We all express ourselves with the help of the language. No matter what language we choose, the main goals are for people to understand and be understood by the others. We are being born and brought up in certain environments, created by our families. This formulates our behavior, the way e think and the language we use for it. In case when we are using the language that is not our native one, there is always a risk of misunderstanding or a conflict. All in all, it is because the mother tong will always be a factor that influences us the most.
First of all, it is a generation question. For the young Tan it could be much easier to study the language and to perform after in a better way than her mother did. On the other hand, there is also such a thing that a talent or, simply, the capacity of learning languages. The mother of the author naturally uses more simple language while describing different things. After the reading of the transcript I even would probably imagine a certain sort of the Asian accent involved.
On the other hand, such accents and this simplicity could bring the charm and the uniqueness of the experience. Of course, probably, this type of English could not be judged about the perfect vocabulary or the grammar constructions. The fact is, it still comes from the heart and it is the most important to take into consideration when people want to understand the meaning. In China people are very concerned about their traditions and rituals. Everything should be done properly and accurately, as, for example, the calligraphy that is used. This is why the language is so different, because even the way Chinese people are thinking, I believe, is different.
Unfortunately, sometimes there are negative experiences when people could pretend not to understand what is said and ignore the other people. It can decrease a motivation to learn better, or to learn at all, can make the foreign people feel uncomfortable. It also can influence on the younger generation. The quantity of representatives of Asian countries is not that high in literature sphere . I agree that it is more likely for them to choose, for example, the math instead, because there is only one right answer and it is presented in the form of a number. The fear of the potential failure and the usage of language that would be suggested as broken and wrong one surely will put some limitations on the people that are just learning. On another hand, it is possible that languages are not an easy or desirable material for person to learn. Moreover, I believe it can be connected with the cultural features as being more opened to the outside world or to be conservative and humble.
I personally regard language as a complex tool that is quite hard to use. There are always various interpretations that could be used or thought and this can create a big confusion for the foreign person. Moreover, if we speak, for example, about Chinese culture and language – there could be even more complications. English language is using different structure, symbols and the way you need to express. Even by the way the authors mother was expressing herself during the transcript it could be seen. There is a big gap between the cultures, language and traditions overall and in order to start building a comprehension background, there need to be some boundaries to break. This process should involve the representatives of both sides, as the ignorance is exactly what brings people to all these misunderstandings and undesirable situations.
All the people are able to express their feelings with the help of the language, - oral or written, or by various gestures. For example, in Chinese culture there is a lot about expression, but it is performed in another way than in many other cultures. I am sure that if the author’s mother would use her native language, the text would burst with the descriptions and describing words. There is also a chance that the level of the language will stay relatively the same. This, on the contrary, will not be the sigh of person’s low abilities, but will just show the way he or she are expressing themselves. People are using different methods to satisfy their needs in talking and communication. Some of them are more concentrated on the words themselves, for others it is probably more likely to be very expressive with gestures or mimics.
In conclusion, the nature of native roots is hard to masque for the foreigners. Nevertheless, I regard that it is important not to hide it as exactly this gives a person a unique background and reveals his or her personality. The preserving of the culture, language and traditions is as well a complicated process because of various pressures of the dominating culture a person is living in. The truth is, there is a thick balance between the complete integration into new culture and closing up on your native one. Nevertheless, I believe that this balance is achievable. All in all, there should be positive moments in this found, as every country with its culture are beautiful in their way.
Work Cited
Tan Amy. "Mother Tongue." 50 Essays: 217-22.
