50 essays mother tongue

Mother Tongue

Ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

“Mother Tongue” is an autobiographical essay in which Amy Tan identifies the varied nature of language in her everyday life. As a result of her mother ’s presence at a talk for her book, The Joy Luck Club , Tan becomes acutely aware of the many different “ Englishes ” she speaks. Tan realizes that this is the first time her mother has heard her daughter speak in such a setting and with such a professional tone. Tan associates the English she speaks at events with the standardized forms of English she learned in school.

Tan tells stories of her past, contrasting the English she uses at home—her “mother tongue”—with standard English. Tan speaks in the same English as her mother when they are alone and in front of her husband—he is used to her changes in speech and does not detect Tan’s shift when she responds to her mother. Referencing a recent conversation she recorded, Tan relays a story her mother shared about a Chinese political gangster; parts of the transcript perfectly capture the rhythm of her mother’s speech and the detail she provides. Tan refrains from describing her mother’s English as “broken” because it suggests that her mother’s knowledge is somehow lacking. Instead, she argues that it shows the limited perceptions others have of her mother. Her mother’s stockbroker and doctors demonstrate their own closed-mindedness, refusing to take her seriously and requiring Tan to facilitate conversations on her mother’s behalf.

Tan describes her own childhood experiences with standardized English. She struggled with her English studies because of the way her mother’s use of language influenced her internal problem-solving skills, and Tan illustrates her frustration and the way she used this frustration as motivation. Instead of admitting defeat, Tan vowed to “master” the English language, assimilating to standardized English and forgoing the use of her “mother tongue” outside interactions with her mother. It isn’t until the start of her writing career with The Joy Luck Club that she realizes that the English she writes in is unapproachable and difficult to read. As such, in finding her way back to her “mother tongue,” Tan shifts her focus to an imagined reader, using a voice that she has grown to love and accept—the voice of her mother.

• I'M AN INSTRUCTOR
• I'M A STUDENT

Find what you need to succeed.

• Our Mission
• Our Leadership
• Learning Science
• Macmillan Learning AI
• Sustainability
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Accessibility
• Astronomy Biochemistry Biology Chemistry College Success Communication Economics Electrical Engineering English Environmental Science Geography Geology History Mathematics Music & Theater Nutrition and Health Philosophy & Religion Physics Psychology Sociology Statistics Value
• Digital Offerings
• Inclusive Access
• Lab Solutions
• LMS Integration
• Curriculum Solutions
• Training and Demos
• First Day of Class
• Administrators
• Affordable Solutions
• Badging & Certification
• iClicker and Your Content
• Student Store
• News & Media
• Contact Us & FAQs
• Find Your Rep
• Booksellers
• Macmillan International Support
• International Translation Rights
• Request Permissions
• Report Piracy

Psychology in Everyday Life

A portable anthology seventh edition | ©2023 samuel cohen.

ISBN:9781319483616

Take notes, add highlights, and download our mobile-friendly e-books.

ISBN:9781319331658

Read and study old-school with our bound texts.

Portable, affordable, and highly teachable

50 Essays: A Portable Anthology is a bestselling value-priced reader because its virtues dont stop at the price. The book’s carefully chosen selections engage students and include both classic essays and high-interest, contemporary readings. The editorial apparatus is flexible and unobtrusive enough to support a variety of approaches to teaching composition. The seventh edition features new voices on culturally relevant topics as well as an enhanced documentation guide establishing the importance of conducting research and evaluating sources, and new pre-reading questions to guide students as they develop their skills as critical readers.

New to This Edition

Seventh Edition | ©2023

Samuel Cohen

Digital Options

Read online (or offline) with all the highlighting and notetaking tools you need to be successful in this course.

Learn About E-book

Seventh Edition | 2023

Table of Contents

Samuel Cohen (PhD, City University of New York) is Associate Professor of English at the University of Missouri. He is the author of After the End of History: American Fiction in the 1990s , co-editor (with James Peacock) of The Clash Takes on the World: Transnational Perspectives on The Only Band that Matters , co-editor (with Lee Konstantinou) of The Legacy of David Foster Wallace , Series Editor of The New American Canon: The Iowa Series in Contemporary Literature and Culture , and has published in such journals as Novel , Clio , Twentieth-Century Literature , The Journal of Basic Writing, and Dialogue: A Journal for Writing Specialists. For Bedford/St. Martins, he is author of 50 Essays: A Portable Anthology and coauthor of Literature: The Human Experience .

Seventh Edition | 2023

Instructor Resources

Need instructor resources for your course, download resources.

You need to sign in to unlock your resources.

50 Essays 7th edition Sample Syllabi

50 essays transition guide - 6th edition to 7th edition, instructor's resource manual for 50 essays.

You've selected:

Click the E-mail Download Link button and we'll send you an e-mail at with links to download your instructor resources. Please note there may be a delay in delivering your e-mail depending on the size of the files.

