Our language our identity Essay

Identity fuck be perceived through linguistic process is one of the galore(postnominal) a(prenominal) ideas that atomic number 18 illustrated throughout Gloria Anzalduas How to get over a Wild Tongue. The words you speak is a part of your culture, and your culture is what defines a person the most. vivification in a country that is seen to be melting pot of many cultures and heritages, you are bound to encounter someone of an otherwise culture provided that doesnt mean we suppress their talent to represent who they are because of their oerleap of knowledge pertaining to the primary nomenclature used in this country. Immigrants use expression to preserve their culture heritage and identity in a contradictory land but attention of judgment, suppression and linguistic practise of terrorism concern their ability to fit in and be who they are not sole(prenominal) by Americans but also by their own community.Linguistic terrorism is a term used by Anzaldua herself to ex press her vigorous emotions on the suppression of her linguistic communication by others. This term is used to describe an run of suppression by a majority group to a nonage group because of their values, norms and even language. This occurs because one usually feels predominant and superior over the other. Anzaldua states in her essay that Our language has been used against us by the dominant culture we use our language differences against each other. (136) Living in a diverse ethnical country such as the United States, many immigrants feel the need to learn the appropriate English in lodge to communicate and fit in with society.Many arent able to only emerge themselves into the American musical mode of doing things without sacrificing a part of themselves through their cultural heritage and identity. Majority of them feel the need to learn English in order to get a job. Even then they are conquer because they speak with very simple English with heavy accents. Once these im migrants initiation to feel comfortable with their English, they are often pushed off by their domestic tongue because of embarrassment and disrespect to their own language.There are quantify when groups that have tried so hard to fit in with the Americans are looked down upon by their own culture and society. Anzaldua says, Pocho, cultural traitor, youre disquisition the oppressors language by speaking English, youre ruining the Spanish language, I have been accused by various Latinos and Latinas (133). This portrays how her own masses have looked down upon her because the English she speaks now is evident through her Spanish, shaming the language as a whole in their eyes. Such things cause people to feel discouraged and fear being judged by their own culture.This fear of judgment causes people to have sevenfold consciences. Sociologists use the term stunt woman conscience, a term that coined by W.E.B. Du Bois, to explain such phenomena. It is a way of awareness of who you a re and a very different awareness of what other people see you as in contrast to that. The way you act at home would be different in terms of your values, social norms and language. Once you leave your home and enter another society, those values, norms and even language change to those that are commonly believed and used in that newer society.Anzaldua notes that My home tongues are the languages I speak with my sister and brother, with my friends last five listed From school, the media and job situations example and working class English. From Mamagrande Locha and from readingstandard Spanish and standard Mexican Spanish (134). A double conscience or a multiple on can be used to explain Anzalduas cause for using different languages in different parts and areas of her daily life. She talks about how she picked up different languages from different places because it was important for her to fit in and communicate with them, changing her conscience along the way .Gloria Anzaldua i s a strong activist when it comes to the connection between language and identity. In her essay How to Tame a Wild Tongue she outlines her strong emotional arguments about the ability for one to conform to a society by disposing their own language or identity. Your identity is determined by language, the language you speak is a part of your culture, and your culture is what defines a person because of their beliefs, norms and values. Even though in that respect will always be Linguistic Terrorism and suppression, it is important to hark back that your language is what makes you who you are and changing from one language to another is something you mustiness do but that doesnt mean you let that change your aline language or your true identity.Work Cited PageAnzaldua, Gloria. How to tame a wild tongue. Fields of Reading Motives for Writing ed. Nancy R. Comley, David Hamilton, Carl H. Klaus, Robert Scholes, Nancy Sommers, Jason Tougaw. Ninth ed. New York Bedford/St. Martin, 2013. 131-141. bring out