Thursday, November 10, 2011

"Englishes"

Amy Tan writes about the various "Englishes" she has encountered in her life and how access to power in America -- to a stockbroker, to a doctor -- is sometimes affected by one's control over and possession of "proper English." "Proper English" is not what Tan's mother speaks; she speaks what many would call "broken English." The adjective "broken" as attached to "English" suggests that there is a "fixed" or non-broken way to speak the language. What do you think about that, especially after reflecting on Tan's examination of "Englishes" and their various powers?

14 comments:

  1. The way one speaks English does in fact have an effect on the way one is treated. It occurs no matter what age one person may be. In elementary when a child cannot speak or properly speak English, the child is isolated and teased. As one get older, people will continue to bully that person. It continues up to adulthood when one cannot properly speak English. They are not given the same attention as someone who can properly speak English. English is a difficult language to learn. There are so many rules, yet so many exceptions to the rules. On paper or in books there may be a "fixed" way to speak English, but if one were to pay close attention, one would notice that when people speak they do not speak "proper English". People say things like "ain't", use double negatives, and many more mistakes. Since they are not speaking "proper" of "fixed" English why then are they treated better? Amy Tan's mother spoke English even if it may have been hard to understand her. It was not fair for her to be treated differently.

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  2. We live in America where the most preferred language is the English language. Most Americans grow up speaking it and hearing it all throughout their lives, and because of this familiarity, we assume that everyone who calls themselves a citizen of the United States should learn to speak correct English. Because we have this idea that speaking "proper" English sounds more professional then speaking "broken" English, we assume that people who are doctors, lawyers, or any other type of esteemed occupation, should speak in this professional manner. I don't agree with this stereotype because the language that someone speaks does not make them any less capable of being a doctor or lawyer, etc. They still have the same knowledge and experience. So, I don't like the idea that people are treated differently just because they can’t speak perfect English.

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  3. It is funny to think of the impotance of different Englishes when in New Mexico where some citezens can barely or even not be able to speak the language. The English language and how you speak it does effect alot of relations with other people. Those who speak broken English are thought of as uneducated and can be looked at negatively in a job interview or other important situation. While some people do speak broken English as a result of a lack of education the majority of the people who speak it do so because English is not their primary langtuage and these people are masters of a different language. These people are not dumb, they might even be smarter tham most because they can speak multiple languages and know many things but that one problem with english has a large negative consequence in their lives as Americans. Broken English is not the only English that can have a negative impact on somedones life. People who speak proper English but have a thick accent are at the mercy of the steriotypes that people will asume because of it. People who speak in a different dialect of English like people from Brooklin can have the same sorts of problems. While proper English does make someone sound more proffesional it is not just the language that is important. Take a doctor for example. To impress someone on the board of directors at a hospital he needs to know proper English but he must also know medical terminology as well. Realy it comes down to "its not what you say, its how you say it." The great irony in this entire concept of proper English is that it is called American English in England and is looked down upon as improper English.

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  4. Being born and growing up in America makes most people able to speak English very well. Speaking "proper English" can be a sign of having a good education. This is why many corportations will hire people that speak English very well, because they sound much more educated and professional than someone who does not speak well. Although this idea makes sense to a certain extent, it is not necessarily correct. Someone who was born in a different country may have received a very high education, but they did not grow up learning to speak English. They may be just as qualified for a job based on Academics and experience, but they speak "broken" English which is why they are discriminated against and thought of as unprofessional or unqualified.

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  5. A language is a language. There are different levels of skill regarding a language, but that does not necessarily mean that a language is broken or fixed. A person can be fluent or not, a beginner or advanced, or simply a researcher. Tan's mother was simply unable to grow up with English, so she does not speak it as well as her daughter. She is not fluent, but this hardly means her language is "broken."

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  6. "Proper English" gets someone further in the career department. It effects how a person is treated by others. By being able to speak proper englsih, people hold that person is higher regard because they consider them to have a higher education. Today a vast number of Americans do not use proper english and when one does uses the language correctly it is held in higher regard. The "broken" english that Amy Tan's mother was using is just purely based upon that she isn't a native speaker of english and she is just starting to learn the language. There for people should not be judged so quickly.

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  7. "Proper English" and "Broken English" have horrible connotations. Proper English has the connotations of correct and morally right, while broken English has the connotation of incorrect and morally wrong. This is bad because proper English is just a standard way Americans speak and broken English is just a different way to express one’s self. Tan explains how broken English has affected her mom, showing the mistreatment based on how someone pieces together words. This was amazing to me because I never knew how much a disadvantage broken English speakers have in today’s society.

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  8. Proper English and Broken English are two terms that shouldn't exist. English is English and can be spoken with various degrees of mastery. As long as the words and sentences are understood by others, it shouldn't be labelled "broken" or "proper."If the words or sentences can't be understood, then the person isn't speaking "broken" English, but lacks the knowledge on how to speak English.

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  9. "Proper English" does not exist in America, most generally. All American's integrate slang into their daily vocabulary. American English is comprised of European English, along with slang and "broken" portions of English. Similarly to the integration of cultures that makes America great, the languages have blended together. Some people in America use more slang than others, which tends to inhibit their ability to succeed in corporate American, but there is not a "fixed" English because everyone who speaks American English speaks different, "broken" English.

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  10. The meaning of "proper English" is consolidated in the following way: English that is unaccented and lacks the lower-class appearance. Speakers possessing "proper English" denotes to others, especially those in higher classes, that they, too, are of intelligent species and relate in no way to social standings below.

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  11. I would have to say that there are many perfect ways of speaking English. However none of these ways rely on rules such as we learn in grammar class. An effective "fixed" English is one that is understandable to the inhabitants in an area. If in a small town the common usage of y'all is widely understood to mean you all, there is nothing wrong with this slang and it could be called a fixed English, while usage of you all may actually be broken, because it may not be as understandable in that region. Therefore, if the majority of a population can understand a specific dialect of English, it is fixed and proper.

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  12. There is not really proper and broken English. English has its own differences like a different dialect. In different areas english is spoken differently. Accents on words show the differences of the language. The "proper" english is really a different way of speaking english. Key is using the different type of English in a certain atmosphere. A job interview compared to a chat with a friend can be very different.

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  13. The label of “broken” does a disservice to those that do not speak English well. However, I believe that the use of the word broken does not imply that there is a “fixed” way to speak the language. Taking another definition of broken, that is “fragmented” and attaching that to “English”, it implies that the language has an interrupted flow, but still works for communication purposes. Fragmented is only slightly better than broken because the real barrier to accessing power is education. The perception is that those who are well-educated possess “proper English”, while those who are not possess fragmented English.

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  14. Tan’s examination of different “Englishes” Goes back to the concept of having different audiences. Being able to examine your audience and cater to there conceptual needs can be a very important skill to have. I find myself everyday talking to different people in different manners then others. Sometimes my speech will be censored just as you would talk a different way with your parents then your friends. English is such a dynamic language in which there are many different styles and dialects. The way a person communicates should not be a factor when evaluating there
    intelligence.

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