SUMMARY FOR MOTHER TONGUE
Summary—Mother Tongue
Amy Tan considers language a thought-provoking and powerful tool. Her mother, an Asian American, speaks “Chinglish" all her life, which exerts a huge impact on Tan’s language ability. Despite all the misunderstanding and limitation of her mother’s language, Tan perceives it as natural, intimate and meaningful.
When Tan gave a talk to people about her book, she realized it was the first time she talked to her mother in standard English, which Tan rarely used with her before.
She was also aware she used different English in work and with her family, when Tan spoke to her husband with the kind of English her mother used. Tan was surprised that he had no reaction to her speaking that type of non-standard English, which became a representation of their mutual understanding and a symbol of their intimate relationship.
Tan shows how her mother constructs and expresses her thoughts with Chinglish by quoting her mother’s words, such as “Du Zong father wasn’t look down on him, but didn’t take seriously, until that man big like become a mafia”. However, even though none of Tan’s friends completely understood her mother’s English, it was perfectly comprehensible, descriptive and natural to Tan. Tan believes her mother’s English reveals her passion for life, vigorous ideas, unique personality and essential nature.
Tan relates her mother’s “limited” English ability to the limited perception Tan once had of her mother. She was frustrated by the disrespect of others toward her mother due to her language and was ashamed of the mistakes her mother made. Tan’s mother realized her own inadequacy in language as well and even asked Tan to pretend to be her and talk to people when she had problems. It seemed that Tan’s mother’s
problems, even severe ones, would not be taken seriously until Tan, with her perfect standard English, talked to people.
Tan also feels that her mother’s language had some negative effects on her possibilities in life. Tan explains how she
Amy Tan considers language a thought-provoking and powerful tool. Her mother, an Asian American, speaks “Chinglish" all her life, which exerts a huge impact on Tan’s language ability. Despite all the misunderstanding and limitation of her mother’s language, Tan perceives it as natural, intimate and meaningful.
When Tan gave a talk to people about her book, she realized it was the first time she talked to her mother in standard English, which Tan rarely used with her before.
She was also aware she used different English in work and with her family, when Tan spoke to her husband with the kind of English her mother used. Tan was surprised that he had no reaction to her speaking that type of non-standard English, which became a representation of their mutual understanding and a symbol of their intimate relationship.
Tan shows how her mother constructs and expresses her thoughts with Chinglish by quoting her mother’s words, such as “Du Zong father wasn’t look down on him, but didn’t take seriously, until that man big like become a mafia”. However, even though none of Tan’s friends completely understood her mother’s English, it was perfectly comprehensible, descriptive and natural to Tan. Tan believes her mother’s English reveals her passion for life, vigorous ideas, unique personality and essential nature.
Tan relates her mother’s “limited” English ability to the limited perception Tan once had of her mother. She was frustrated by the disrespect of others toward her mother due to her language and was ashamed of the mistakes her mother made. Tan’s mother realized her own inadequacy in language as well and even asked Tan to pretend to be her and talk to people when she had problems. It seemed that Tan’s mother’s
problems, even severe ones, would not be taken seriously until Tan, with her perfect standard English, talked to people.
Tan also feels that her mother’s language had some negative effects on her possibilities in life. Tan explains how she