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Post by Ms. English on May 30, 2023 7:38:36 GMT -5
Post your answers to the discussion question here. Make sure to read the responses of those posted before you and respond directly to them when appropriate before posting your own.
List the different kinds of languages Anzaldúa says she speaks and organize them according to a principle of your own selection. Explain that principle and what the list it produces tells us about the Chicano/a experience with language.
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Post by Jordan Pritchett on Jun 25, 2023 11:37:20 GMT -5
Anzaldua speaks quite a few languages due to her upbringing since her native language was broken down limb by limb throughout her life due to being seen as wrong in the United States. Anzaldua speaks Chicano Spanish, Pachuco, Tex-Mex, North Mexican Spanish Dialect, Standard Mexican Spanish, Standard Spanish, informal English, and formal English. The principle that these were listed in is regarding Anzaldua’s feelings of what seemed least acceptable to non-Spanish speakers and non-Chicano/as to most acceptable. It is seen throughout the essay as Chicano Spanish appears to be viewed as incorrect and improper to non-Chicanos, with standard Spanish being the expected standard concerning people who grew up in places where that was the linguistic norm and formal or improper English being the standard in areas where English is the official language (such as in the United States). Pachuco is tied with Chicano Spanish as even Anzaldua says that she lost quite a bit of the language due to the lack of people knowing it and not practicing. Overall, this ordered list shows that the Chicano language created a point of intersectionality as well as an identity for people who weren’t solely English/English speakers nor completely savvy in standard Spanish, and even though it helped so many people regarding communication, it continued to be sought as incorrect. That made many Chicano people feel incorrect and misplaced as well since they don’t fit in one category over another, so they must be recognized, not erased.
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Post by emmagray on Jul 18, 2023 13:44:09 GMT -5
In the essay "How to Tame a Wilde Tounge" the author Gloria Anzaldua talks about all the languages she speaks and the places/groups of people she uses them in front of. This whole idea is really what the essay tends to stick around for most of the time. She speaks a variety of different languages including formal and informal English, standard Spanish, Mexican Spanish, North Mexican Spanish, Tex-Mex, Chicano Spanish, and Pachuco. I used a different principle other than the way Anzaldua listed them because I felt like it was more of an organized way and that is not how all people talk about the languages they speak in. What this list tells us about the Chicano/a experience with languages is that people who speak non-Chicano believe they are talking incorrect or wrong. She argues this by explaining it is an actual language for people who grew up on the Mexican-American border (this language is also an example of "code-switching"). As explained in the essay, it was things like this that made her feel as though she did not belong in some of these communities, and why others struggle just because they are in between languages and cultures.
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Post by Leah Sparks on Jul 23, 2023 20:47:38 GMT -5
In "How to Tame a Wild Tongue," Anzaldua lists eight languages consisting of; standard English, working-class English, traditional Spanish, standard Mexican Spanish, north Mexican Spanish dialect, Chicano Spanish, Tex-Mex, and Pachuco. I decided to organize them based on how brutally Anzaldua was judged for speaking them; standard Spanish, standard English, informal English, Chicano Spanish, Pachuco, Tex-Mex, and north Mexican dialect. Starting with Spanish, if she was caught speaking it at school, she was physically punished by being hit on the knuckles, making it the most brutal judgment of all the languages. Next, I have formal and informal English because it is known as the oppressor's language by Latinos, and then Chicano Spanish because it is considered a mutilation of Spanish. Then I have Pachucho because it is a language of rebellion and I feel like it could be heavily judged for being wrong to speak it. Then lastly I have Tex-Mex and North Mexican Dialects because Anzaldua doesn't say much about them in her writings. This list shows how the Chicano language has been mutilated and changed over time because of terrorism and judgments, and how that affected how Anzaldua grew up speaking these languages.
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Post by Eloise on Jul 26, 2023 18:31:14 GMT -5
In the essay "How to Tame a Wild Tongue," Anzaldua discusses the 8 languages she has picked up in her life. These include Tex-Mex, Chicano Spanish (with regional variations), Pachuco, Standard Spanish, Standard Mexican Spanish, North Mexican dialect, Standard English, and Working Class English. The order of these languages was chosen based on her personal comfort with speaking each one. In her writing, she states that Tex-Mex (Spanglish) was the language that felt most natural to her. This is followed by Chicano Spanish which she speaks most freely with Tejano Chicanos as well as with her parents and siblings. Pachuco is the language that she picked up from and talked with kids and people her age which allows for more comfort than talking to adults. Standard Spanish and Standard Mexican Spanish she learned through reading and Mamagrande locha, and from Mexican immigrants she learned north Mexican dialect. Both of these she used to talk to Mexicans. Finally, her least comfortable and strongest example of linguistic terrorism is standard and Working Class English which she learned in school, through media, and in jobs. This was her least comfortable as she was often punished for not speaking this and it was not her primary and fluent language.
