"How to Tame a Wild Tongue"

Juliana Ruperto
31 August 2015
Prof. Young
English 1100
                                                         "How to Tame a Wild Tongue"

1. Anzaldua starts the essay off in the dentist's chair because it showed how little control she had over her mouth; which symbolizes her language. In the opening scene Anzaldua has a strong tongue that keeps pushing the cotton swabs out of her mouth, but the dentist is trying to prevent this. The dentist represents America and the english language, Anzaldua's tongue represents the Mexican culture and language. That being said America doesn't want the Mexican language to become dominant in the American culture.
2. I like how Anzaldua intertwined Spanish and English in her essay. For the most part, I understood her Spanish well. I speak Spanish at home to my grandma. Anzaldua used Spanish and English in her essay to create a sense of confusion. She wanted the reader to feel how she has felt her whole life. She wanted the reader to be lost with their identity because she doesn't understand her own identity. Is she Chicana, Mexican, Texan, or American?
3. Academic English can be defined as standard Spanish because academic english teaches the basics to students. While Chicano Spanish is considered nonstandard because the language is an outbreak of the original Spanish language. Standard verse nonstandard languages, to me, are based off of how frequently that language is used and how easily it can be understood. English and Spanish would both be considered standard languages in America. German and French would be considered nonstandard 
4. It is necessary to identify yourself in speech and in writing because it gives the reader/listener a sense of who you are and your ethnic background. Without identity everything you read, write, or hear would sound like a textbook.
5. Some common english identities are formal english and slang english. There are appropriate times when using slang and formal identities. You wouldn't say "Whats up son?" to your boss or manager and you wouldn't say "Hello sir" to a close friend of yours. 
6. In middle school a couple of my friends and I would talk in gibberish is we wanted to secretly tell something to one another. Gibberish is really confusing and hard to follow. I also use slang terms with my friends and the only one that comes to mind right now is thot. However, slang is used between almost all teenagers not just my friend group; slang is always changing. Each generation of teens come up with new slang words.
7. When talking to friends of mine I use slang and curse words because you're not being judged; you're just having informal conversations. When I'm talking to my parents, I try to speak as respectfully as possible because if I say the wrong thing to my mom she would fly off the handle. Finally, when it comes to talking to teachers and professors I try to use big words and make sure all my sentences are grammatically correct, so that way I can sound starter.
8. "I am my language," means your identity comes from whatever native language you speak. Personally, I believe that language symbolizes culture. When learning a language you have to take other things into perspective. You learn about how they country works, the music they listen to, and the movies they watch and so on. Learning a language is not just simply learning the words, you're learning a language.
9. The introduction used symbolism to explain the fight between keeping your language and adapting to the language around you; in this case Anzaldua native language is Chicano and the new language she must accommodate is English. The introduction reiterates the same idea but with less symbolism and a more of a fighting stance when it comes to keeping her language.
10. Yes, I absolutely think that the language you speak can be a part of your identity. I've learned from high school that language and race usually bring people together. It's sad to say because in a perfect world you would like everyone to be diverse and socialize. However, it's not so social, I've learned that Spanish speakers tend to hang out with Spanish speakers. While Jewish people who speak hebrew tend to hang out with people who also speak hebrew. Also, among this little language cliques everything is different, the hebrew speakers dress deferentially than the Spanish speakers and they act differently as well.
11. Having an identity is very important, it's who you are, how you describe yourself; without it you're just another corpse. Anzaldua is a big believer of identity. She classifies language as a huge part of her identity. she even says, "Deep in our hearts we believe that being Mexican has nothing to do with which country one lives in." Anzaldua identifies herself as Mexica even though she's an American; thats who she is.