Your download request has been received and your download link will be sent to .

Please note you could wait up to 30 to 60 minutes to receive your download e-mail depending on the number and size of the files. We appreciate your patience while we process your request.

Check your inbox, trash, and spam folders for an e-mail from [email protected] .

If you do not receive your e-mail, please visit macmillanlearning.com/support .

Related Titles

Select a demo to view:

We are happy to offer free Achieve access in addition to the physical sample you have selected. Sample this version now as opposed to waiting for the physical edition.

• Instructor Catalog
• Student Store

• I'M AN INSTRUCTOR
• I'M A STUDENT

Find what you need to succeed.

Student benefits.

• Special Offers
• Rent and Save
• Flexible Formats
• College Quest Blog
• Astronomy Biochemistry Biology Chemistry College Success Communication Economics Electrical Engineering English Environmental Science Geography Geology History Mathematics Music & Theater Nutrition and Health Philosophy & Religion Physics Psychology Sociology Statistics Value

Digital Products

• iClicker Student App (Student Response System)
• Rental and Returns
• Support Community
• Student Options Explained

GET FREE SHIPPING!

Use Promo Code SHIPFREE at Step 4 of checkout.

*Free Shipping only applicable to US orders. Restrictions apply.

FREE shipping.

Promo Code SHIPFREE

FREE eBook access.

While your print book ships!

Sixth  Edition | ©2020  Samuel Cohen

50 Essays, Sixth Edition is a short collection of classic and contemporary essays that provide interesting and thought-provoking selections to serve as both models and prompts.  The text is a diverse collection that covers a broad range of topics, time periods, and themes. A great value option for the AP® English Language class.

Table of Contents

Samuel Cohen

Samuel Cohen (PhD, City University of New York) is Associate Professor of English at the University of Missouri. He is the author of After the End of History: American Fiction in the 1990s , co-editor (with James Peacock) of The Clash Takes on the World: Transnational Perspectives on The Only Band that Matters , co-editor (with Lee Konstantinou) of The Legacy of David Foster Wallace , Series Editor of The New American Canon: The Iowa Series in Contemporary Literature and Culture , and has published in such journals as Novel , Clio , Twentieth-Century Literature , The Journal of Basic Writing, and Dialogue: A Journal for Writing Specialists. For Bedford/St. Martins, he is author of 50 Essays: A Portable Anthology and coauthor of Literature: The Human Experience .

Portable, affordable and thought-provoking

Related titles, find your school, select your discipline, select your course, find your course, confirm your course.

We found the following course. Does this look correct?

We found the following course. To properly enroll in your course, please use the link provided in your school's course system (LMS Example: Canvas, Blackboard, D2L, Etc).

Your Achieve account needs to be linked with your school's account.

Mother Tongue by Amy Tan: English v. The “Broken Language” Essay

Works cited.

In her essay ‘Mother Tongue’, Amy Tan tries to use her personal experience to describe the importance of language in a society. In this analysis, the author compares perfect English language with ‘broken language’.

Using English as an example, the author attempts to explain how language is important in communications. She says “…language is an essential key in enabling people to understand the definition of their identities”. In addition, the author says that she realized that language allows or authorizes individuals to participate effectively as members of a society.

It is worth noting that Amy Tan is fond of language. For instance, she says that she has written a number of books in English and Chinese. However, she admits that she has never been eloquent or rhetoric when her mother is present. This is the main argument the author has put forward by demonstrating the importance of language in her life. In addition, she argues that communication is difficult without a good language.

In actual sense, this essay is chiefly an analysis of personal views and perceptions of language. The author attempts to describe how language should be used and how people tend to use it in their day-to-day communication. She compares “standard English language” and “broken English language”. To develop her argument, the author has set the essay in the form of a memoir. For instance, she compares her oral use of language with her written language.

Tan informs her readers that the presence of her mother in one of her lecturers made her notice some differences between her oral and written language.

At this point in life, the author realized that she was not using the same language she had been using when communicating with her mother. Instead, she realized that she has been using “broken English” when communicating with her. Therefore, she started reflecting on her childhood and the role that the mother played in helping her shape her language and communication.

From this essay, one notices the manner in which Tan attempts to present her argument. It is evident that Tan is attempting to demonstrate how learning English has an impact in her and her life. The author analyzes her childhood experience. From her analysis, it is evident that circumstances frequently forced her to translate Chinese into English when communicating with other people at school or in her neighbourhood.

She attempts to argue that it is due to her difficulties in communicating in the two languages that drove her to become a writer. It is also clear that her life as a child was difficult because she was supposed to use Chinese at home, but change to English when at school or when with her peers. Her main ideas are good examples of the real life experience in American communities, especially where language barriers are evident.

