How to Tame a wild Tongue

Introduction

Gloria Anzaldua describes her feelings on the language contrasts that she and other Mexican Americans experienced while growing up in the U.S.A in her article, "How to Tame a Wild Tongue." In this intriguing article, she analyzes the socio-cultural distinctions between cultures and how migrants fit within these variances. She examines themes like sexism and discrimination in addition to this. She wishes the audience to know that learning another dialect is not anything to be afraid of. Therefore, analyzing Gloria Anzaldua's "How to Tame a Wild Tongue" is essential to understanding how society views language and ultimately helps me determine concepts that contrast and compare with my own life, experiences, and conceptions of identity.

Comparison and contrast as per set societal norms

Language has a big role in defining a person's identity since it reveals people's origins and character. One's personality is also rejected if their culture disregards their language. Using her own experiences, Anzaldua demonstrates how having Spanish as her primary language greatly impacted her life throughout the article. She accomplishes this by illustrating the connection between her identity and dialect and describing how English speakers disparaged Mexican Americans. For instance, the author recalls being disciplined by her instructor because she was "speaking Spanish at recess" (Anzaldua), "that was good for three licks on the knuckles with the sharp ruler" (206). She also attempted to educate her instructor on how to enunciate her name properly, but the instructor believed she was "talking back" (Anzaldua). Her instructor ultimately disciplined her for it. She was disciplined because Spanish-speaking pupils were required to speak English in class without an accent. Pupils would get in trouble if they were overheard conversing in Spanish or if they had a Spanish accent. Anzaldua provided her readers with a concrete explanation of why she was teased as a youngster since she had first-hand knowledge of the situation (Anzaldua). Thus, language plays a crucial role in affirming a person's identity, as instanced by Anzaldua's personal experiences, such as when her instructor disciplined her for using a Spanish accent.The author's use of a literal interpretation inspires empathy and sympathy in her readers for the horrible event she had. Although she was meant to get the same treatment as other pupils and have equal privileges, this wasn't the case. As an illustration, the instructor instructed Anzaldua, "If you want to be in America, talk "American.' If you don't like it, go back to Mexico where you belong" (Anzaldua). Americans "allegedly" reside in a nation with nondiscriminatory equal rights and freedoms. This goes against the reason Anzaldua was restrained from speaking freely in Spanish. Everyone purportedly has the right to conduct their lives following cultural and linguistic heritages. Anzaldua became enraged because she was barred from using her native tongue. She thinks that because they live in a supposedly free society, native tongue speakers shouldn't face prejudice, and she doesn't fully understand why her instructors were so hostile to her. The author says, "So if you want to hurt me, talk badly about my language. Ethnic identification is the linguistic identity's twin skin; I am my language “(Anzaldua). She is who she is and speaks the language she does. Therefore, it is not a major issue; people have to cope with it. She doesn't comprehend why some individuals are unable to comprehend it. She receives criticism for speaking Mexican Americans but values it and won't abandon it for English. In her article, she cites this as one of the causes of her annoyance with linguistic violence. In her concluding statement, she said that people would not recognize a person as a human if they are not welcomed into a group due to their home language and if their dialect is connected to their identity (Anzaldua). Anzaldua's ability to convey her thoughts about how linguistic violence damaged people's self-esteem made her who she is present.

Acculturation is another topic covered in the article, where she discusses the idea that immigrants should be allowed to forge their own personas. To be happy in their new life, they ought not to give up their self-image, heritage, or native dialect. Anzaldua believes that in order to be accepted in America, one must renounce their origins. The author draws on personal experiences and gives actual credit to her effort (Anzaldua). Her stories also touch people emotionally, helping them to realize how distressing this form of persecution is. She thinks she won't be able to understand her authenticity unless she accepts her language. She merely wants her listeners to be confident with loving and valuing their own original dialects and customs, as well as accepting her usage of Mexican Spanish. Thus, as per the article, an individual is required to give up on their background if it contrasts with the general culture of America (Khanmalek). However, the author affirms that following this route will make individuals not recognize their identity.

Essay’s personal reflection

I generally agree with Anzaldua's opinions. In my perspective, what makes U.S.A so great is its diversity. I think everybody should regard their sense of self, their identities, and their ethnicities. But if you want to work or become a citizen in America, I also think you should be able to speak English most of the time (Khanmalek). As a result, I concur with some of what the author says. But I presume this is because she is passionate about the topic and has faced repression. However, I find her audience's call for action quite motivating. The way she encourages others to embrace who they are and says that it's possible to preserve their sense of identity, culture, and tradition while still succeeding. As a writer, this writing has inspired me in that it has made me consider my readers and how to ensure that my work is engaging to all of them. Since everyone is affected by what she is referring to, even if she is referring to a particular group of individuals and a certain language, everyone may try to comprehend what she is saying (Khanmalek). To make my work relevant to everyone, I'll strive to follow the same approach.

Conclusion

Analyzing Gloria Anzaldua's "How to Tame a Wild Tongue" is essential to understanding how society views language and ultimately helps me determine concepts that contrast and compare with my own life, experiences, and conceptions of identity. Language has a big role in defining a person's identity since it reveals people's origins and character. One's personality is also rejected if their culture disregards their language. Using her own experiences, Anzaldua demonstrates how having Spanish as her primary language greatly impacted her life throughout the article. She accomplishes this by illustrating the connection between her identity and dialect and describing how English speakers disparaged Mexican Americans. The author analyzes Mexican and American cultures' social and cultural distinctions and how immigrants fit within these variances. Therefore, the essay showcases the importance of language and its impact on societies regarding personal identity.

Work Cited

Anzaldua, Gloria. How to tame a wild tongue. 1987, https://easyinfoblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Anzaldua-Wild-Tongue.pdf.

 Khanmalek, Tala. “‘Wild tongues can’t be tamed’: Rumor, racialized sexuality, and the 1917 Bath riots in the US-Mexico borderlands.” Latino Studies, vol. 19, no. 3, 2021, pp. 334–357., https://doi.org/10.1057/s41276-021-00324-5.