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                                                           How	does	the	structure	of	tan's	essay	support	her	purpose
  The	main	idea	of	Amy	Tan’s	“Mother	Tongue”	is	the	limitations	that	imperfect	English	can	impose	in	society	and	the	richness	that	such	English	can	bring	to	writing.	Tan	elaborates	this	idea	by	scrutinizing	her	mother’s	language,	her	own	use	of	English	and	society’s	response	to	different	people’s	English	usage.	Why	does	Tan	feel	so	deeply	about	her
  mother	tongue?	Tan	feel	so	deeply	about	her	“mother	tongue”	because	the	limited	language	effects	that	many	people	misunderstand	her	mother.	The	way	Tan’s	mother	speaks	effects	the	native	English	speaker	think	that	she	isn’t	able	to	express	her	thoughts	perfectly	and	don’t	want	to	communicate	with	her.	READ:		Can	I	transfer	my	JetBlue	ticket	to
  someone	else?What	is	Amy	Tan’s	claim	in	mother	tongue?	Reading	supports	this	claim	because	according	to	Amy	she	says	that	research	revealed	how	Asians	performed	poorly	in	language	but	excelled	in	other	fields.	When	she	says	that	“the	Asian-Americans	students	who’re	English	spoken	in	their	home	might	be	broken”	this	is	evident	in	his	writing
  mother	tongue.	What	is	a	good	thesis	statement	for	mother	tongue?	Tan’s	thesis	statement	–	“I	spend	a	great	deal	of	my	time	thinking	about	the	power	of	language	the	way	it	can	evoke	an	emotion,	a	visual	image,	a	complex	idea,	or	a	simple	truth”(Tan	633)	–	sets	the	tone	for	the	article.	I	am	in	agreement	with	Tan’s	opinion	with	the	power	of
  language.	What	is	Tan’s	purpose	in	writing	this	essay?	Tan’s	purpose	in	writing	this	essay	is	to	show	that	no	matter	what	nationality	you	are,	you	should	be	proud	of	what	you	are	or	where	you	came	from.	Who	is	the	audience	for	mother	tongue?	The	intended	audience	of	Amy	Tan’s	essay	“Mother	Tongue”	is	the	people	who	criticize	and	judge	Tan’s
  mother’s	version	of	spoken	English.	Tan	uses	the	essay	to	convince	her	audience	that	her	mother’s	version	of	English	communicates	effectively	and	is	a	powerful	language.	What	is	the	author’s	purpose	in	mother	tongue?	The	primary	purpose	of	Tan’s	“Mother	Tongue”	is	to	orient	the	readers	about	the	author’s	intepretation	of	differentiating	Standard
  English	and	broken	English.	Another	purpose	of	writing	such	book	is	the	fact	that	Amy	Tan	has	spent	much	of	her	time	in	America,	but	she	was	born	in	China.	How	would	you	describe	Tan’s	attitude	toward	her	mother?	Another	way	of	describing	Tan’s	attitude	towards	her	mother	is	she	thinks	her	mother	is	of	respect	and	admiration.	Although	Tan
  does	express	“shame”	towards	the	imperfection	of	her	mother’s	English	she	realizes	the	true	meaning	of	her	language	ability.	READ:		Where	is	Emily	Haines	from?Why	does	tan	open	her	essay	by	stating?	Why	does	Tan	open	her	essay	by	stating,	“I	am	not	a	scholar	of	English	or	literature,”	then	state,	in	the	next	paragraph,	“I	am	a	writer”?	Tan	opens
  her	essay	with	that	in	order	to	strengthen	her	ethos	by	recognizing	a	limitation	in	her	own	self.	She	is	not	claiming	to	be	anything	she	is	not.	What	does	Tan	mean	when	she	says	I	think	my	mother’s	English?	Tan	tells	reader	that	“I	think	my	mother’s	English	almost	had	an	effect	on	limiting	my	possibilities	in	life	as	well.”	(Tan	14)	This	gives	readers	an
  idea	of	how	language	affects	our	everyday	lives.	It	also	gives	a	general	idea	that	language	is	possibly	the	“limits”	that	a	person	can	have.	What	is	tan	classifying	in	this	essay?	Tan	is	classifying	the	types	of	English	she	has	observed	throughout	her	life.	She	identifies	her	mother’s	“broken”	English,	the	“simple”	English	she	uses	to	speak	to	her	mother,
  the	English	she	uses	in	daily	conversation,	and	the	English	she	uses	in	academic	writing.	Is	Tan’s	primary	focus	in	this	essay	on	language	or	on	her	mother?	Tan’s	primary	focus	is	on	language.	The	writing	helps	to	orient	the	readers	a	bout	the	authors	interpretation	and	the	use	of	broken	English.	Tan	writes	about	her	embarrasment	and	guilt	but	loves