Her use of personal experience is an important literal technique because it provides some sense of evidence and reality (Tan 1). In fact, the supporting content, which is particularly drawn from her life as a Chinese child growing up and relating with English children and teachers, provides some evidence that her narrative is convincing.

In addition, it is also effective in presenting her ideas. For instance, she says, “I am not an English scholar. I cannot give you anything beyond my personal points of view…” (Tan 1). This statement makes the opening sentence in the essay.

It seems to make the readers realize that the author will present her personal observations and experience. As such, the reader develops some interest in what the author has experienced in her life and what such experience could affect them. Secondly, Tan has presented her ideas that are based on common issues that everyone experiences or observes in nature, especially where immigrants are trying to fit into a new social environment defined by language barriers.

I tend to agree with Amy Tan for a number of reasons. First, I have seen people going through the same processes when trying to fit into new communities. Their children normally face the pressure of learning and using two languages- the “mother tongue” and the language used in the new society (Tan 3). This issue is good but challenging. It provides children with an ability to learn and apply two or more languages at a time.

In fact, it is worth noting that Amy Tan is presenting her ideas at a time when the issue of cultural diversity is common in the United States. America is a home to a large number of immigrants from all over the world. Therefore, the U.S. has become a culturally diverse society due to the presence of people from different ethnic backgrounds.

In fact, the issue of Standard English versus “Broken English” is a contemporary issue, especially in schools, public places and neighbourhoods. Although people must communicate, language barrier is always a problem in most cases. Therefore, the argument by the author contributes to the issue of language barrier, which is a current topic of debate in America.

Tan, Amy. Mother tongue. PDF file. Web.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2024, March 26). Mother Tongue by Amy Tan: English v. The "Broken Language". https://ivypanda.com/essays/mother-tongue/

"Mother Tongue by Amy Tan: English v. The "Broken Language"." IvyPanda , 26 Mar. 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/mother-tongue/.

IvyPanda . (2024) 'Mother Tongue by Amy Tan: English v. The "Broken Language"'. 26 March.

IvyPanda . 2024. "Mother Tongue by Amy Tan: English v. The "Broken Language"." March 26, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/mother-tongue/.

1. IvyPanda . "Mother Tongue by Amy Tan: English v. The "Broken Language"." March 26, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/mother-tongue/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Mother Tongue by Amy Tan: English v. The "Broken Language"." March 26, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/mother-tongue/.

• “Mother Tongue” Article by Amy Tan
• Linguistic Identity. “Mother Tongue” by Amy Tan
• Mother Tongue Analysis Essay
• The Significance of Language: “Mother Tongue”
• Amy Tan’s Story “Mother Tongue”
• Linguistic Dominance in the "Mother Tongue" by Amy Tan
• Denotation and Connotation on the Basis of Amy Tan’s Mother Tongue
• Mother Tongue by Amy Tan: What Does Your Language Say about Your Identity?
• Amy Tan’s and Personal English Learning Experience
• The Story "Two Kinds" by Amy Tan
• Across Cultures, English is the Word
• Language Investigation of the Effect of Texts on Social Values
• Role of Language in Forming Identities
• Language in the Study of History
• The Secrets of Reading: Breathing Life into Things

• Sign in // Register

Find what you need to succeed.

Ap® updates.

• AP® Updates
• Digital Offerings
• SaplingPlus
• Our Mission
• News & Media
• Accessibility
• Sustainability
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Administrators
• AP® Summer Institutes
• Home Schooler
• International Customers
• LMS Integration
• Program Resources
• Language Arts Mathematics Science Social Studies
• Booksellers
• Find Your Rep
• Find Your Account Manager
• BFW Online Store
• Permissions
• Report Piracy
• Training and Demos
• Language Arts

Psychology in Everyday Life

A portable anthology sixth edition | ©2020 samuel cohen, institutional prices, portable, affordable and thought-provoking.

50 Essays: A Portable Anthology is a bestselling value-priced reader because its virtues dont stop at the price. The book’s carefully chosen selections engage students and include both classic essays and high-interest, contemporary readings. The editorial apparatus is flexible and unobtrusive enough to support a variety of approaches to teaching composition. The sixth edition features new voices on culturally relevant topics as well as sentence guides that help students develop an academic writing voice with templates for a variety of composing situations.