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Post by Isabella Johnson on Aug 11, 2023 11:26:26 GMT -5
In the essay "How to Tame a Wild Tongue," Anzaldua lists and explains the multiple different types of languages she has picked up throughout her life. These languages include Tex-Mex, Chicano Spanish (has different regional variations), Standard Mexican Spanish, North Mexican Dialect, Pachuco, standard Spanish, standard English, and slang English. Iv'e listed these languages by how comfortable and natural they were for Anzaldua to use. Tex-Mex (Spanglish), is what language comes most naturally to her, and she uses it to communicate with her siblings. Chicanos Spanish is what she uses to communicate with her mother and older relatives. She also uses it to communicate with her sister-in-law and younger brother, who don't like to mix Spanish with English. The next two I chose were standard Mexican Spanish and North Mexican dialect. Anzaldua did not learn these languages because she had to but because she wanted to help others feel understood and comfortable while talking to her. Although not her primary languages, I put them higher on the list because she chose these languages to learn she was never forced to. Pachuco goes against both standard English and standard Spanish and is a secret language that only the younger generations understand. Although Anzaldua seems fond of this language, she admits that the lack of knowledge of this language made it impossible for her to practice it so she has lost most of her knowledge of it herself. Standard Spanish she picked up from Mexican immigrants but it didn't seem as though she chose to use it often. The last two languages on the list were learned not by choice, but out of necessity to fit in and belong. "If you want to be American, speak American. If you don't like it, go back to Mexico where you belong." Anzaldua Learned Standard English and Working class/slang English through school, media, and her jobs. English wasn't a chosen language, it was a language that Anzaldua had to speak because the white Americans were "uncomfortable" with Anzaldua speaking the language she spoke at home. She learned English more for the sake of others comfort than her own. It was confusing to her that she was punished for speaking the language of her homeland and she felt American culture was imposed upon her.
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Post by Emma Goschke on Aug 13, 2023 18:23:14 GMT -5
In "How to Tame a Wild Tongue," by Gloria Anzaldua, she explains the eight different languages she has picked up and been taught throughout her life. The languages include Tex-Mex, Standard Mexican Spanish, Chicano Spanish (with regional variations), North Mexican Dialect, Standard Spanish, Pachuco, Standard English, and Slang English. I ordered these by how comfortable she stated she was while speaking them and how naturally she was able to use them. Tex-Mex (known as Spanglish), was the language she used most and felt most comfortable speaking and called "closest to my heart", and spoke with her siblings. Next was Standard Mexican Spanish, in which she spoke with her mom, siblings, and relatives. Chicano Spanish I chose third, even though she also called this one close to her heart, and is her root language, she stated, she only spoke it a little and who she spoke it with rarely understood what she was saying. The next languages I chose were North Mexican Dialect and Standard Spanish, both of which she decided to pick up on her own because she didn't want others to feel uncomfortable and Standard Spanish she picked up from Mexican immigrants. Next I chose Pachuco, and though I think at one point she was comfortable speaking, now, due to lack of using the language, she doesn't remember much of it. Lastly, I chose Standard English and Slang English, both of which were forced on her and were great examples of Linguistic Terrorism, being taught these through school, media, and different jobs. She was taught these, while being shamed for using her home language at school, being told to "go back to Mexico where you belong," if she wanted to use the language she was most comfortable with, being confusing for her when she learned English for the comfort of others, but they wouldn't let her use the language she felt most comfortable with.
