Jessica Smith
English 1100
August 31, 2015
Prof. Young

How to Tame a Wild Tongue Responses

1. The opening of the scene of Anzaldua in the dentist chair connects to the overall point of the essay. The opening talks about how the dentist is telling her to have control over her tongue. Then throughout the rest of the essay, different teachers and people tell her to control how and what she says, relating to the dentist when he says to control the tongue. 

2. Anzaldua uses Spanish throughout the essay frequently. In my opinion, the words and phrases seemed to be randomly placed. However, after she explained the Spanish words with a following English definition, it did make sense. The reason she added the words and phrases in Spanish was to prove the fact she had a "loose tongue," or would say whatever she wanted without a filter. 

3.  Academic English can be defined as Standard Spanish because Standard Spanish and Academic English are both formal forms of the language. On the other hand, Chicano Spanish can also be described as nonstandard English because both of those forms are the conformal versions or "slang." If you were to create conclusions from someone's nonstandard/standard English, you are able to infer that maybe they are more carefree rather than someone who speaks standard English. For example, Anzaldua speaks spanglish because it is what she's comfortable with. She ignores other people when they try to correct her simply because she rather stay true to her own identity than please other people.

4. Speaking and writing in academic english is an identity because it is part of a person's culture. If they grew up learning how to read, write and speak academic english, then it a part of a person's identity and lifestyle. 

    
5. Different types of English identities I can describe would be slang words I've used and heard overtime. For example, moving into college this passed week I was able to learn and adapt new words from different people. Those who were from North Jersey would say "shore" or "taylor ham," while I'm used to saying "beach" and "pork roll."

6.  Yes, I use a secret language with my friends. It's considered to be more slang words than an actual language but we use the words frequently. For instance, 'banging' is another word for good. So my friends and I would say, "my day was too banging" meaning my day was too good. I consider this to be a secret language because older generations such as my parents and grandparents don't know what it means when I say it.

7.  When speaking to my friends, I would say I speak more nonstandard English than standard. I tend to say words that are slang and I also don't speak as clear when I'm around my friends. Around my mother however, I would still say I speak nonstandard English because some things I say still aren't clear or proper, though I do filter what I say around her in comparison to being around my friends. When I'm around my professors I would say I speak Standard English simply for the fact that I don't want them to think I'm disrespectful in anyway. I can talk to my friends and family in nonstandard because they know me well enough to understand that I'm not being rude or silly, when my professor on the other hand may not know me as well.

8.  When the author says "I am my language," she is saying how her language is a part of her culture which can branch off into identity. This connects to identity because language is part of what makes up a person, like Anzaldua, along with culture, clothing, ethnic background, etc.

9. The beginning of the text describes what the text is going to be about. It describes how Anzaldua lives a life where she speaks both English and Spanish but can only use them in certain times. Also it talks about how people have shared her childhood experiences, making her an influential character for those in her similar lifestyle. In the conclusion of the text, the author talk about how the different races have given up their "tongue," which disappoints her. Like in the beginning of the text, she is an influence because she stayed true to herself and kept her tongue as a part of her identity, unlike other cultures she describes in the end.

10. The language I speak can be a part of my identity. In the United States there is a wide range of different languages, although English is the first language. However, I still consider the language I speak to be a part of my identity because not everyone in the United States speaks English as I do.

11. In my opinion, identity isn't that important. I feel as though it is important to be true to yourself, however I wouldn't go out of my way to say so, as Anzaldua does. Anzaldua says in the text, ".. I am my language." With that being said, she is very passionate about the language she speaks because she considers it to be a part of her identity.