New to This Edition

“ 50 Essays is a comprehensive volume of provocative and timely essays, and this text encourages student discussion, interaction, and lively debate.” — Elizabeth Keefe, Gateway Community College “The particular collection of authors, perspectives, and voices that 50 Essays brings together makes this an essential text for any English Composition course.”  — Robert DeFrance, Long Beach City College “ 50 Essays has been a staple for our 100-level composition course for over seven years. It allows instructors to individualize their course, while providing appropriate and essential readings for the first-year college student.”  — Sarah Kirk, University of Alaska Anchorage

Sixth Edition | ©2020

Samuel Cohen

Digital Options

Sixth Edition | 2020

Table of Contents

Samuel Cohen (PhD, City University of New York) is Associate Professor of English at the University of Missouri. He is the author of After the End of History: American Fiction in the 1990s , co-editor (with James Peacock) of The Clash Takes on the World: Transnational Perspectives on The Only Band that Matters , co-editor (with Lee Konstantinou) of The Legacy of David Foster Wallace , Series Editor of The New American Canon: The Iowa Series in Contemporary Literature and Culture , and has published in such journals as Novel , Clio , Twentieth-Century Literature , The Journal of Basic Writing, and Dialogue: A Journal for Writing Specialists. For Bedford/St. Martins, he is author of 50 Essays: A Portable Anthology and coauthor of Literature: The Human Experience .

Related Titles

Select a demo to view:

We will keep fighting for all libraries - stand with us!

Internet Archive Audio

• This Just In
• Grateful Dead
• Old Time Radio
• 78 RPMs and Cylinder Recordings
• Audio Books & Poetry
• Computers, Technology and Science
• Music, Arts & Culture
• News & Public Affairs
• Spirituality & Religion
• Radio News Archive

• Flickr Commons
• Occupy Wall Street Flickr
• NASA Images
• Solar System Collection
• Ames Research Center

• All Software
• Old School Emulation
• MS-DOS Games
• Historical Software
• Classic PC Games
• Software Library
• Kodi Archive and Support File
• Vintage Software
• CD-ROM Software
• CD-ROM Software Library
• Software Sites
• Tucows Software Library
• Shareware CD-ROMs
• Software Capsules Compilation
• CD-ROM Images
• ZX Spectrum
• DOOM Level CD

• Smithsonian Libraries
• FEDLINK (US)
• Lincoln Collection
• American Libraries
• Canadian Libraries
• Universal Library
• Project Gutenberg
• Children's Library
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• Books by Language
• Additional Collections

• Prelinger Archives
• Democracy Now!
• Occupy Wall Street
• TV NSA Clip Library
• Animation & Cartoons
• Arts & Music
• Computers & Technology
• Cultural & Academic Films
• Ephemeral Films
• Sports Videos
• Videogame Videos
• Youth Media

Search the history of over 866 billion web pages on the Internet.

Mobile Apps

• Wayback Machine (iOS)
• Wayback Machine (Android)

Browser Extensions

Archive-it subscription.

• Explore the Collections
• Build Collections

Save Page Now

Capture a web page as it appears now for use as a trusted citation in the future.

Please enter a valid web address

• Donate Donate icon An illustration of a heart shape

50 essays : a portable anthology

Bookreader item preview, share or embed this item, flag this item for.

• Graphic Violence
• Explicit Sexual Content
• Hate Speech
• Misinformation/Disinformation
• Marketing/Phishing/Advertising
• Misleading/Inaccurate/Missing Metadata

cut texts it's too close to the gutter

plus-circle Add Review comment Reviews

10 Favorites

Better World Books

DOWNLOAD OPTIONS

No suitable files to display here.

IN COLLECTIONS

Uploaded by station52.cebu on November 26, 2021

SIMILAR ITEMS (based on metadata)

Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Mother Tongue — Literary Analysis Of Mother Tongue By Amy Tan

Literary Analysis of Mother Tongue by Amy Tan

• Categories: Amy Tan Language Mother Tongue

About this sample

Words: 561 |

Published: Dec 3, 2020

Words: 561 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Dr Jacklynne

Verified writer

• Expert in: Literature Science

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

3 pages / 1166 words

2 pages / 759 words

2 pages / 887 words

3 pages / 1406 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Mother Tongue

My belief is that Amy’s goal in the article was to present to the public that just because an individual does not have or speak “perfect” English, it does not mean that the person is not intellectual. Being that her mother used [...]

Amy Tan's essay "Mother Tongue" explores the complexities of language and its impact on one's identity and relationships. Tan reflects on her experiences as a bilingual and bicultural individual, shedding light on the challenges [...]

Amy Tan's essay "Mother Tongue" explores the concept of linguistic dominance and its impact on personal identity and relationships. As a Chinese-American writer who has experienced the challenges of communicating in English as a [...]

As a college student, the importance of language and communication cannot be overstated. Language plays a crucial role in shaping personal and cultural identity, and it is paramount to understand the diverse languages spoken in [...]

A fact would not be an interesting one to people who feel demeaned as a result of their accents while communicating in English. In Amy Tan’s Mother Tongue, she argues that there is not a specific way to speak English as it [...]

Everyone who speaks the English language, does not speak it the same way. It is rare to find people that speak English the exact same way word for word, because there are so many ways to speak English. Amy Tan uses a name to [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

Amy Tan’s “Mother Tongue” : Rhetorical Analysis

In the essay Mother Tongue , Amy Tan believes that everyone speaks different languages in certain settings and are labeled by the way they speak. The author interested by how language is utilized in our daily life” and uses language as a daily part of her work as a writer. Throughout her life she recognizes her struggles applying proper English instead of the broken used in her home.