  the	broken	langage.	She	writes	about	mother	to	daughtr	relationship.	Is	Tan’s	primary	focus	in	this	essay	on	language	or	on	her	mother	explain	your	conclusion?	Explain	your	conclusion.	Tan’s	essay	is	more	about	language	as	a	whole.	She	wants	the	reader	to	understand	that	formal	English,	spoken/written	with	ease	by	a	native	speaker,	is	not	the	only
  presentation	of	the	language	that	deserves	respect.	What	influence	has	Tan’s	mother	had	on	her	daughter’s	writing?	As	Tan’s	primary	care	giver,	her	mother	was	a	significant	part	of	her	childhood,	and	she	has	a	strong	influence	over	Tan’s	writing	style.	Being	raised	by	her	mother	taught	her	that	one’s	perception	of	the	world	is	heavily	based	upon	the
  language	spoken	at	home.	READ:		What	are	the	components	of	cardiac	muscle?What	point	is	tan	making	with	the	example	of	her	mother	and	the	hospital?	Discussion	Questions	for	“Mother	Tongue”	by	Amy	Tan	1)	What	point	is	Tan	making	with	the	example	of	her	mother	and	the	hospital?	The	hospital	staff	failed	to	pay	her	mother	the	respect	that	was
  due	solely	based	on	the	premise	that	she	couldn’t	speak	good	enough	English	(as	per	their	standards).	What	can	you	say	about	the	introduction	of	mother	tongue	by	Amy	Tan?	AMY	TAN:	INTRODUCTION.	Focusing	on	the	nuances	of	culture	and	language—issues	she	discusses	explicitly	in	her	essay	“Mother	Tongue”	(1990)—Tan	uses	humor	and
  traditional	oral	conventions	to	explore	generational	disconnections	among	women.	How	does	Tan	classify	the	English	used	by	her	mother?	Her	mother’s	“limited”	English	limited	Tan’s	perception	of	her.	Tan	believed	that	her	mother’s	English	reflected	the	quality	of	what	she	had	to	say-that	the	imperfections	in	her	speech	meant	that	her	ideas	were
  just	as	imperfect.	What	is	a	mother	tongue	language	and	give	examples?	Mother	tongue	is	defined	as	the	first	language	that	a	person	learns	and	the	language	used	in	that	person’s	home	country.	An	example	of	mother	tongue	is	English	for	someone	born	in	America.	The	language	one	first	learned;	the	language	one	grew	up	with;	one’s	native
  language.	Why	does	she	envision	her	mother	as	the	reader	of	her	novels?	Why	does	she	envision	her	mother	as	the	reader	of	her	novels?	She	envisions	her	mother	as	the	reader	of	her	novels	because	the	novels	are	about	mothersand	she	wanted	to	connect	with	more	of	the	audience	her	mother	and	other	mothers	out	there.	1.	At	several	points	in	her
  essay,	Tan	relates	anecdotes.		How	do	they	further	her	argument	(first,	you	must	identify	what	her	argument	is)?		Be	sure	to	consider	the	anecdotes	regarding	Tan’s	giving	a	speech,	the	stockbroker,	the	CAT	scan,	and	Tan’s	experience	with	the	SATs.		What	would	be	the	impact	of	omitting	one	of	these	anecdotes?	Tan’s	argument	to	me	is	that	she	feels
  the	English	language	can	be	taken	in	many	different	ways.	Her	fluency	in	the	language	was	well	responded	to,	and	yet	her	mother	was	treated	disrespectfully	for	using	“broken”	English.	Tan’s	anecdotes	further	her	argument	by	making	the	points	more	personal.	It	appeals	to	the	readers	emotions	when	a	personal	story	like	the	one	about	the	CAT	scan
  shows	how	the	use	of	English	will	make	a	person	seen	and	treated	a	different	way.	Omitting	these	anecdotes	would	remove	the	personality	this	piece	has,	which	makes	the	reader	sympathetic	for	Tan’s	mother.	2.	Tan	divides	the	essay	into	three	sections.		Why?		If	there	were	no	breaks,	would	the	three	sections	be	clear?	The	sections	allow	Tan	to	get
  all	of	her	points	across	in	an	organized	way.	I’m	reading	the	online	version,	which	does	not	have	any	defined	sections,	so	I	would	say	the	sections	are	definitely	clear.	To	myself	personally,	it	seems	to	be	separated	by	her	recent	realization	of	the	difference	in	her	own	speaking,	the	reasons	why	and	events	contributing,	and	her	rebellion	against	her
