In the first reading, How to Take a Wild Tongue by Gloria Anzaldúa, the author writes about her struggles in language speaking as a Hispanic woman speaking multiple dialects, some only accepted within a certain region or among a certain group of people. She grew up being told to speak the American language of English and was scolded for speaking Spanish. Then, as an adult teaching High School students, she was reprimanded for teaching students Chicano literature. She stated that her language is her identity, therefore, if her language is illegitimate, then she cannot accept the legitimacy of herself.

The second reading by Gloria Naylor titled The Meanings of a Word uses the word “nigger” as an example of how a word used in writing can have multiple meanings compared to when it is spoken based on the person speaking, the tone, and the context. While spoken by a non-black person, the word has a strong derogatory meaning signifying worthlessness. However, the black community has turned the meaning of the word around to symbolize the complexity of themselves as human beings. Varying based on who the word are spoken by, the word could mean strength in some cases and complimenting in other ways.

From The Meanings of a Word I now understand why people within a black community frequently use the word “nigger”, but when said by a non-black is extremely offensive. Thinking closesly, I now recall many instances in which words could have completely opposing meaning based upon context and the speaker.

How to Tame a Wild Tongue Summary

In the text “How to Tame a Wild Tongue,” Gloria Anzaldua talks about how she had to tame down her native language just because it was considered “illegitimate.” Since she was a Chicano, a term used for Mexican-Americans, she spoke Chicano-Spanish. Referring herself as a Chicano meant that people would just look down upon her as she spoke a language that had no real heritage. In a sense, they were orphans. This criticism started to affect their self-esteem as Chicano people. Even in their own discourse communities, they refrained from interacting with each other. The author explains the reason behind this as the interaction was seen nothing but a self-reflecting mirror that shows them their weakness and flaws. Although as the text progresses, authors attitude changes. She becomes more optimistic for the future of her people and how this identity that proves to be the reason behind all the discrimination will one day be the reason behind their unity and survival.

 

The Meaning of a Word Summary

The text “The Meanings of a Word,” by Gloria Naylor, explains how there’s a nuance of the meaning of a single word that can be defined as a notion of pride to an expression of insult. Naylor takes her readers on the journey of how she came to know about this reality. She narrates that she belonged to a black household where the word “nigger” was used to refer to smartness, impeccability, and dignity. But she never knew that beyond the walls of her house, the word meant something completely different. And Naylor learned this the hard way. Unlike the word’s positive connotations the author was familiar with, it wasn’t until one of her classmates brought her to light and made her understand that the word “nigger” is actually a very discriminating and degrading remark.

 

Response

One similarity amongst both texts was that both the authors had similar experiences; they were both, in one way or the other, discriminated. The only difference was that Anzaldua was raised completely aware of this injustice while Naylor came to know about this when she was in third grade. Also, what seems to be a constant factor in both texts was that their primary focus was on the impact the use of certain language had on them. They were never physically abused but still, the words that were used to describe them were good enough to leave them with a low self-esteem.

The first reading entitled How to Tame a Wild Tongue by Gloria Anzaldua goes into detail about moments and realizations that led her to grow defiant against cultural assimilation in not only the US but in Latino, Mexican, and other Spanish speaking communities in the places she lived and grew up in.  Anzaldua seemed to grow more and more passionate about her Chicana heritage as she continued to face censorship from her own people, and had a chip on her shoulder about being shut down at times for speaking the way she naturally did.  As the reading progresses Anzaldua sheds light on the discrimination she and other Chicana come across — sometimes among themselves — and how it only strengthens her deep bond to the language.  She cites an ongoing struggle for identity, yet hopes that one day such struggle will cease, and hammers the point home by saying that the mestizos and mestizas  will remain.

The second and final text, The Meanings of a Word, explores the experiences of a young Gloria Naylor with the word “nigger”.  We can infer from the title alone that a word (which we learn refers to the n-word) can have many different meanings, and it certainly did to Naylor.  Around the house it was used for a completely different effect, and had positive connotations to intelligence, pride, and solidarity.  Despite this, there were times when it was used in a worse way, and the writer was not unfamiliar to the word’s use in such a way; however, it wasn’t until a fellow classmate used it to humiliate her when Naylor discovered that she was in the dark.

Response:

I am reminded of the popular expression “ignorance is bliss”.  Within their own circles and communities, both Anzaldua and Naylor (both Gloria, what do you know!) had their fair shares of ups and downs concerning their respective languages, yet were overall self-regulating and somewhat pure.  It seemingly wasn’t until an outside perspective began imposing themselves unto the two writers that they began to think differently and question some things that they never really thought had much depth.

How to Tame a Wild Tongue

The author speaks of her experience with taming her wild tongue and how she was forced to change the language she spoke to American. She writes of how they tried to get rid of the Spanish accent as a whole. It is also said that in her culture talking too much was also looked down upon. Good girls should not talk too much because they would be known as the gossip or known for committing a sin. It is also said that gender played a large role in her fight against language. Language was known as a male discourse and should only be conformed by the female. The author was also discriminated against and treated differently by her fellow Latinos who treated her badly for not speaking purely Spanish. She also mentions that the Chicanos created their own language of Spanish called Chicano Spanish which they did to identify as a distinct group. It is also because of the stereotype of a poor and illegitimate language that others in the community associate with the Chicanos that they consider their language as a bastard one. This diminishes the community’s sense of self and forces them to change.