She became aware of how she spoke was when giving a lecture about her book The Joy Club and realized her mother who was in the audience did not understand what was being discussed. This was because she never used proper English in her home or talking to her mother. It is her belief utilizing proper English and broken English is essential in communication depending who you are talking to. The next time she noticed this about her English was when walking with her parents, she made the statement “not waste money that way”. This is due to the language barrier in her household that is used only by her family. Her mother was raised in China and spoke Mandarin her English always came across as broken to everyone outside the family, which made it hard for her to understand when someone spoke proper English.

Amy insured everyone that met her mother’s that even though her English seem “broken” it does not reflect her intelligence. Even though people placed this label on her mother of the way she spoke she rejected the idea that her mother English is “limited”. She highlights the fact that even her mother recognizes that her opportunities and interactions in life are limited by the English language. Amy Tan realizes that how you communicate within the family dynamic, especially for immigrant families plays a large role in in the growth of the child. It allowed her to acknowledge that perhaps her family’s language had an effect on the opportunities she was provided in her life. For instance in her experience, she notices that Asian students actually do better in math tests than in language tests, and she questions whether or not other Asian students are discouraged from writing or directed in the direction of math and science. Tan changed her major from pre-med to English and she decided to become a freelance writer even though her boss told her she couldn’t write. She eventually went on to write fiction , she celebrates the fact that she did not follow the expectations that people had of her because of her struggle with writing and language. With her mother as an influence Tan decided to write her stories for people like her, people with “broken” or “limited” English. In the essay , Mother Tongue, Amy Tan goes to great length to persuade the readers of her experiences being multicultural family that the effectiveness and the price an individual pays by insuring that their ideas and intents do not change due to the way they speak, whether they use “perfect” or “broken” English. Tan also clarifies to the readers that her “mother’s expressive command of English belies how much she actually understands”. She uses many examples to take readers into her life experiences to discover this truth. She utilizes the first person view throughout the essay and adds her firsthand knowledge of growing up with a multiple languages spoken in the home. This was done to validate of her argument and shine a light on the importance of this issue in her life as well as her culture.

The examples she uses is when she tells a story of her mother’s struggles with a stockbroker because of her “broken “ English, Tan quotes her mother’s words “Why he not send me check, already two weeks late. So mad he lie to me, losing me money”. Amy Tan did this to give the readers an idea on how this particular situation played out and how her mother’s English affected outcome. The authors writing is also very emotional and somewhat angry at throughout the essay , it makes her and her family very sympathetic figures. Tan’s specific concern is being shunned by both white-America and the Asian population. This also further her strengthen her views that puts her in an equally frustrating position from the perspective of Americans with the stereotypical views of Asians. Many people in college looked at her funny for being an English major instead of Math as a major. Individuals of Chinese decent are associated with math or science and that is because of the stereotyping that Asian receive. This is based on studies being conducted that a majority of Asians do in fact excel in mathematics and sciences.

Amy also observed that many of her instructors towards math and science as well and was even told by a former boss that writing was not biggest attribute and should focus more onto her account management skills. The author states that “perhaps they also have teachers who are steering them away from writing and into math and science, which is what happened to me”. The author utilized the nonfiction essay form to discuss how language played a major role in her life. This also allowed her to show the readers how her relationship with the English language and her mother has changed over the years. In her essay , Mother Tongue Amy Tan describes numerous incidences that helped shape her views as a writer. The uses of first persons account to describe her experiences with her mother and how her mother’s use of the English language influenced her upbringing, such as a story her mother once told her about a guest at her mother’s wedding “Du Yusong having business like fruit stand. Like off-the-street kind. He is Du like Du Zong – but not Tsung-ming Island people….That man want to ask Du Zong father take him in like become own family. Du Zong father wasn’t look down on him, but didn’t take seriously, until that man big like become a mafia. Now important person, very hard to inviting him. She may have chosen to focus on this type sentence structure because it gave the readers sense of awareness into her life and also to make it easier for them to understand the factors that shaped her style as a writer. In conclusion after reading Mother Tongue, it became very apparent that her mother played an important part in the author’s life. However, after further reading, I determined that she could have been addressing a specific group of people. She is also explaining her story to people who read her works, since so much of her literature seems to be influenced by how she views of the English language. Amy Tan goes to great lengths in the essay to give bits and pieces of how she overcame the perception that many people had of her, since she did not do as well with English-related schooling as she did with the Sciences, or Math.

• Language Arts
• Mathematics
• Social Studies
• Get Help & FAQs

FREE shipping.

Promo Code SHIPFREE

FREE eBook access.

While your print book ships!

Sixth  Edition | ©2020  Samuel Cohen

ISBN:9781319434632

Read and study in the print textbook.

