English. While Tan is giving a speech about a her book, "The Joy Club," she realizes the types of English she uses because her mother was in the audience, and her mother had never heard her speak so formally before nor had she ever spoken so formally in front of her mother. She also notices they types of English she uses a second time, when she out with her mother and her husband. Tan explains this type of English she uses with her family as intimate and something she grew up with.
Tan explains that both her and her mother realize her mothers limitations, due to her English. Some don’t take her mother seriously or they ignore her. So Tan would have to call people on the phone and pretend that she was her mother. Tan once had to call her mother's stockbroker, another time she had to speak to her mothers doctor because they weren't paying attention to a …show more content…

She thinks that the language spoken at home plays a role in shaping the language of a child. Tan notices very stereotypical things that are expected from people who come from immigrant families with limited English. For example, Tan notices that Asian students do noticeably better on math tests than English. She also notices that there aren't many Asian American students who take creative writing classes but, preferably take math and science classes. Tan wonders that if its because teachers steer them away from

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