Amy Tan’s argument is that languages have a role in shaping our identities, which we can all attest too. For  She carries out her argument by recounting past instances of strong connections with language. She first started by comparing the view of sociologists and refuting it with her own theories. Instead of developing skills from your peers, you develop your language at home. This is true, even more so for immigrant families who’s native language is not English. The foreign language learned at home is more effective because it is what your are grown up with and accustomed to. The  title “Mother Tongue” perfectly complements her theory of the home language being as the better agent of socialization. The language that first seeps into into your identity is the language of your parents, your first ever language or “mother tongue.”

I would argue that her piece was not written for her mother specifically, but to all that has belittled non-native english speakers. She wants those people to no longer belie non-native english speakers and not feel prejudiced. Tan herself wrote “I believed her English reflected the quality of what she had to say. That is, because she expressed them imperfectly her thoughts were imperfect.” She herself is looking down upon these non-native english speakers, so this piece is written for her as well. Personally, I have done what she cautions against. I had a foreign classmate, and when he spoke it was with limited English, so my perception was that his thoughts were limited and he was unintelligent. My mistake was interpreting his limited English as limited knowledge. But only his English was limited, not his knowledge.

Tan divides English into two categories;simple, broken, and watered down. Each with different levels of English proficiency. I’ve had my own experiences with various Englishes. At home, my parents are so bad at English, it’s pointless to communicate with them without our “mother tongue.” But with my brothers, I would say we speak simple english. More casual and easy to comprehend. At school with academics, I speak in a more formal setting. At the end of the day, they are all different forms of English.