50 Essays, Sixth Edition is a short collection of classic and contemporary essays that provide interesting and thought-provoking selections to serve as both models and prompts.  The text is a diverse collection that covers a broad range of topics, time periods, and themes. A great value option for the AP® English Language class.

Table of Contents

Samuel Cohen

Samuel Cohen (PhD, City University of New York) is Associate Professor of English at the University of Missouri. He is the author of After the End of History: American Fiction in the 1990s , co-editor (with James Peacock) of The Clash Takes on the World: Transnational Perspectives on The Only Band that Matters , co-editor (with Lee Konstantinou) of The Legacy of David Foster Wallace , Series Editor of The New American Canon: The Iowa Series in Contemporary Literature and Culture , and has published in such journals as Novel , Clio , Twentieth-Century Literature , The Journal of Basic Writing, and Dialogue: A Journal for Writing Specialists. For Bedford/St. Martins, he is author of 50 Essays: A Portable Anthology and coauthor of Literature: The Human Experience .

Portable, affordable and thought-provoking

Related titles, find your school, select your discipline, select your course, find your course, confirm your course.

Have an account?

Suggestions for you See more

Argumentative Writing

Indefinite and definite articles, 8th -  11th  , 6th -  8th  , facts, opinions, and opinion writing, 3rd -  5th  .

Mother Tongue by Amy Tan

11th - 12th grade.

7 questions

Introducing new   Paper mode

No student devices needed.   Know more

The principal contrast in this passage is between ...

the mother's expectations and the daughter's responses

Chinese and American conceptions of family obligations

the daughter's attitude as a child and as an adult

the way ideas are stated and the substance of the ideas

the differences between written and spoken language

The function of the sentence "Lately, I've been giving more thought to the kind of English my mother speaks" (par. 8) is to...

provide a transition from the mother's point of view to the daughter's

offer additional evidence to support the point made in the previous paragraph

appeal to the emotions of the readers

introduce examples that will illustrate a central point the author is making

analyze an exception to a general belief

What figure of speech is Tan using when she refers to her mother's "impeccable broken English" (par. 13)?

personification

In this passage, the author uses all of the following techniques EXCEPT...

factual data

expert testimony

In both the example of the stockbroker and the anecdote about the CAT scan, the speaker emphasizes...

her mother's stubborness

her own gullibilty

her mother's ignorance

the insensitivity of people in authority

society's gender bias

The author's attitude toward her mother in this passage can be best described as...

remorseful but angry

concerned and admiring

censorious yet understanding

condenscending and critical

sentimental yet loving

It can be inferred that the author's primary purpose in this passage in this passage is to...

expunge her own critical guilt for misjudging her mother

criticize the business and medical worlds immigrants faced

plead for more understanding of the difficulties

record her personal journey toward self-acceptance

Explore all questions with a free account

Continue with email

Continue with phone

Mother Tongue

44 pages • 1 hour read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Introduction

Before Reading

Reading Context

During Reading

Reading Questions & Paired Texts

Discussion/Analysis Prompt

Essay Questions

Exam Questions

Exam Answer Key

Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or struggling writers, strategies that work well include graphic organizers, sentence frames or starters, group work, or oral responses.

Get access to this full Teaching Guide and much more!

• 7,400+ In-Depth Study Guides
• 4,900+ Quick-Read Plot Summaries
• Downloadable PDFs

Scaffolded Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the below bulleted outlines. Cite details from the text throughout your response that serve as examples and support.

The SuperSummary difference

• 8x more resources than SparkNotes and CliffsNotes combined
• Study Guides you won ' t find anywhere else
• 100+ new titles every month

1. Tan’s essay reflects on the similarities and differences between Perfect and Broken English.

• In the end, what descriptor might Tan choose to describe her English? ( topic sentence )
• Explain the purposes for which Tan uses English. In what ways does she use English to accomplish each purpose?
• In the closing sentences, discuss whether English deserves a narrow or a broad usage and why?

2. Tan discusses how her mother’s “broken” English and Tan’s thinking about English have limited them socially. Others perceive Tan’s mother as unsophisticated and stereotype Tan as a STEM student.

• How do the Sociological Limitations of Language affect Tan’s choice to become a writer and how she uses English in her writing? ( topic sentence )

Don't Miss Out!

Access Teaching Guide Now

Related Titles

A Pair of Tickets

Fish Cheeks

Rules of the Game

Saving Fish from Drowning

The Bonesetter's Daughter

The Hundred Secret Senses

The Joy Luck Club

The Kitchen God's Wife

The Valley of Amazement

Featured Collections

Books on Justice & Injustice

View Collection

Chinese Studies

Essays & Speeches

Mother Tongue Essay in 100, 150, 200, 300, 400, & 500 Words

Table of Contents

Mother Tongue Essay in 100 Words

Mother tongue essay.

