Advanced Essay #2: English with an Accent

Introduction:

This goal of this essay was to explore how people are judged based on the way that they speak English. I am very proud of the way I narrated the experiences of my family members. Something I could’ve worked on is my time management with my social activities, so I wouldn’t have to ask for an extension. I also could’ve provided a deeper analysis of Amy Tan’s work, and how I integrated it with my ideas.

Advanced Essay:

My mom often tells me a story from her childhood. She grew up in Fairless Hills, a predominantly white working-class suburb. It was 1974. She lived with her two parents, recent Filipino immigrants, and her younger sister. They were the only people of color in that area, besides her relatives who lived in the same suburb. On one of their first nights in the neighborhood, while they were sleeping, my mom heard a crash and the sound of breaking glass. Someone had thrown a brick through their living room window. Later when she was in high school someone had vandalized their new van by spray painting in large neon yellow letters, “CHINA BASTARDS.” Over ten years later the message was the same; my mom and her family were not welcome. They were not wanted.

I have grown to understand that these awful events happened because my grandparents were obvious immigrants.They had dark skin, jet black hair, and almond-shaped eyes. They also spoke to each other almost exclusively in Tagalog, a mix of Spanish and clucking, tangy sounds. For both of my grandparents English is not their first language, but when they speak English they do so with extremely thick accents. Even though they both lived in the United States for over 40 years, they were never able to grasp English like a native speaker. This is what made them stand out the most. Often they complain that I talk too fast. Even talking to them now, having spoken English their entire lives, it’s still hard to have a strong and detailed conversation. I find myself speaking extremely slowly to them, our conversations mirroring a parent speaking to a child. While I recognize the unfairness of this analogy, it has been my view of their literacy skills my entire life. While I have an abundance of empathy and understanding, I still can’t shake that feeling. And I know that this is condescending.

The essay Mother Tongue by Amy Tan resonates with my ideas about who determines what proficient literacy looks like, and how people are judged by their English speaking skills. Proficient literacy in America is defined by white men, who have the most cultural capital. This is because of their place in the hierarchy of America. White English speaking American men are very privileged and are in a position of power. They don't usually have to worry about being judged or treated unfairly because of their literacy skills. In this short essay, Amy Tan describes in depth the experiences of her mother not being a proficient English speaker, and how judgment follows that. Quoting Amy Tan, “You should know that my mother's expressive command of English belies how much she actually understands.” This quote reminds me of how I am able to interpret what my grandparents are saying. I often rely on their expressive way of communication to understand them. For example, when my grandmother’s voice rises, I can tell she is excited about something. When my grandfather defers to his off-topic phrases, I can tell that I spoke too fast and he didn’t understand what I said. And when they sit quietly watching as my parents, brothers, and I chat and joke with one another, I can tell that they’re happy to be around us.

Building on the ideas of expressive communication and the complexities that lie below the surface level of people’s English communication, an idea I want to explore is that language is more than words. As Amy Tan said in Mother Tongue, “Like others, I have described it to people as 'broken’ or ‘fractured’ English. But I wince when I say that. It has always bothered me that I can think of no 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. I've heard other terms used, ‘limited English,’ for example.” I used to think of my grandparents’ English as broken, but limited is a more appropriate term. Language doesn’t only revolve around speaking or English. That is an easy way to judge people, considering that is the main way people communicate in the United States. My grandfather has many other ways to demonstrate his literacy skills. It can be through his printing press, his vast knowledge of classic swing music, his fluency with Tagalog, his knowledge of his homeland, his social skills, etc. All of these skills are independent of his ability to speak English. His interactions with the world are richer than merely speaking English, but this is not recognized in the United States. Without “sounding smart” opportunities are limited.

I understand there are more complexities to people who appear not as intelligent because they aren’t originally English speakers. My grandfather worked at the Princeton University Printing Press for over fifteen years, and never got promoted. He was perfectly capable of receiving a promotion and the responsibilities that would come with it. I’ve come to the conclusion that he did not get promoted because he wasn’t able to communicate as well as his co-workers, which isn’t fair at all. His bosses should’ve taken into account that he is an immigrant, and isn’t as skilled with English. This is very analogous to my experiences with my grandparents. I used to assume they weren’t as smart when I was very little, but as I grew older I found that not to be true. Just because I can’t always understand what they’re trying to say to me, doesn’t mean they’re unintelligible. My grandparents are very smart people in so many ways. They read, write, speak, hear and think in two languages. But more amazing, is that they have decades of wisdom in their ability to navigate between their world in the United States and their home country.

Works Cited:

Mother Tongue, Amy Tan