Science Leadership Academy

                                Victoria Monahan
                                1/8/08
                                Iron Stream
                                English
                                Benchmark

    
“So, if you want to really hurt me, talk badly about my language.  Ethnic identity is twin skin to linguistic identity- I am my language.  Until I can take pride in my language, I cannot take pride in myself.” (How To Tame A Wild Tongue by Gloria Anzaldúa)
     
“A telephone call makes my throat bleed and takes up that day’s courage.  It spoils my day with self- disgust when I hear my broken voice come skittering out into the open.  It makes me wince when I hear it.” (The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston)
    
    Language is power.  Or it power language?  Language can influence how people react to you and how you act to others in return.
    One time that I remember is when I was sitting at my bus stop and a man came up to me with an extremely heavy accent.  I couldn’t understand a word that he said; actually I could barely place his syllables in the English language.
Man With Accent: Ooo oh whaaa ee booose oh?
Me: I’m sorry, what did you say?
Man With Accent: Ooo oh whaaa ee booose oh?
Me: I’m sorry, I still don’t understand.
Man With Accent: Ooo oh whaaa ees booose oh?
Me: I’m sorry, can you please repeat that?
    This back and forth conversation went on for a little while until I finally came to the conclusion that he was saying: “You know where the bus go?”  I know for a fact that this small conversation made me feel like an idiot for not understanding him, and probably the same for the man.  
Also, I have a grandmother that was born and raised in Italy, who for the majority of her life has been living there.  At one point in time she had moved to the United States with her family seeking a better life, for it is dubbed the land of opportunity.  However, she refused to learn the language and adjust to the culture, so despite her living in a country dominated by their culture, she never desired to conform.  Just a few years ago, she came to visit the place she once resided and stayed with her family, me.  My mother, being born and partially raised in Italy, was the only one in my household who was able to understand her ways, and the only one who was able to speak her language.  So, along with her having completely a foreign background, she also was unable to relate and express the points in which she was attempting to convey.  An average day would go along with numerous hand gestures and repeated phrases, until whoever was receiving the message understood.  For example, she would ask if we were hungry, for she seemed to always desire to cook a pot of noodles.  So, she would say what sounded like manja while putting her hand to her face mimicking putting food in your mouth.  After a while, this word began to sink in to the point where she no longer needed to gesture with her hands.  It worked in both ways, we began to understand her more and she began to understand us as well.     
I believe that my grandma has influenced my sister’s love of languages, for now my sister is striving to learn and become fluent in as many languages as possible.  She has taken French, German, Spanish, is going to take Chinese over the summer, etc. Mi familia es moy diverso.  So, because of my sister’s multiple language interests I am constantly hearing small phrases originated from cultures completely foreign to me in my everyday life.  For example, my sister calls my cat, Isabella (which is Spanish for the American name Elizabeth), what sounds like mi ange lu, that means my angel or something of the sort.  My mother and my aunt switch between English and Italian in every one of their conversations.  My brother and his friends attempt to talk “gangsta.”  I am extremely quite at home.  My mother and my grandmother talk very formal.  Everyone talks a different way with everyone.  
To tell you the truth, I have not even noticed these small phrases being incorporated into my everyday life until I took the opportunity to sit in my house and observe what was “different” about us.   It grows on you.  It is something that becomes your identity that will make you or break you.  Language is power.