"How to Tame a Wild Tongue"

Hanan Saadah

English 1100

Professor Young

2015, August 30th

"How to Tame a Wild Tongue" Response

1. The opening scene of Anzaldua in the dentist's chair connects to the overall point of the essay and title because those who are trying to control Anzaldua and people like her.

2. Anzaldua's use of the Spanish throughout her writing made sense and was embedded in parts of the essay. The purpose was that since everyone is trying to make her understand English, she is doing the same to us with Spanish.

3. Academic English can't be defined as Spanish (standard) because you are forcing those students to drop their accents. Chicano Spanish, I think, should also be one of the standard.

4. It is necessary to speak/write in Academic English as an identity because it is useful to know, but it should not define you or become your identity.

5. I use a combination of arabic and english at home with my family. Also, I do not normally identify myself as my nationality, more as my race.

6. I do not use a secret language casually with family. However, my friends and I do have secret code names for many things, but it is more for fun and as a joke.

7. The form of English I use with my family is nonstandard, more casual. The form of English I use to speak to my mother is nonstandard and standard (a little bit of both). The form of English I use to talk to my professor is standard because it is much more professional and appropriate. 

8. "I am my language"; Anzaldua meant that she considers her language as a definition of her. She thinks highly of her native language and depends on it.

9. The introduction and conclusion connect because it starts saying that her people have "wild tongues" but the conclusion says that they are "possessing a malleability that renders us unbreakable" and these together say that maybe we have wild tongues, but they're wild for a reason.

10. Yes, the language you speak can be a part of your identity. It traces back years and years to what your ancestors spoke and will stay in your present.

11. Identity is very important to me because it reminds me of who I am and where I come from. Anzaldua definitely believes it's important to have an identity from the many times she mentioned it. For example, when she says "attacks on one's form of expression with the intent to censor are a violation of the First Amendment" or when she says "identify ourselves as a distinct people", she means her and her fellow Chicanos.