If Black English Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is

The piece states that language is affected by society and the environment it is involved in. Language is affected and changed by the person it is spoken by and the circumstances it is used in. It is only made official when it is accepted by a large population and thus put into use. Language is a political instrument and proof of power because it reveals identity and status. The terms using ‘black’ refer to those metaphors or other phrases used to represent different things that only other ‘blacks’ would understand. Black English began with the slaves as a form of communication that the ‘whites’ could never understand. They also realized over time that they would not be accepted by the ‘whites’ because even without language it was the experience that showed them the different treatment.

Response

In Anzaldua’s piece she explains through examples that the way her wild tongue was tamed was from the stereotypes about her language which made her lose confidence in herself. I found this to be the main point of the article which also answers the question that the question poses. Naylor’s piece relates to the new languages that the modern society created using emojis and text along with social media as well as images. It also reminds me of the new ways that the upcoming generation is speaking in terms of texting shortcuts used in verbal communication. The use of the word ‘Jazz’ surprised me as it has a sexual meaning, however, it was changed by the ‘whites’ into a musical age.

“How to tame a wild tongue” summary and response:

Gloria Anzaldua writes about the taming of her “tongue” throughout her life and the constraints that are put upon an individual’s form of language in society. She introduces this idea with a story about being at the dentist and a Ray Gwyn Smith quote, “Who is to say that robbing a people of its language is less violent than war?” Anzaldua describes her experience at Pan American University and how even having an accent while speaking English was looked at as a bad thing. She even brings up the gender discourse between in language and how the Spanish language has many plural nouns described under masculine vowels. She breaks down the complexities of the different languages into seven “tongues”, from standard English to English slang, standard Spanish, etc. In the section about Chicano Spanish, Anzaldua talks about the different forms of speech in one language, how Chicano is considered the “poor Spanish”, and coins the idea behind this term as linguistic terrorism. I find it interesting how this writing was written in 1987 and is still very relatable in the present.

 

“The meaning of a word” summary and response:

Gloria Naylor focuses on the meaning of the n-word and what it meant to her when she first heard it. She begins this writing by claiming that writing is inferior to spoken words and that at the end of the day, a language is just a bunch of nonsensical sounds that we give meaning. With this in mind, Naylor tells her point of view of how she first came to understand the n-word, describing the gender associations that come along with the n-word and how it’s used. In her conclusion, Naylor states that perhaps she was present when the n-word was said before but she only truly heard it in third grade when it was used to humiliate her. Both Naylor and Anzaldua mention the plurals of certain words and their assignment to gender. They both bring up the idea of language being “a male discourse” (pg.143) in a sense.

How to Tame a Wild Tongue

The passage focuses on the conflicts of a Spanish-American where in an American society, English was the only accepted language to speak in. Anzaldua mentions the term, “Chicano”, which is used to describe those of Latina decent, and live in America. The Chicano had to take two different language classes, so that they would speak with the correct languages, in both English and in Spanish. They were criticized for speaking the opposing language, and weren’t accepted by their discourse communities. For speaking Spanish, they were considered as Mexicans, and when speaking English they are considered as traitors for embracing the English language. However despite this, the Chicano find ways to deal and accept their differences, creating their own discourse community as well.  They had developed their own language, where there is a merge of aspects from English into many Spanish terms. In many music produced, the ideas that they embrace are of those that resolves this conflict of language being a persons’s identity. Music, along with several other ways were outlets for Chicanos to find confidence in being different. Anzaldua emphasizes the importance of language, as to him it is a way of identifying himself. The Chicano language was considered by many native Spanish speakers as a poor version of the Spanish language which discourages many Chicano. However Anzadula retaliates, and states that despite how much they criticize their language, the Chicano are strong and can take the criticism. There is pride within the Chicano, as they have pride in their new separate communities and embrace their differences.

The Meanings of a Word

Naylor describes the conflict of a word and it’s meaning, as it’s original meaning is altered due to changes within society. The term that she talks about in particular is “nigger”, which in general is used to describe on of African American decent. However, throughout it’s history the term is often used by Caucasians, especially within the Americas, as a way to criticize African Americans by their race. Now a days it is still a term that is used to describe those of African American backgrounds, however it has been a way to describe them in a less insulting way. The term can be used to describe one’s or a group’s unruly actions, which was a reflection of what type of men that they were. The term, as Naylor saw it, was one that was based upon men and was only used to describe men of this ethnicity. The problem that Naylor has with this is a word with racist backgrounds, and although that racist meaning is slowly dying out due to changes where it becomes a norm to call someone a “nigger”. It might not be considered as an offensive term to describe those of African decent within the future, however the backgrounds of it wouldn’t be able come to light. It in ways, was a method to forgive the past actions of racism towards African Americans and with the loss of the meaning, it allows racists to be forgiven as that word would no longer be considered as offensive.