Mother tongue, also known as a native language, holds immense significance in a person’s life. It is the language in which individuals form their first thoughts, communicate with their parents, and embrace their cultural heritage. This descriptive essay explores the essence of the mother tongue and its impact on one’s identity and communication skills. The melodious tones, unique vocabulary, and rich cultural nuances of a mother tongue create an undeniable emotional connection. It unites individuals with their roots, allowing them to express their true selves. Moreover, mastering one’s mother tongue strengthens communication skills and facilitates a deeper understanding of one’s heritage. The power of the mother tongue lies in its ability to forge connections, preserve traditions, and cultivate a strong sense of identity.

Mother Tongue Essay in 150 Words

Mother tongue.

Mother tongue is a term used to describe a person’s first language, the language they learn from their parents and use to communicate with their family and community. It is a powerful tool that shapes one’s identity and provides a connection to their cultural heritage.

In my case, my mother tongue is English. It is the language I grew up speaking, reading, and writing. I have vivid memories of my mother patiently teaching me how to pronounce words and construct sentences. English has become second nature to me, enabling the effortless expression of my thoughts and emotions.

However, I recognize the importance of mother tongues from diverse linguistic backgrounds. Each language carries a rich history, unique expressions, and cultural nuances. It is through one’s mother tongue that traditions and values are passed down from generation to generation.

Mastering multiple languages can be an incredible asset, allowing individuals to navigate multicultural environments and build bridges between different communities. It is essential that we celebrate and preserve the beauty of mother tongues, as they are a fundamental part of our collective human experience.

Mother Tongue Essay in 200 Words

Mother tongue is the language that a person learns from their mother and uses as their primary means of communication. It is a language that is ingrained in one’s identity and has a deep connection to their cultural heritage.

For many individuals, their mother tongue is the language spoken in their home country. It represents their roots and serves as a reminder of their family’s history. The words and phrases shared in the mother tongue carry a sense of familiarity and comfort, linking people to their cultural community.

Beyond its personal significance, the mother tongue also plays a crucial role in shaping an individual’s cognitive development. Language is a tool for thinking, and when children learn their mother tongue, they acquire not only the ability to communicate but also a unique way of perceiving the world.

Despite its importance, the mother tongue can often be overshadowed by dominant languages in education and society. Therefore, it is crucial to recognize and celebrate the richness of various mother tongues, promoting them as valuable assets rather than obstacles to learning.

In conclusion, the mother tongue is more than just a language; it is a representation of one’s cultural heritage, personal identity, and cognitive capabilities. Embracing and preserving mother tongues is essential for fostering diversity and understanding in our globalized world.

Mother Tongue Essay in 300 Words

The term “mother tongue” encompasses the language we acquire naturally from our parents and use to communicate with our family and community. For many of us, it is the first language we learn, shaping both our experiences and identities. Our mother tongue is not merely a mode of communication; it encapsulates our cultural heritage, traditions, and memories.

Being fluent in our mother tongue allows us to effortlessly express our thoughts and emotions. It is the language in which we first learn to articulate ourselves and formulate our ideas. The nuances, idioms, and expressions embedded in our mother tongue provide a deeper level of understanding about our cultural heritage, values, and beliefs.

Moreover, our mother tongue serves as a bridge connecting us with our familial roots. It connects us to our grandparents, parents, and ancestors who passed down their knowledge, wisdom, and stories in this language through generations. Through our mother tongue, we gain a sense of belonging and a stronger connection to our family and community.

Furthermore, our mother tongue enables us to comprehend and appreciate literature, art, and music originating from our culture. It is often in our mother tongue that we find poetry, proverbs, and songs that touch our hearts and resonate with our deepest emotions.

In conclusion, our mother tongue is an integral part of our identity, history, and heritage. It provides a means of communication, a source of cultural understanding, and a connection to our past. Preserving and nurturing our mother tongue is essential, as it keeps our traditions alive and ensures the transmission of knowledge and wisdom from one generation to the next.

Mother Tongue Essay in 400 Words

Mother tongue: a beautiful tapestry of words.

The concept of a mother tongue is, in many ways, like a vibrant tapestry, intricately woven over generations, representing our cultural heritage and identity. It is the language we first learn from our mothers, the language that nurtures our thoughts, and enables us to communicate our deepest emotions. In this descriptive essay, we will explore the power and beauty of the mother tongue, and how it shapes our understanding of the world around us.

A mother tongue is far more than just a means of communication. It is a rich reservoir of history and tradition, encapsulating the essence of a community’s collective experiences. Each language carries within it a unique cultural perspective, offering insights into lifestyle, values, and beliefs. For instance, in Chinese, the mother tongue of my ancestors, the concept of “Ren” emphasizes kindness and compassion, guiding individuals to foster harmonious relationships. Such nuanced cultural nuances are embedded deep within the mother tongue, reflecting the rich tapestry of human experiences.

