Amy Tan Mother Tongue Summary

Language is a universal instinct for communication. Using language to communicate is a natural process, and many may not realize the extent of its cultural influence. A culture may be defined by language, in the same way language is formative of culture and the individual. In “Mother Tongue,” Amy Tan recounts her childhood experience speaking “different Englishes” at home and in public, and how these contrasting dialects came to affect her thoughts and opportunities. The language a person grows up with can shape their identity, affecting not just how they communicate, but their perceptions, worldview, and awareness of cultural biases and norms. One’s command of language can determine how effectively one can communicate, and effective communication

Although the tendency of Asian-Americans going into science and engineering courses influenced Tan to take up pre-med in her first year of college, she eventually became an English major. She “enjoyed the challenge of disproving assumptions made about [herself.]” She challenged the fact the writing was her weakness and became a writer. Her skills as a writer are largely influenced by the thought of her mother as a reader and the experience she had growing up speaking “different Englishes.” On why she thinks of her mother specifically, she says, “I wanted to capture what language ability tests could never reveal: her intent, her passion, her imagery, the rhythms of her speech and the nature of her thoughts.” (Tan 494) This thought is evident in “Mother Tongue” itself. Through anecdotes, Tan transcribes what her mother says using her mother’s “broken” English and also narrates in between to explain how her “mother tongue” has influenced her. This is to help her readers, which include her mother, to see purpose behind her writing. Tran’s TED talk as well suggests that, even after pointing out the mindset differences between himself and his parents, Tran is not berating his Vietnamese heritage nor the American culture he is currently living in. Moreover, Tran places his experience in a social context and concludes his TED talk by urging his audience to “go reclaim and reappropriate [their] language and