language

Jake Alercio
English 1100
Prof.  Young
Sept. 13, 2015

Using Our Own Language

 



 

When people are writing or typing something out they usually try to sound more formal or smarter than the way they usually talk. People usually have different words or phrases that they use for different types of people. They have different slang terms that they use with their friends as apposed to an adult or a boss. However, when people do this they create a different identity for themselves and that is usually the identity they try to show in their writing. Why is that though? Why do teachers and other people of higher authority want us to be more formal and try and sounder smarter in our writing if that is not really us? Students should be able to use their own language and their own slang in their writing because that is who they are and it is how they can best represent themselves. If students write in a different type of style than the way they speak than it may come off as awkward or not even make sense at times. In my writing I always try to stay true to my own style because it helps me represent my own ideas more and I can express myself and my writing is more powerful with more meaning behind it. However most people wouldn't want us to write like that because it could make us seem less educated than we actually are. When we graduate from school and start looking for jobs that is how our future bosses or employers would want us to talk and they would want us to represent a formal matter. But what if somebody just sees my writing and I happen to get a job solely based on that. That would be great for me and all but if I'm writing formally than they are hiring me based on something that isn't really me at all. That could work out great in some cases but in others it could turn into a total disaster. I am a firm believer in people expressing themselves in their own ways and not trying to sound like somebody else. If you can get your point across in an appropriate way then you should be able to say it in your own style.

How to Tame a Wild Toungue

1.) The opening scene sets the stage for the rest of the essay because her tongue is being described as stubborn and strong. Throughout her essay she talks about how her tongue and her speech did get her in trouble because she would say things in Spanish when she wasn't supposed to.

2.) Her purpose of talking in Spanish was to provide a little background of her reality of dealing with the racism and the feminism when she was growing up.

3.) What is standard and non standard is based upon people's perspective of the language and the culture.

4.) It is necessary because the types of languages we use and the way we speak each language all plays a huge role in our identity and the identity of our culture.

5.) There are many different types of English identities depending on where people are from. People from The Bronx use a different style of English as apposed to people from Tennessee would.

6.) When I am talking with my friends there is a certain slang that we would use that other people may not pick up on. Certain words could mean certain things and other people wouldn't necessarily know.

7.) The type of English I use with my friends is much different than what I use to talk to a professor or someone with higher authority. I use more slang with my friends and probably don't sound as educated, but with a professor I try to be more formal and mature.

8.) I am my language means that you can make your own type of language and you are free to have your own identity and choose your own path and who you want to be.

9.) They connect in the same way by the girl talking about being stubborn about who she is and her identity and representing her language.

10.) The language you speak is a huge part of your identity because it represents your culture and that shows a huge part of who you are.

11.) Identity is very important to me and I like being unique and knowing myself and my roots. It is clear that identity is important to Anzalda as well because she talks about how Chicano Spanish is not incorrect and how it is a living language just like any other language spoken.