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Question 1
Aug 14, 2023 14:06:37 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by cristianvargas on Aug 14, 2023 14:06:37 GMT -5
In “How to Tame a Wild Tongue,” Gloria Anzaldúa discusses the various languages she speaks and identifies, illustrating the complexity of her cultural and linguistic identity as a Chicana. As a result of formal education and assimilation, Anzaldúa speaks and writes in standard English.Anzaldúa’s native language, a variant of Spanish spoken by Chicanos/as, reflects a blend of Mexican Spanish and the influence of English which is called Chicano Spanish. It carries cultural nuances and is a language used in everyday life, informal communication, and within the Chicano/a community. Tex-Mex, Anzaldúa refers to a mixture of English and Spanish that she often uses when speaking to other Chicanos/as. It is a code-switching language that allows for cultural understanding and serves as a means to navigate between different linguistic and cultural spaces. North Mexican Spanish dialect, Anzaldúa speaks this dialect when she visits her relatives in Mexico. It represents the traditional Spanish spoken in the region of her ancestry and reflects her connection to her ancestral roots.Working class slang/Texas English, Anzaldúa mentions her proficiency in a working-class variant of English specific to her regional upbringing in Texas. This language reflects the influence of socioeconomic factors on language use and identity. Anzaldúa speaks Standard Spanish as a result of her Mexican heritage. This language reflects the influence of colonization on the Chicano/a culture. Anzaldúa references a particular form of Spanish that is looked down upon by Mexicans from Mexico. This language represents the struggles Chicanos/as face regarding acceptance and validation of their linguistic identity.Anzaldúa’s mention of the Pachuco or Caló language reflects her connection to this subculture and its linguistic expressions. It highlights the importance of reclaiming and celebrating linguistic forms that have historically been stigmatized or derided. By acknowledging Pachuco or Caló, Anzaldúa emphasizes the diversity and resilience of the Chicano/a community, demonstrating the power of language in asserting cultural pride and resisting dominant expectations. The principle used to organize this list emphasizes the multidimensional nature of Anzaldúa’s linguistic identity, highlighting the interplay between the dominant language (English) and various versions of Spanish woven through cultural and regional influences. This list demonstrates the richness and diversity of the Chicano/a experience with language. It reflects the complex negotiation and embracing of multiple languages and cultural identities, where language becomes a tool of self-expression, resistance, and connection with different communities. Anzaldúa’s exploration of language speaks to the experiences of many Chicano/as who navigate and assert their cultural and linguistic heritage amidst dominant societal expectations.
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Post by addisen on Aug 15, 2023 16:27:33 GMT -5
In the essay "How to Tame a Wild Tongue," Gloria Anzaldua includes the several languages she speaks and is familiar with. Anzaldua mentioned 8 languages that she has experience with throughout her years, such as Tex-Mex, Standard Mexican Spanish, Chicano Spanish (with regional variations), North Mexican Dialect, Standard Spanish, Pachuco, Standard English, and Slang English.The principle I decided to sort the languages into has to do with how familiar she was speaking them. I decided to choose this principal because Anzaldua explains Where and how she learned these languages and where she grew up it was more common to speak an non-english language due to where she was raised.Tex-Mex was clostest to her heart because she grew up speaking it with her siblings. Standard Mexican Spanish was special to her because she spoke that with her mom and sliblings and relitives of the family. Third aI chose Chicano Spanish because she explains that it is her root language. Standard Spanish is next because she just decided to pick it up to have on hand. Next I chose Pachuco because she is not very confortable with this language anymore. Lastly I chose Standard and slang English because it was taught in school to get rid of her accent. She was punished by using this language and she was confused by it.
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Post by maya Alvarez on Aug 20, 2023 16:58:06 GMT -5
From the essay,"How to Tame a Wild Tongue," author Gloria Anzaldua already struggles with identity as a Chicana living in the USA, especially with its linguistic adversities. Throughout her life and time near the US/Mexico border, she has picked up different "languages" such as: Standard English, Working class and slang English, Standard Mexican Spanish, North Mexican Spanish, Chicano Spanish, Pachuco, and Tex-Mex. These have been listed in order of how much hardship each has caused in Anzaldua's life and experience as a Chicana. Both, Standard English and Working Class English languages are forced upon Chicanos in school. When they are not spoken, there is punishment and shame. Pressure, stemming from parents who dream of their child being successful in their new homes, want them to speak like an American with no accent. Standard Mexican Spanish as well as the Northern Dialect of Mexican Spanish, is what Mexican parents, relatives, neighbors, speak at home. Spanish is the mother-tongue of Mexico. But when spoken in America there are punishments, such as three licks on the knuckles from a sharp ruler. Because according to Anzaldua's Anglo Teacher, you must speak English in order to be American. Chicano Spanish and Pachuco languages are very slang-like, informal Spanglish. They have unique words mixed from Spanish & English such as "machina de lavar" for lavadora. Or they change letters in words, for example, tortilla and botella become "tortiya and botea". Although, using this language can be looked down upon. Especially by other Chicanos. This is due to the constant terrorizing making people believe it is a poor language. That it is illegitimate; and when spoken to another Chicano, they feel shame. Finally, Tex-Mex is the language most comfortable because it is unique to Anzaldua's upbringing. Being from the valley in South Texas, Tex- Mex is spoken with family like her sister Nune. Tex-Mex does not get near the amount of the backlash as the others do, but still it can make others uncomfortable if they are not familiar with it, or are from Texas.