Furthermore, the mother tongue serves as a conduit for familial bonds and traditions. It connects generations, transferring wisdom and knowledge from one to another. I recall sitting at my grandmother’s feet, listening to her eloquently narrate tales of our family’s history, dreams, and struggles, all in our native language. Through the mother tongue, these stories took on a life of their own, revealing a profound connection to our roots, and cultivating a strong sense of belonging.

Additionally, the mother tongue showcases the linguistic versatility and complexity of our world. Each language has its own rhythm, vocabulary, and idiomatic expressions. From the click sounds of the Xhosa language to the melodic cadence of Italian, every tongue weaves a distinct melody. The mother tongue captures the essence of a culture, expressing the joys, sorrows, and peculiarities of life in a way that transcends mere words. It evokes emotions that cannot be completely captured by another language, rendering each personal experience that much more vivid.

However, the mother tongue is not just a relic of the past. In an increasingly globalized world, it evolves and adapts, reflecting the changing times and embracing modern aspects. It assimilates new words, cultural influences, and concepts, forging a transition from traditional to contemporary. This amalgam of old and new breathes life into the language, enabling future generations to carry forward the torch of cultural heritage.

In conclusion, the mother tongue is a treasure trove of emotion, heritage, and identity. It conveys not only words but also the essence of a community’s values and traditions. It binds generations together and provides a unique lens through which to view the world. As individuals, we must recognize the importance of preserving and cherishing our mother tongues, for they are an integral part of our identities and allow us to weave together the colorful tapestry of human existence.

Mother Tongue Essay in 540 Words

Language is a fundamental aspect of human communication, acting as a medium through which we express our thoughts, emotions, ideas, and beliefs. It shapes our perspectives, influences our interactions, and forms the very foundation of our identities. In the grand tapestry of languages spoken across the globe, the concept of “mother tongue” holds a special place. This essay aims to explore the essence of the mother tongue, its significance in our lives, and its impact on our understanding of the world.

The mother tongue, also known as the first language or native language, refers to the language a person acquires naturally from birth or early childhood. It is the language spoken by their parents, family, and community, shaping their early memories and shaping their understanding of reality. For the majority of people, the mother tongue is synonymous with the language of their country or region. However, in multicultural societies, individuals may have multiple mother tongues due to their diverse linguistic backgrounds.

One of the most compelling aspects of the mother tongue lies in its ability to connect us to our roots and cultural heritage. It serves as a vessel that carries the vibrant traditions, customs, and folklore of our ancestors. Through our mother tongue, we gain access to the rich tapestry of our cultural identity, deepening our understanding of our own history and fostering a sense of belonging.

Moreover, proficiency and fluency in one’s mother tongue are instrumental in building strong interpersonal and familial relationships. The mother tongue enables individuals to express their thoughts and emotions with nuanced precision, fostering closer connections with their loved ones. It provides a sense of comfort and familiarity, enabling individuals to communicate freely without fear of misinterpretation or misunderstanding.

Conversely, the loss or neglect of one’s mother tongue can lead to a profound sense of disconnection and an identity crisis. Many individuals living in culturally diverse societies face the challenge of maintaining their mother tongue amidst the pressures to adopt the dominant language. As a consequence, a sense of alienation can arise, as one is unable to fully express their authentic self or connect deeply with their cultural heritage.

Furthermore, the mother tongue intertwines language and thought, shaping our cognitive processes, reasoning capabilities, and decision-making skills. A study by linguist Benjamin Lee Whorf proposed that language influences how we perceive and categorize the world around us. This theory, known as linguistic relativity or the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, suggests that different languages provide unique perspectives on reality, forcing speakers to perceive and conceptualize the world in distinct ways. Thus, the mother tongue not only impacts our personal lives but also molds our collective understanding of the world.

In conclusion, the mother tongue holds immense significance in our lives, serving as the cradle of our cultural identity and shaping our perception of the world. It connects us to our ancestral traditions, strengthens familial bonds, and fosters a sense of belonging. The mother tongue is not just a means of communication; it is a gateway to our roots, enabling us to embrace diversity, preserve our heritage, and forge deeper connections with those around us. Let us celebrate the beauty and power of our mother tongues, for they are the languages of the heart and soul.

Essay about Motherland in 100, 200, 300, 400 & 500 Words

Essay on Vision 2030 in 100, 200, 300, 400 & 500 Words

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Preeti Vangani is the author of Mother Tongue Apologize (RLFPA Editions, 2019), winner of the RLFPA Poetry Prize. Her poems have appeared or are forthcoming in Poem-a-Day , The Threepenny Review , Gulf Coast , AGNI and elsewhere, and in 2021 her debut short story received a PEN/Robert J. Dau Prize for Emerging Writers. Based in San Francisco, she teaches in the MFA writing program at University of San Francisco. (updated 4/2024)