How to Tame a Wild Tongue

Andrew Hamer
English 1100_35
August 29th, 2015
Young
How to Tame a Wild Tongue

1. Discuss how the opening scene of Anzaldua in the dentist's chair connects to the overall point/message of the essay and title.

The opening scene of Anzaldua in the dentist's chair connects to the overall point that throughout her life people have been trying to control her tongue (as in her accent) and now the dentist is trying to control her actual tongue that wouldn't sit still. I think this was a smart way of opening the essay because mostly everyone has been to a dentist at one point and it is a very relatable situation.

2. Discuss Anzaldua's use of the Spanish throughout her writing. Did it make sense? What was her purpose?

I think Anzaldua's use of Spanish throughout her writing made perfect sense to the writing style of the essay. I think her purpose was to help connect all of the readers to a part of her identity and to show us how connected she really is to her culture and how even after all those years of people trying to repress her and the way she speaks she wouldn't give up who she is.

3. Can Academic English be defined as Spanish (Standard) and can Chicano Spanish be described as nonstandard? Why? What inference, conclusions, can be made from referring to one identity (language) as standard versus nonstandard?

To a person who mainly speaks standard Spanish Academic English can defined as standard while Chicano Spanish can be described as nonstandard. This is because Spanish and Academic English are two larger languages while Chicano Spanish isn't spoken on as large of a scale. By referring to one language as standard and the other as nonstandard one is basically saying that one language is normal and the other isn't as important.

4. Discuss the necessity of speaking and/writing in Academic English as an identity. Is it necessary?

Speaking/writing in Academic English maybe necessary to some but not to all people who learn it. I've been in classes with many people who are very confident vocally and who didn't take classes on writing/speaking very seriously, so to people like this Academic English isn't a big part of who they are and it isn't really necessary.

5. Anzaldua describes different types of Spanish, identities. Discuss the various types of English, identities, you know and use.

I would say that the only varied type of English I use is the dialect that is used in the area of New Jersey I am from, but besides that the only varied English I use is what I say when I'm around my friends that only we understand.

6. Pachuco. Do you use a secret language, secret identity, to communicate to your friends? If so, what?

I would definitely say that I use a secret language with my friends. I wouldn't say that someone who didn't know us all that well couldn't understand us but we talk very fast with each other and use a lot of references to things that we like and we always mention a lot of inside jokes.

7. Chicano Spanish can be compared to non-standard English. What form of English (standard or nonstandard) do you speak with your friends (audience)? What form of English do you speak when you talk to your mother (audience), professor, (audience)? Why?

When I speak to my friends I would say that I speak a form of nonstandard English. This is do to the fact that when I'm with my friends I tend to swear a lot more, I will confront them more on things, and I definitely joke with them more than I would other people. When it comes to speaking to parents, teachers, or anyone with authority the way I speak doesn't change that much. While I try to show respect and be polite to most people I will show teacher/parents more respect than I would my friends, not because I don't respect my friends but because I see parents/teachers as people who deserve more respect than those that I would be jokingly insulting.

8. "I am my language." What does this mean? How does this statement connect to a person's identity?

By saying that "I am my language." you are saying that your voice and your way of life as well as your culture are a part of you and that you aren't going to deny that part of your identity. This connects to a person's identity by saying that the history of their culture is a part of them and that they accept this as who they are.

9. Talk specifically about how the introduction and conclusion connect.

In the introduction Anzaldua talks about how a wild tongue can not be tamed it can be cut out, this connects to the conclusion because at the end she says how Chicanos will be patient and wait for the day where they don't have to be silent, so that one day they won't have to choose between losing a part of them or being quiet.

10. Can the language you speak be a part of your identity? Why?

I only see language as a small part of my identity. Yes having a voice is important to me as a person but unlike Anzaldua I've never had someone telling me that I couldn't say things one way or another.

11. How important is identity to you? Does Anzaldua believe it's important to have identity? Use some examples from "How to Tame a Wild Tongue," to support your answer.

Identity is very important to me, ones identity is literally who they are, if I didn't know who I was I'm not sure I would know what I was. I also believe that Anzaldua believes that identity is important, the fact that she stresses that her language is a big part of who she is throughout her life shows that since language is a big part of her life without it she wouldn't be the same person.