Lily Terhune

Sunday August 31, 2014

Professor Young

ENGW 1110

Answers

1. The opening scene of Anzaldua in the dentist’s chair provides the reader with a basis of what the story will be about. The dentist tells Anzaldua that her tongue needs to be tamed. Her tongue is causing the dentist trouble and he reacts angerily. He is getting mad over something that is natural, that she cant help like her “native tongue”. 
2. Her use of Spanish throughout her writing was confusing at times when she did not translate. I think her purpose was to inform us of her language and how it feels to be on the outside of a different language.
3. Yes, Academic English can be viewed as a formal way to speak like standard Spanish. Chicano Spanish is altered Spanish, but is based off of Spanish. It can be said that it is ignorant to call ones identity (language) non standard but I think that regular Spanish is universally known as being standard.
4. It is necessary to speak and write in Academic english when you are at school or in a work environment. I do think it is necessary to get a job or present yourself nicely.
5. I think that it can be necessary for us to write in Academic English because that is what is expected of us to do in school and in the work place. Yet I believe that speaking informally is normal when in the right situation. 
6. I use a different language when I talk with my friends. We made up words that we all know what it means and we use it daily. We also pick up some words from other people and adapt to that.
7. The form of English I speak with my friends would be considered slang. I use the Academic English when I am speaking to an adult or in a formal situation.
8. Your language is your identity. Your language makes up who you are, like your identity.
9. In the introduction, Anzaldua is in the dentist’s chair and he is fighting with her native tongue. Her tongue gets in the way and is making the dentist’s job harder. In the conclusion she talks about being patient and the struggle of our identities. She talks about how her race is not going to give up their tongue, unlike others. They connect because in the beginning she was feeling bad about her native tongue and at the end she learns how to embrace it and not give in to the pressures to change who she is. 
10. Yes, I strongly believe that it is a part of your identity. It is the way you speak and the way you speak to others. It plays a huge role in who you are.
11. I think identity is really important. At my age I have spent years struggling to find who I am and I think once you find who you are, you should be proud of it. Also some of your identity is what you are born with and cannot change yet that should be embraced. I am pretty confident about my identity and I think thats important. She says, “One day the inner struggle will cease and a true intention will take place” (Anzaldua 254).