The article by Amy Tan under the title “Mother Tongue” is a fascinating and rich piece of writing that captures various sociological, cultural, and linguistic aspects related to language. The author introduces herself as a writer from an immigrant family who uses different types of English, namely standard English with complex grammatical structures and a so-called broken English that is spoken in her family. Describing the complexity of language as a communication tool and a cultural attribute, the author appeals to its socio-cultural implications that predispose people’s perceptions based on the accuracy of their English.
I find this text appealing and insightful; mother tongue has two meanings in this essay, namely first language and the language spoken by the author’s mother. Language is a code or a set of codified signs which can be deciphered to exchange information. On the other hand, it is a valuable and intrinsic tool that can elicit emotions, visual images and help share experiences through the mere exchange of words and phrases. I agree with the author that the mother tongue as the language people speak in the circle of their family or which they grew up with is perfect to each of us. The imperfections and the lack of standards are the elements that make it perfect and special to us. The use of language makes each person unique because it reflects their personality, culture, background, mindset, and family traditions. Moreover, the complexity of language as a phenomenon with grammar, phonetics, intonation, syntax, vocabulary, and other aspects makes the mother tongue of every individual special.
When describing her mother’s language, the author refers to it as broken and regrets doing so. Indeed, the value of language is in its ability to view the deviation from the norm not as a flaw but as a unique feature. Nonetheless, the English one speaks in a sociological perspective predetermines how others perceive a person, especially if it is an immigrant. Thus, the essay is a valuable source of information for thinking about language as a tool for diversifying societies and not for limiting and stereotyping minorities.