In a world where language is the path to communication, it is very important as it shapes the way we connect, understand and are perceived by others. Language is not only a way of expression but also something that could be a part of our identity. In the text, she uses figures of speech and her experiences to present language and show identity. She shows how societal judgements could be shown just because of the languages her mother speaks. As the author shares her experiences, the author also shows that societal judgements can often be rooted in the languages we use, especially when it is not spoken in the form of what we are used to. She talks about how speaking “broken” English not only affects how other people might view her mother but also how she views herself and the world.

In the story “Mother Tongue” by Amy Tan, the author looks back on the different types of English she uses in her daily life. She uses rhetorical devices like metaphor to describe how language influence identity and how society would form judgments based on the way someone speaks. She shares her experiences from childhood about speaking “broken” English, the language she grew up with, with her mother to her speaking formal English with the rest of society. The author Amy Tan is also known for her work “The Joy Luck Club”. The text “Mother Tongue” was published in 1990, and it is a memoir and essay. The author’s purpose is to question societal judgements about different types of English and to show how language can be a part of your identity and your culture Throughout her story, she is also speaking to the people who may also have grown up with the non-standard English and by sharing her experiences, it could be relatable.

“It’s because over the twenty years we’ve been together I’ve often used that same kind of English with him, and sometimes he uses it with me. It has become our language of intimacy, a different sort of English that relates to family talk, the language I grew up with.” The author supports her argument that language could be a part of your identity and your culture by talking about her own experiences such as when she realizes the English she uses has been with her whole life and how she’s been incorporating it with her daily life. The text shows the relationship between the author and her mother, the language she speaks and how the “broken” English her mother speaks shape her perspective of the world. One quote from the text is “when I was growing up, my mother’s “limited” English limited my perception of her. I was ashamed of her English. I believed that her English reflected the quality of what she had to say,” In this text, Amy Tan is talking about how she felt ashamed of her mother’s English. It shows how her shame might have been shaped by societal expectations regarding the language. This shows how society influenced her at a young age by judging her mother unfairly based on her speech. “Like others, I have described it to people as “broken” or “fractured” English.” To add on, in this quote, the author uses metaphor by comparing her mother’s English as “broken and “fractured” and this shows that to society, her mother’s English is viewed as damaged even though they can communicate perfectly.

In “Mother Tongue”, the author shows how she uses figures of speech and her experiences to present language and show identity. By using rhetorical devices and sharing her experiences growing up with speaking “broken” English and seeing societal judgements, she is trying to tell the readers to look past the biases society might have for language and not judge someone based on how they speak.  She is showing that societal judgements can often be rooted in the languages we use, especially when it is not spoken in the form of what we are used to. She is advocating for a more inclusive and understanding perspective on communications.