  Asian-American	stereotype.	3.	Discuss	how	Tan	broadens	the	essay	to	have	relevance	beyond	her	personal	experience.		How	does	she	raise	issues	that	are	germane	(look	it	up!)	to	a	group	as	well	as	to	herself?	Tan’s	essay	certainly	has	more	than	just	relevance	personal	to	herself.	Many	Americans	who	are	bilingual	or	grew	up	with	a	bilingual	parent
  can	more	definitely	relate	to	the	experiences	of	Tan.	Richard	Rodriguez	would	certainly	have	a	lot	in	common	with	Tan.	Also,	I	feel	that	this	essay	also	points	out	that	Americans	treat	people	of	foreign	descent	as	if	they	are	less	than,	which	is	certainly	an	issue	that	could	open	the	eyes	of	anyone,	had	they	experienced	it	or	not.	Filed	under
  Uncategorized	1.	How	did	Amy	Tan	feel	about	her	mother’s	English	as	a	child?	Why?	How	does	she	feel	about	it	now?	2.	When	Amy	Tan	starts	to	write	her	novel	she	tries	to	use	“big”	words	to	prove	she	is	successful	at	English,	why	does	she	change	and	write	in	simpler	English?	3.	Why	do	you	suppose	Tan	wrote	this	essay?	Does	she	have	a	purpose
  beyond	changing	readers’	perceptions	of	her	mother’s	“broken’	English?	What	passages	support	your	answer?	4.	Why	does	Tan	discuss	the	SAT	and	her	performance	on	it?	5.	Is	it	necessary	to	speak	“perfect”	English	in	order	to	communicate	well?	Is	there	such	a	thing	as	“perfect”	English?	Over	time,	language	has	played	a	fundamental	role	in	various
  societies	across	the	globe.	From	enhancing	simple	things	like	general	communication	to	creating	a	viable	environment	for	social,	economic,	political	and	economic	growth,	language	and	literature	have	become	very	crucial	tools	in	the	growth	of	human	life	through	constant	progress.	It	is	based	on	these	reasons	that	some	important	aspects	of	language
  will	be	analyzed	in	this	paper.	In	essence,	this	paper	seeks	to	analyze	the	essay	Mother	Tongue	by	Amy	Tan,	in	which	various	aspects	of	language	and	rhetorical	evaluation	are	detailed.	It	is	important	to	note	that	Amy	Tan	not	only	uses	the	article	to	give	us	an	insight	into	her	world	of	writing	and	the	continuous	commitments	she	made	to	better	her
  mastery	of	the	English	language,	but	she	also	expresses	different	rhetorical	values	and	emotional	aspects	of	her	mother	tongue	that	greatly	helped	in	advancing	her	expertise	in	English	and	literature.	It	is	upon	these	features	of	her	language	learning	that	the	rhetorical	evaluation,	in	this	paper,	will	be	done.	Topic	Statement:	An	individual’s	mother
  tongue	contributes	greatly	to	the	advancement	of	one’s	expertise	and	mastery	of	language	and	literature.	Thesis	Statement:	Even	though	there	are	many	aspects	and	characteristics	of	mother	tongue	that	are	important	in	facilitating	skill	in	language	and	literature,	the	most	important	ones	are	the	educational	qualifications	and	academic	expertise,
  mastery	in	the	use	of	emotions	to	express	ideas,	and	the	appeal	to	shared	values	of	the	audience.	Brief	Summary	of	the	Essay	In	brief,	the	essay	is	a	literary	account	given	by	Amy	Tan	about	her	life	and	how	she	gradually	learned	various	aspects	of	the	English	language.	Some	of	these	issues	include	the	differences	between	her	“professional”	English
  (the	English	she	spoke	at	official	forums	like	lectures	or	when	writing)	and	her	“intimate”	English	(the	English	she	spoke	at	home	with	family	and	friends),	the	language	and	literature	challenges	brought	by	her	mother	tongue	(Chinese)	in	speaking	good	English,	and	how	we	should	generally	strive	to	use	simple	English	(or	any	language,	for	that
  matter)	that	is	easy	to	understand	by	both	native	and	non-native	English	speakers.	In	expressing	these	important	facts,	ideas,	notions	and	opinions,	Amy	Tan	personalizes	her	talk	by	using	her	literature	audience,	her	mother	and	her	husband	as	examples	of	her	mother	tongue	influence	on	her	English.	These	personal	accounts	of	her	life	and	the	people
  close	to	her	greatly	help	in	passing	the	intended	message	to	the	readers	since	many	people,	especially	audiences	that	use	English	as	a	second	language,	can	easily	relate	to	her	personal	experiences.	Analysis	of	Rhetorical	Strategies	Is	the	author	qualified?	Considering	the	fact	that	Amy	Tan	is	not	a	native	English	speaker,	she	has	strived	to	master	the
