Reading Response Questions to "How to Tame a Wild Tongue"

Alexa Nagy

ENGW 1100

Professor Young

31 August 2015

Reading Response Questions to "How to Tame a Wild Tongue

1. The opening scene of Anzaldua in the dentist's chair connects to the overall point of the essay and title in many ways. For example, as she is sitting in the chair her tongue keeps pushing out the wads of cotton and pushing back the drills (the long thin needles). As a result of this, the doctor says, "I've never seen anything as strong or as stubborn." This example relates to the whole message of "How to Tame a Wild Tongue" because just like in the doctors chair, everyone is trying to tame her tongue and the way she uses it as she speaks. As her tongue is described as "strong and stubborn" it relates to how strong her accent is and that it is hard to change the way she talks. She has a thick Mexican English accent as her mother tells her and her American teachers do not see her Mexican accent is correct. Hence, she is required in taking two speech classes to get rid of it. 
2. Anzaldua uses Spanish many times throughout her writing. I believe that she uses Spanish in her prompt to show us her culture, connect the audience to her emotions in her language, and to show the difference between the Chicano Spanish versus the Standard Spanish taught in schools.
3. There are many inferences that can be made from referring to one identity as standard versus nonstandard. Chicano Spanish is a variation as both English and Spanish. It is often looked at as a "mutation" of Spanish. It is used in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California, which have regional variations. It is easy to know the difference between the two because they do not use some Standard words and they borrow English words. Unlike Chicano Spanish, Standard Spanish is used more commonly as it is a "dominant" language. Also, on top of that students are learning Spanish in school districts in the standard form.
4.  There is a necessity of speaking and writing in Academic English because it shows that one can fully adapt to the American culture. I do not think it is necessary because unlike natural born citizens who are accustomed to the lifestyle, others have to change because they were born in another country. A foreigner should not be ridiculed into changing their accent because it does not sound "American", there accent is their identity and shows their origin.
5. As Anzaldua describes the different variations of Spanish and Identities, there are different types of English. Some different types of english are Standard English, broken English, British English, slang, etc. Additionally, people have accents which also contribute to their origin and their identity.I use Standard English and slang. My grandparents have broken English because they came from Hungary.
6. Similar to to Pachuco, my friends and I used a secret language to communicate when we were younger. It was something "cool" to experience with your friends because it was "hidden" and no one could know except the people in the group. 
7. If I am speaking to my friends or parents I typically use slang or Standard English. However, If I talk to a professor I use Standard English because it shows professionalism.
8. I believe that the term, "I am my language" means that a language is where someone came from. It shows where they grew up by how they pronounce words and what they were accustomed to.
9. The introduction and the conclusion connect in many ways. Although they are "stubborn" and they are told to tame their wild tongue they will not like other races that have given up theirs. They are passionate about their language and will not give up on it or let it die out. They believe it is just as important as any other language, it is what they were taught and who they are.
10. The language you speak can be a big of your identity in my opinion. It is a proud thing to show how you speak and how you speak it, it is who we all are and contributes to what we have learned and who we are today. 
11. Identity is a big role to me because it shows your origin, how you grew up and what people see you as. We should all be proud to have our own languages. I believe that Anzaldua thinks it is important to have an identity. For example, she states how Ethnic identity is her twin skin to linguistic identity and that she is her language. Also, she explains how although some races have given up, she and her people will make it their mission to be patient as the Mestizas and Mestizos remain.