Today’s United State ofAmerica is a multicultural melting pot comprised of many bilingual individuals.
We’re comprised of a diverse group of immigrants whose words choices reflecttheir social heritage. Many of these individuals face abuse due to the absencesof acceptable or effective vocabulary. The presence of abuse can make someonedependent on others, especially their children.
That’s how these kids under thepressure or embarrassment take the autonomy of their parents away “ I was ateenager, she used to have me call people in the phone and pretend I was she” (Tan, 2006). Tan’s give an overview of those how has English as second language, facethe social consequences of stereotype and discrimination “ I have described itto people as “ broken” or “ fracture” English” (Tan, 2006). For native Englishspeakers, it is too difficult to appreciate languages because if all your lifeyou have spoken only one language in this case English and you never had thechange to grow up with another culture, the only life you will know is thoughtthat language. Language is another way people can critique you and judge you insome way. Immigrants are more often criticizedbecause their thick accent however, there are more susceptible to being abusedand ignored by others (Tan, 2006). Oursociety take advantages of these kind of people in a way to drag them to beuncomfortable with their second language learned “ My mother has long realizedthe limitation of her English” (Tan, 2006). Tan’s goal in “ Mother Tongue” isdemonstrate discrimination and stereotype against immigrant’s due to the languagebarrier can cause a lack in confidences.
Tan also points out that thesebarricades can cause an individual to have to be dependent on someone else tocommunicate for you “ I was forced to ask for information or even to complainand yell at people who had been rude to her” (Tan, 2006). Stereotype is alwayssimplified, and standardized conception or image invested with special meaningand help common by members of a group (Dictionary. com).
By this definition wecould see how other people can have a misconception of immigrants. For example, Tan has described how Asian-American students go the engineering program ratherthan English. Teacher had theassumption that Asian-American students were better in math and science due tothe higher score they achieve in the academic test such SAT and IQ (Tan, 2006). Tan’s article she mentions that educators had pointed this kid of student tomajor in those academic careers rather than their own choice (Tan, 2006). Language become part of stereotype is because you could define how you are asindividuals and how we think about ourselves. When stereotyping occurs it’s theconsequences of prejudgments from certain ethnic group “ I happen to berebellious and enjoy the challenge of disproving assumptions made about me”(Tan, 2006).
I believe the misconception towards immigrants is happening moreoften than what we think, as humans we assume that someone with “ limited” English is not intelligent enough to be part of our society that’s not true “ I believedthat her English reflected the quality of what she had to say” (Tan, 2006). Tans describes that her mother was very clever. She was able to read severalarticles and book. Such as Forbes report, the Wall Street week, that make methink that someone who can read such report she has to be smart. Someone likethat has a lot to offer and say (Tan, 2006). Often people treat others with acertain level of cruelty and violent manner which can include insulting andoffensive word. Often Americans believe this kind of people they come to UnitedStates or any other country take their jobs and whatever the country couldoffer. There are examples provided by TanArticle That describe how immigrants could be abused or mistreated in differentplaces and occasions “ the fact that people in department stores, at banks, andin restaurants did not take her seriously, did not give her good service” (Tan, 2006).
Tan’s mother felt less than and emotionally damage because her “ limited” English was not as effective as others. It’s not necessary for you to hitsomeone in their face to delegate that you are abusing that person. Inclusivean emotional abused is a more complex abuse, when you are pushing someone tothe edge emotionally that could provoke a human with psychology disorders. That’sgoing to make Tan mother in certain point with an emotional damage, she feltless because her “ limited” English was good to communicate but effective forothers “ Yet some of my friends tell me they understand fifty percent of what mymother says, some say they understand eighty to ninety percent as she werespeaking pure Chinese” (Tan, 2006).
Discrimination is the prejudgmentsto treat other differently on the ground of race, age and sex (Merriam-webster. com). The accent discrimination is more frequently used when anindividual with certain accent, for the example, a Mexican accent, is morediscriminated in workplace and in a social environment. Other accent isconsidered more acceptable than others. Tan describes the disappointment shefelt when negative feedbacks were give towards her mother “ But they seem justas bad as if everything is limited including people’s perception of limited Englishspeaker” (Tan, 2006).
Negative commentshave impact her mother’s life in a point that had to depend of her daughter “ Onetime it was a call to her stockbroker in New York” (Tan, 2006). The reasonpeople have mistreated and disrespect her mother in such a way is because shelearns to speak a variation of the English, a differential from us, we must goto school to learn how to speak properly. She learns what a like to call asurvival English. Part of the immigrants from United States of America thereare brought here as a child by their parents to be provided with a betterfuture something that probably could be given in their native country. Theycame to United States to live the American dream.
Something that peoplesometimes take the time to judge without knowing how they suffer in theircountry, with no opportunity to get a decent job or sent their kids to a decentschool. How sad that we take the time to see what these people are doing withtheir life, but where are not doing anything to change the world. Theseimmigrants have an extend accent because most of these people go home and stilltalking in their native language that how make us beautiful and different “ itbecome our language of intimacy, a different sort of English that relates tofamily talk, the language I grew up with” (Tan, 2006). The sad part isdiscrimination towards the thick accent due to immigration is not the onlynegative for our society, the divulged racial blemishes and negative remarksare also made by race and skin color. Tan’s mother was experiencingdiscrimination and unfortunately, she is not alone. In conclusion, not only Tan stateshow well educated we could become or how we could master a language or eitherhow much English language we are able to use “ I am fascinated by language indaily life” (Tan, 2006). Is there something we are still missing? People couldbe highly concerned for our society and impact ofthe increase due to the discrimination and immigration for the past coupleyears.
Tan’s mother was battling to find her identity, to find who she was. At onepoint, she gave that power of her identity to her daughter. “ When I wasfifteen, she used to have me call people on the phone pretending I was her”(Tan, 2006). She did this because she started noticing her lack for aproper English (Tan, 2006), and how her life was around of people they don’tappreciate, how well she was doing to adapt a new culture as herown. Therefore, we could ask ourselves if someone is highly educatedtented to be less likely to discriminate if they have beeneducated. I start thinking how much I doubt it because theprimary child education should start in home with their parents.
Teach them howto respect others and not to be afraid of learning any newculture. Regardless if you are rich or poor, you could be sent toHarvard but that does not make you a better person, that’s going to make youmore educated. I think discrimination is something learned in home by ourparents. We have to realize that we become our language; even our body has hisown way to tell what he need. The United State of America has been built fromdifferent cultures and language for the past centuries. As an American I wouldto tell you to embrace those how are different.
We must educateourselves to new customs. That’s going to make USA most likely to be moreunited and without any stereotyping, discrimination is going to make usstronger as a nation. The lack of understanding prejudgments including racismis killing our nation and split in two.
We should do something to change it. Regardlesshow her mother was treated, Tan was able to overcome the language barrier and perhapsgive her enough motivation to push herself to succeed when her motherunderstood what was being said in the book signing “ so easy to read” (Tan, 2006).
