Using a 'Mother Tongue' Version of English by Amy Tan (Essay Sample)

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Using a “Mother Tongue” Version of English by Amy Tan
In the short story “Mother Tongue,” Amy Tan argues that the language people use depends on the context usage and the target audience. Speaking of her mother’s use of English, Tamy says of language as a product of the speaker’s purpose and understanding of the context, rather than a reflection of one’s competence in the language. For instance, Tamy’s mother uses simple and imperfect English when talking to other family members, and different- presumably standard English- when conversing with her stock broker. The fact that she reads and understands Wall Street Journals, Forbes magazine and novels by Shirley MacLaine (Tan 139) demonstrates her mastery of English beyond what her casual family conversations reveal.
I agree with Tamy’s view that we use language according to our understanding of the context of usage and the target audience. Drawing from my own experience, the English I use at home is not the same English I use in school, or when writing exams. At home, I use language unconsciously, without caring about my placing of subjects, tense, and subject-verb agreement. For instance, I can say at dinner “pass salt,” and the recipient of the message will perfectly understand and respond to my request. The reason why I use this “mother tongue” version of English is because the aim of usage is to communicate with people who also understand the context of my using it. In such cases, I, as I believe do many others, tend to be economical with words, using only what is essential to convey a message. In the case above, I want the salt, and the phrase “pass salt” is enough to convey that idea to the person seated next to me. Tan’s declaration from the onset of her story that “I am not a scholar of English or literature… I am a writer” (Tan 138) underscores the argument that language usage is not about adhering to grammar rules, but using it as a tool to communicate. It is scholars of a language who dissects and analyzes sentences to determine their structure and grammar. For users of language like Tan and most of us, we often deviate from Standard English to suit the needs of the context. This is often for practical reasons. As a non-native speaker, most of my friends and relatives understand only what is essential to communicate. When talking to them, I use a watered down version of English to make conversation easier. Thus, instead of burdening them with “I have developed a strong interest in feminist literature,” I would simply say “I love books about women issues.”
If I were to convey the same idea in class or in a formal setting, I certainly will be conscious of all the grammar rules in sentence construction. Thus, instead of the rudimentary form “pass salt,” I would say, “Pass me the salt, please.” Considering these two examples, it is evident, as Tamy argues, that we construct our own mother tongue when using language in informal contexts by skipping what we deem to be unimportant in communicating an idea, such as the subject “me “and the article “the” because the person understands that he/she should pass the salt to me, the speaker, and not anyone else. The speaker in most informal settings often violate grammar rules unconsciously because they are consciously aware that the context of language usage does not require them to adhere to every rule. I reckon that this attitude applies to many of us when at home talking to other family members, or even in school when talking to friends and classmates out of class. The confidence we develop to allow us violate grammar rules stems...