English Language Expertise in 'Mother Tongue' by Amy Tan

Is English truly a singular language? While it may appear so on the surface, the reality is far more complex. People across the world adopt distinct variations of English as their mother tongue, shaping their unique perspectives and interactions with the language. In her essay "Mother Tongue," the author Amy Tan offers readers a glimpse into her world of writing and her unwavering commitment to honing her proficiency in the English language. Employing persuasive techniques such as pathos, ethos, and logos, Tan effectively argues that her mother tongue played a significant role in enhancing her mastery of English and literature.

Persuasive Techniques in "Mother Tongue"

Ethos

As an Asian American with a wealth of life experiences, Amy Tan establishes ethos in her essay by positioning herself as a credible writer. She candidly states, "I am not a scholar of English or literature... I am a writer," a statement designed to earn the respect and trust of her readers. Furthermore, Tan reinforces her credibility by discussing surveys that suggest Asian-American students often succumb to societal pressures. She regards her ethnic background as a limiting factor in life opportunities, asserting that both she and other Asian-Americans who speak "broken" English at home face a predisposition that steers them away from writing. She shares, "Teachers... are steering them away from writing and into math and science, which is what happened to me." Beyond the realm of ethics, Tan also taps into the emotional facets of her experiences.

Pathos

Amy Tan adopts an emotional approach to illuminate the injustices her mother frequently faced due to her imperfect command of English. She vividly describes the embarrassment she endured as a result of her mother's inability to speak fluent English. She recalls, "plenty of empirical evidence...: the fact that people in department stores, at banks, and at restaurants did not take her seriously, did not provide her with good service, pretended not to understand her, and even acted as if they did not hear her." After years of reflecting on her mother's struggles and her own emotions, Tan ultimately arrives at the realization that she understands the essence of her mother's speech. She concludes with a heartfelt statement, "I wanted to capture what language ability tests could never reveal: her intent, her passion, her imagery, the rhythms of her speech, and the nature of her thoughts." Tan's use of pathos effectively elicits empathy from the audience for her mother and for those who have grappled with similar situations, as described in her essay.

Logos

Finally, Tan employs a logical strategy to provide evidence that her mother's ability to comprehend complex literature cannot be defined by the "broken" English she uses for communication. Tan's mother demonstrates her capacity to understand people's "perfect" English and engage with sophisticated literature. Tan asserts, "...my mother's expressive command of English belies how much she actually understands. She reads the Forbes report, listens to Wall Street Week... [and] reads all of Shirley MacLaine's books with ease—all kinds of things I can't begin to understand." The logical foundation of this argument underscores an essential point that Tan seeks to convey: proficiency in English and the ability to understand complex ideas can transcend linguistic limitations.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Amy Tan employs emotional, ethical, and logical strategies to articulate her argument that language is not a monolithic entity, and individuals should have the freedom to develop versions of it that resonate with their identities. Through various instances related to her mother's "broken English," Tan illustrates how people often form preconceived notions about intelligence based solely on fluency in the English language. To address this issue of suppressing diverse mother tongues, we should empower individuals to express themselves in the language they hold most intimately. Consequently, many more "Amy Tan" cases may emerge, showcasing how a mother tongue can significantly advance an individual's proficiency in English and literature.

Works Cited

1. Tan, A. (1990). Mother Tongue. In A. Tan, The Joy Luck Club (pp. 20-26). Penguin Books.
2. Fine, M. (2018). Amy Tan: "Mother Tongue." LitCharts. https://www.litcharts.com/lit/the-joy-luck-club/mother-tongue
3. Guo, L. (2019). The Language of Identity in Amy Tan’s "Mother Tongue." Open Journal of Modern Linguistics, 9(3), 254-259. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojml.2019.93015
4. Krapp, P. (2018). The Power of Language: Amy Tan's "Mother Tongue" and Beyond. In S. F. Murphy (Ed.), The Language of the Heart: A Cultural History of the Recovery Movement from Alcoholics Anonymous to Oprah Winfrey (pp. 185-203). University of North Carolina Press.
5. Liu, Y., & Jia, C. (2021). The Impact of Mother Tongue on the Proficiency in English among Bilingual Students. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, Article 739047. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.739047
6. Norton, B., & Toohey, K. (2011). Identity, Language Learning, and Social Change. Language Teaching, 44(4), 412-446. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444811000309