Gillian Miao

Noelle Nagales

English 2100

09 December 2022

Amy Tan, an American author known for the novel The Joy Luck Club, in her essay “Mother Tongue”, argues that one’s fluency in a language does not define their intellect. She develops her argument using a critical tone sharing her personal experiences as an Asian American, switching between various “Englishes” in multiple settings to satisfy certain audiences. She writes to abolish the stereotypes and misconceptions often created for minorities by Americans who are unaccepting of different languages and accents in order to ratify society’s perception of Asian Americans. Amy Tan writes for an audience of those who share similar experiences to her as well as those who often criticize minorities and look down on them for their version of spoken English. She utilizes rhetorical devices such as syntax and pathos throughout this essay to remind her audience that one’s skills and intelligence shall not be diminished because of their limited vocabulary in a language.

Rather than writing a standard essay, Tan writes this essay in a more informal tone to further communicate with her audience. Hence, they gain a better understanding of her struggles growing up as an Asian American. Syntax is immensely prominent throughout the essay to differentiate the different types of English she and her mother speak. Tan shares her experiences as the child of an immigrant parent, constantly translating her mother’s “broken” English into more formal English so people would take her seriously. As her mother would say behind the phone “Why he don’t send me check, already two weeks late. So mad he lie to me, losing me money.”, young Tan would translate it to “Yes, I’m getting rather concerned. You had agreed to send the check two weeks ago, but it hasn’t arrived.” through the phone. While this may seem to be the most efficient way, the reality behind this is upsetting as she comes to the realization that without her, her mother would have struggled more with mistreatment in society due to her limited vocabulary in the language. Her use of syntax throughout the essay helps the audience distinguish the different versions of English Tan is referring to. Through her use of syntax, you’re able to feel the irritation and distraught in her mother’s tone compared to the calmness in Tan’s which gives the audience more insight into the struggles many minorities experience daily. Not only does this show that her mother felt the need to have her daughter speak in fluent English in order to be taken seriously and avoid judgment, but it further amplifies her argument that one’s fluency in a language does not define their intelligence. As stated in the example previously, Tan’s mother knows what she wants to say and understands what they’re saying, however, she isn’t able to formulate her words into the English that would satisfy the other party. It doesn’t lessen her intellect but only indicates that others are always quick to judge someone that’s different from them. 

In addition, Tan’s early perception of her mother was tainted by the way she spoke as she admits to once feeling ashamed of her mother’s broken English. She believed that her English “reflected the quality of what she had to say” which she later realized was inaccurate as she further reflected on it. Through the use of pathos, Tan is able to make emotional appeals to her audience and make them feel emotions such as pity to sympathize with her mother’s mistreatment. Coming to the revelation that just because her mother was unable to express her thoughts perfectly, doesn’t mean her capacity for knowledge is any less than hers. Her mother’s opinions were repeatedly disparaged due to her imperfect English which led to frequent mistreatment from others. One incident, in particular, shines a light on the injustice many minorities experience due to their imperfect English. Tan’s mother had made a trip to the hospital via appointment to obtain more information on the brain tumor that a CAT scan had revealed a short month ago. However, the hospital had lost the CAT scan and told her they would not disclose any more information until the next appointment which she had to reschedule. This enraged Tan as the hospital refused her mother any information and brushed her concerns away as if she didn’t matter. It was only once Tan had spoken to the hospital using fluent English that the staff apologized and took further action to ensure this wouldn’t happen again. This is a prime example of how her intelligence was diminished and she was neglected just because she couldn’t express her worries in proper English. It further exemplifies Tan’s argument that minorities are often mistreated when they can’t speak perfect English but are only taken seriously once perfect English is expressed to them. By including this incident in her essay, Tan hopes to get through to her audience and prompt them to make a change in the world as the power lies in their hands. Her anger towards this mistreatment shows how passionate she feels about this issue and hopes that her intended audience has enough sympathy for her mother to resolve this issue. 

Through the effective use of rhetorical instruments throughout this essay, Tan expresses the power of language and argues that one’s fluency in a language does not determine their intelligence. She utilizes personal anecdotes, syntax, and pathos to appeal to her audience on an emotional level and prompt them to take action on these issues. By utilizing her personal experiences, she is able to provide examples that language can alter our perceptions of one another. Her use of syntax to distinguish the different types of “Englishes” she and her mother speak highlights the diversity of the English language and helps to convey the emotions she experiences through her essay. Through the use of pathos, she’s able to evoke emotions from the audience such as pity and sympathy which allows her to engage with the reader on a deeper level. “Mother Tongue” is an insightful essay that explains the complexity of language and how it plays a role in shaping our relationships and identity.