How to Tame a Wild Tongue

Here, Gloria Anzaldúa talks about her struggles with using Chicano Spanish. It was a language that was made for people who weren’t Spanish and didn’t live in an area where Spanish was the dominant language. Due to how it was never fully Spanish and seen as an “illegitimate language”, many Chicanos were often criticized for using it and were often told to use Spanish or English instead. As a result, she and many other Chicanos learned different languages to try and fit in different discourse groups. However, they were still able to keep Chicano Spanish alive by continuing to use it in their discourse group and in different forms of media. They soon gained recognition, but the fight for their identity still continues.

The Meanings of a Word

Like a picture, a single word can have different meanings. Gloria Naylor talks about how people can assign different definitions to a word by giving examples of how the word, “nigger” is perceived in different ways. To a non-African school boy, it was a derogatory term for Africans. However, within her own family, its meaning changed to fit the situation: “nigger” was used to describe a successful man; “my nigger” was used by females to show their affection towards their special one; and “niggers” was used in conversations that were about indecent groups of people. Therefore, it is important to know what certain words mean to different groups of people, as your own definitions may not be the same as someone else’s.

How to Tame a Wild Tongue

In “How to Tame a Wild Tongue”, author Gloria Anzaluda discusses the struggles she faced growing up as a Hispanic person in America speaking her own language: Chicano Spanish. Anzaluda describes Chicano Spanish as a language not quite like traditional Spanish due to mixing with other Anglo languages. Chicano Spanish was never considered to be a “real” language. Traditional Spanish-speakers would usually not understand it. Chicanos internalize the belief their version of Spanish is illegitimate and “bad.” Anzaluda was often embarrassed to speak it to Latinas and Chicanas alike. She looked down on it since others did too, both Spanish-speakers and English-speakers. This changed in the 1960s when Anzaluda read her first Chicano novel, City of Night by John Rechy. She was later exposed to more Chicano literature, and that was when she realized Chicanos existed as a people. Given a sense of belonging, she found herself a discourse and started to appreciate her language and overall culture as part of her identity.

The Meanings of a Word

In her writing “The Meanings of a Word” Gloria Naylor firstly discusses language and its power in the world. Overall, words are just symbols arranged in some nonsensical order. It is the consensus that gives it power or any sort of meaning. She then tells the story of a time she was confused by being called a “nigger” in grade school. She wasn’t sure what the word meant, only that it was meant to be an insult. However, she remembered in conversations among her parents, aunts, uncles and several neighbors how the word “nigger” was used. The word was usually used to signify a man of strength, drive, or intelligence.

Response

Language has a lot of power in the world, but that power is assigned by those using it. The community from which words come from have a deep affect on the overall meaning of them. Discourse communities can center around anything and develop their own traits and languages. These communities can choose to be embarrassed or proud of themselves, and their language can be used to uplift or humiliate. It’s all up to the people using language to assign it any power.

How to Tame a Wild Tongue Summary and Response

Author Gloria Anzaldúa begins with an anecdote that implies she is unwilling to comply with standards in America. As a person who relies strongly on her Spanish culture, she explains her frustration with the demands of “speaking only English because she is in America.” On the other hand, traditional Spanish people are angry with her and others for changing the native tongue to Chicano-Spanish. This adaptation of language is natural, if we refer back to Seth Grave’s Language, Discourse, and Literacy. Chicano Spanish was created so the generations of people with Spanish backgrounds could have a voice and belong to their own discourse community. I think that the ability to go against common standards, regardless of judgment from other people, is a strong element in today’s society

The Meanings of a Word Summary and Response 

Gloria Naylor talks about how critical the way one interprets language in the spoken word is. Naylor gives the example of the word “nigger”. She tells the story of how “nigger” was used in a negative connotation in the classroom by her classmate. She then tells a different story of how her family uses the word as a sign of strength and intelligence. Whether the word is referring to worthlessness or strength, I find it interesting that one word can mean drastically different things in different contexts.

How to Tame a Wild Tongue 

In this text, Anzaldua writes of the language that is part of her identity – Chicano Spanish. She grew up believing that her language was illegitimate, “poor” Spanish because of how different it is from the dominant “proper” Spanish. As a result of the degradation of her language through culture, she was not only embarrassed to speak to Latinas but also to fellow Chicanas. Until Anzaldua read Chicana novels or saw Chicana movies, she wasn’t able to accept her language as well as her identity as legitimate. This example of cultural prejudice towards a language that’s “improper” is very similar to the one in Amy Tan’s Mother Tongue, where Tan’s mother would have a difficult time communicating with English speakers with her variation of the language, “broken English.”

The Meanings of a Word

In this text, Naylor writes about words and where their meanings and power comes from. She claims that words are nothing but senseless arrangements of letters. Their meanings and power are assigned by the people and cultures using them. Naylor gives the example of the word “nigger,” which she first heard used in a derogatory way against her. However, she later heard the word used with many other intended meanings within the community she grew up in. By integrating a word that whites used to degrade blacks into their daily conversations, the black community was able to nullify its intended meaning and remove any effect it could possibly have on their lives.