  English	language	to	the	point	that	she	earns	a	living	out	of	her	writings	like	the	Joy	Luck	Club;	it	is	evidently	clear	that	she	is	indeed	highly	qualified	as	a	good	English	writer	and	speaker.	In	addition,	Amy	Tan’s	good	qualifications	are	demonstrated	by	the	fact	that	she	has	been	able	to	give	over	half	a	dozen	talks	to	different	groups	of	people	on	how	to
  improve	on	their	English.	Furthermore,	Amy	is	not	a	professional,	she	would	have	not	been	able	to	give	these	many	lectures	in	an	efficient	way.	Finally,	Amy	Tan’s	qualification	and	trustworthiness	as	an	effective	English	communicator	are	made	clear	when	her	mother,	who	has	a	“limited”	skills	in	English,	is	able	to	read	Amy’s	book	until	she	gives	the
  verdict	“so	easy	to	read”.	Does	the	author	appeal	to	the	shared	values	of	her	audience?	To	a	great	extent,	Amy	Tan	appeals	to	the	shared	values	of	her	targeted	audience,	people	whose	English	speaking	or	writing	skills	are	somewhat	influenced	by	their	mother	tongue.	This	literary	appeal	is,	essentially,	the	reason	Amy’s	mother	is	able	to	read	her
  book	in	an	easy	way.	Again,	despite	the	influence	of	her	Chinese	mother	tongue,	Amy	Tan	still	manages	to	master	the	English	language	and	gives	lectures	to	a	professional	audience	while	ensuring	that	she	follows	all	the	necessary	English	speaking	skills	principles.	As	we	move	towards	the	end	of	her	essay,	Amy	embraces	the	need	to	find	a	way	of
  communicating	and	appealing	specifically	to	audiences	like	her	mother	who	needed	simple	English,	the	English	that	she	grew	up	with.	Being	able	to	appeal	to	the	values	of	both	complex	and	simple	English	audiences	is	undoubtedly	a	great	literary	skill.	However,	it	is	worth	stating	that	there	are	some	sections	of	the	essay	where	Amy	admits	that	her
  initial	writings	were	majorly	based	on	her	life	experiences	and	her	environment.	In	as	much	as	this	may	be	viewed	as	a	good	thing,	the	writings	do	not	entirely	represent	the	happenings	in	other	places	that	people	struggle	with	the	influence	of	mother	tongue	on	their	English.	For	example,	the	family	routines,	while	she	was	growing	up	or	the
  “judgment”	calls	she	made	when	faced	with	tricky	English	tests,	are	not	the	same	for	all	non-native	English	speakers.	Does	the	author	use	emotions	effectively?	Amy	Tan’s	many	adventures	and	experiences	as	she	strived	to	learn	English	evoke	a	lot	of	feelings.	For	example,	when	she	felt	mad	and	rebellious	when	her	mother	did	something	that	she
  thought	was	not	good	for	her	learning.	On	the	other	hand,	she	praises	her	mother	and	the	influence	of	their	mother	tongue	in	shaping	who	she	was	as	a	writer.	There	are	also	instances	that	Amy	talks	about	how	she	felt	about	her	writings	and	career	progress	as	a	writer.	All	these	good	and	bad	feelings	clearly	demonstrate	her	effectiveness	as	a
  speaker	and	writer	on	the	use	of	emotions	to	make	her	readers	feel	or	react	to	her	work	in	a	certain	way.	Overall	Evaluation	of	the	Text’s	Effectiveness	Through	different	language	tools,	personal	experiences	and	literary	expression	of	certain	emotional	issues,	Amy	Tan	greatly	communicates	to	her	readers.	Of	course	there	are	some	instances	in	the
  essay	that	she	overstates	her	experiences	and	opinions	to	the	point	of	forgetting	about	her	audiences	and	the	need	to	be	precise.	Nonetheless,	in	overall,	her	essay	can	be	said	to	be	effective.	Conclusion	From	the	above	analysis,	it	is	evidently	clear	that	a	person’s	qualifications	and	academic	expertise,	mastery	in	the	use	of	emotions	to	express	ideas,
  and	the	appeal	to	shared	values	of	the	targeted	audience	are	key	factors	that	greatly	contribute	towards	the	improvement	or	worsening	of	mother	tongue’s	influence	on	language	mastery.	For	this	reason,	language	learners	should	ensure	that	these	aspects	are	keenly	considered	in	their	learning	processes.