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Post by Lily Longtin on Aug 21, 2023 19:25:56 GMT -5
In the essay "How to Tame a Wild Tongue," Gloria Anzaldua had many struggles with language and identity as a Chicana living in Texas on the border of the US and Mexico. She discusses the eight different languages she has picked up throughout her life, Tex-Mex, Chicano Spanish, Pachuco, standard Mexican Spanish, North Mexican Spanish dialect, standard English, and working class and slang English. These languages are ordered in the principle of comfort-ability for Anzaldua speaking each one. Tex-Mex and Chicano Spanish are at the top of the list, she grew up speaking these and they seem to be similar. She explained that she typically used Tex-Mex to communicate with friends while she used Chicano Spanish to communicate with family and elders. Tex-Mex was the language that comes most naturally to her as it mixes both Spanish and English. She used Pachuco to communicate with her peers as it was typically only used in the younger generations, although she acknowledged that she has lost most of the language due to lack of practice she describes that this was on of her "home tongues." She learned standard Mexican Spanish and North Mexican Spanish dialects in order to be able to communicate with more people she came across. I put Standard English next because she had to learn English purely to fit in and make others comfortable. English is one of the hardest languages to learn as it is, all the new slang that comes along in the English language is difficult for someone who has known English their whole life to understand, thats why working class and slang english is at the end of the list.
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Post by JaNyiah Lawler on Aug 21, 2023 19:46:46 GMT -5
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Post by JaNyiah Lawler on Aug 21, 2023 20:12:28 GMT -5
In the essay "How To Tame a Wild Tongue", Gloria Anzaldua details her struggle growing up on the Mexican-American border and explains the variety of English and Spanish dialects she as a Chicana has learned throughout her lifetime and adapted to use in specific circumstances, depending on who she's speaking with. These languages/dialects are Standard English, Working class English, Standard Spanish, Standard Mexican Spanish, North Mexican Spanish dialect, Chicano Spanish with multiple regional variations, Tex-Mex, and Pachuco, also called calo. These languages are listed based on the principle of their levels of acceptability in the Anglo-American world. The dialects towards the bottom of the list are a sort of rebellion against the standard English and Spanish languages, adapted and changed to fit the level of comfortability Chicanos have amongst each other. The languages at the top of the list are those that Chicanos have been forced to become familiar with to fit into a Western society, seen as more proper and tolerable to a wider audience. Chicanos grow up with their language a part of their identity, and for society to tell them their language was inferior was to tell them that their identity was as well. The Chicano experience with English and standard Spanish dialects is not a positive one, being forced to fit in with "normal" Americans. Anzaluda's "home languages", the ones she are comfortable and familiar with and that she uses with her friends, family, and peers, are Chicano Spanish and Tex-Mex, with specific slang terms only people who know the dialect would understand. Pachuco, probably the most niche of the languages, is sort of a secret language between Chicano youth, but one that the author herself has mostly lost because of a lack of people to speak it with. Chicanos have been made to feel incorrect for using their languages, and with Spanish and its dialects being seen as less important or proper as other European languages taught in schools, there is a struggle to make sure they're not forgotten or erased.
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Post by stephanie1garcia on Aug 27, 2023 18:06:22 GMT -5
In "How to Tame a Wild Tongue" Anzaldúa speaks 8 different variations of two languages. Pachuco, Tex-Mex, Chicano Spanish, North Mexican Spanish dialect, standard Mexican Spanish, standard Spanish, working class and slang English, and Standard English. The principle that these were listed in was based of the way Anzaldúa felt about speaking the languages and how she felt about them, Standard English being the one she least likes, and does not feel that comfortable speaking in. The 1st two are the ones she feels are the most comfortable speaking and they are closest to her heart. The 1st five are the ones she speaks with her siblings and are her "home" tongues. Chicano/a have gone through some things when they speak Chicano Spanish, mainly due to them having different vowels from standard Spanish. Chicano Spanish was mainly raised in the lower states by the border of Mexico. Chicano Spanish can be described as a mixture of Spanish and English together.
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Post by Kelly Garcia on Aug 30, 2023 19:53:07 GMT -5
In the essay “ How to tame a wild tongue” by Gloria Anzaldua, I choose an order based on the importance of what her mother believes which language is most important to speak. The start of my list is Standard English, Working-class/slang English, Chicano Texas Spanish, Standard Mexican Spanish,Standard Spanish, Tex-Mex, North Mexican Spanish dialect, and Pachuco. Standard English is placed on top because in the text her mother said “What is all of your education worth if you still speak English with an accent.” When growing up it was always important for her to speak English well because she wanted to find a good job so she would have to know how to speak English well. In the late or mid-1900s, it would be common for Chicanos to not speak their native language. When she was in college she was required to take speech classes to get rid of their accents. Then as later on Chicanos overcame their silence as they finally sounded out to know who they were and to be able to find their identity. Then I placed Pachuco at the bottom because the language is a rebellion of both standard English and Spanish, which adults cannot understand.
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