How to Tame a Wild Tongue/Mother Tongue Essay

What’s makes someone an American? Am I more American because my skin is white and I speak perfect English? Or am I more American because my family immigrated here 100 years earlier than most? Our country is a melting pot of different races, backgrounds and beliefs. Two women, who are the children of immigrants, share their stories of growing up in America. The first is Gloria Anzaldua, a Chicana who grew up in South Texas. The first chapter of her book, Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza is titled â€Å"How to Tame a Wild Tongue†. She describes life as a young woman who is too Spanish for Americans and too American for Spanish. The second is Amy Tan, a daughter of immigrants who fled China in the 1940s. In her essay â€Å"Mother Tongue† she recalls growing up with a Mother who could not speak perfect English. While these women are from two different backgrounds, their experiences with languages are the same. Both women have expressed the idea that language used with family, the educational system and society shape us as individuals. When a person is at home, surrounded by those who are nearest and dearest to them, they let their guard down. The languages we speak around our families are often different from the ones we use in the professional world. Tan states this opinion in her essay; she remembers a time when she was conscious of the English she was using around her mother. She was walking down the street with her mother and using the English that she did not use around her mother. She also states that this is the same type of English she uses with her husband. She writes that this type of language â€Å"has become our language of intimacy, a different sort of English that relates to family talk, the language I grew up with.† (Tan, page 143) Anzaldua has a similar opinion when it comes to the language of our family; she writes â€Å"My â€Å"home† tongues are the languages I speak with my sister and brothers, with my friends.†(Anzaldua, page 134) Her type of language is a considered a subcategory of Spanish, called Chicano Spanish. Anzaldua also explains that in her culture she had to learn different dialects of Spanish, according to region that person was from. These two women played chameleon with their languages, blending in perfectly with their surroundings, wearing a mask to the world until they were home. At home, they were safe to use the language they grew up using without fear of judgment. â€Å"To get a good job, you need to speak English well. What’s the use of all your education if you speak English with an accent?† (Anzaldua, page 132) Anzaldua grew up with the idea that her imperfect English would limit her opportunities, even with an education. When she became a high school teacher, she was reprimanded for giving her students literature by Chicanos. Tan’s educational experiences were somewhat different than Anzaldua. Her limitations were set by test scores in English and Math. Tan writes that her English scores â€Å"were not good enough to override the opinion that my true abilities lay in math and science, because in those areas I achieved A’s and scored in the ninetieth percentile or higher.† (Tan, page 145) While both women felt limited in their educational world, they both found a love for writing. They both became a voice for their people. One thing that shapes a person’s perspective of themselves is how their society views them. Tan, at a young age, would often have to speak for her mother. Her mother’s English was view as â€Å"broken† or â€Å"limited† by society. This had a profound effect on how Tan viewed her mother’s English; she writes â€Å"because she expressed them imperfectly her thoughts were imperfect.† (Tan, page 144) Anzaldua’s Chicano Spanish was viewed as â€Å"poor Spanish† by society. â€Å"If a person, Chicana or Latina, has a low estimation of my native tongue, she also has a low estimation of me.† (Anzaldua, page 136) Society, the community in which these women lived, has looked down on the English that they speak. Both women feel that their language is â€Å"poor†, â€Å"broken†, or â€Å"limited† by society’s standards. Gloria Anzaldua and Amy Tan were raised in two different cultures, with two different types of English. They grew up in families that spoke with accents and different dialects. Both women navigated their way through the educational system, which was not designed with them in mind. They were also viewed by their communities as being limited because their home language was not the standard. These two women also fought the system that wished to limit their voices. They became writers, they wrote their stories of how their language, for better or worse shaped who they were.

Article Review Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Article Review - Term Paper Example Health related issues are under constant research and scrutiny. In order to present a point of view regarding health it is imperative to present it with proper data. Many articles are published in different journals, magazines and newspapers regarding health. It is difficult to keep track of all and it is equally difficult for the writers to get the attention of the readers. In order to be a good article it is necessary for the writer to present facts and figure in as simple language as possible. The article under review was authored by Peter P. Egeghy, Rogelio Tornero-Velez, and Stephen M. Rappaport, who are part of the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering at the School of Public Health, University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. The study, entitled â€Å"Environmental and Biological Monitoring of Benzene during Self-Service Automobile Refueling†, was an attempt to quantify benzene exposure and uptake in the general public. The purpose of the article i s to create awareness among the people regarding Benzene exposure. It is a serious public health concern but the data regarding the health hazards are not available. It is also an attempt to educate the people how to avoid exposure to Benzene. The writers have presented their arguments in logical sequence. They are able to support their arguments with facts and figures. In order to obtain these facts the authors have adopted the self-administered monitoring technique. First of all they have discussed the amount of Benzene and its source. After this they have discussed about the effects of Benzene and how people are exposed to it. They have selected people most exposed to the Benzene and provided them with kits for collection of data. The details of the kit are given in order to make the study authentic and reliable. The writers have also compared the kits used in the study with other kits. They have conducted their study during July 1998 and March 1999 and samples were collected in three different seasons excluding winter season. The details about the subjects are also given in order to make the study more reliable and trustworthy. For making data more reliable the repeated measurements were taken. The process of conditioning the data and analysis are mentioned in detail. This detail includes the usage of different procedures and different apparatuses at different levels. This detail is supported by giving data in tables and charts. These details are helpful for experts and students. They also give authentication to the study. Form this writers come to the result obtained after the procedures adopted. First they give the sampling rate of Benzene in passive monitors used during the kit. Then they have given the detail of CO2 content in breath samples. The writers have also shown the data for the stability of the samples and the concentration level. After this the writers have mentioned about the variations among subjects and within subject. This is followed by the quantity of Benzene in breath and Benzene exposure. This is followed by the evaluation and estimate of the study by the writers. Under the heading of discussion the writers have discussed different aspects of their study and compared it with other conventional studies. They have acknowledged the fact that their study was simple but remarkably the results they have found are very close to other studies conducted. This portion is important as here the writers have

Hum M3 meka Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Hum M3 meka - Essay Example Besides the internal factors, there exist external influences such as culture, peer groups, career interest and living standards that contribute to the emotional status of an individual (Burns 11). Cognitive concept assesses the significance of thoughts and beliefs in shaping the behavior and values of an individual. Values are the ethical codes that define rational articulation of one’s ideas or deeds. Values aids in understanding why and how people behave as they do in specific situations. The integration of expectations, goals, values, and links to cognitive and behavioral competencies are crucial in assessing the emotional differences between man and animals. Social reputation and identity is comprised of previous actions, perceived responses from people and expected future behaviors. Norms and customs are internalized into habits, preferences, and expectations that are generalized across common situations in a human being’s life. From the assessment results, it is clear that an individual uses his or her cognitive component to assess various situations. This helps in developing solutions and responses to queries based on one’s reasoning. Emotional asp ect also takes a critical role in influencing the responses and self esteem (Branden

Global warming Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Global warming - Research Paper Example Global warming is the buzzword echoing around the world. Global warming is a topic which finds its place in the news headlines, on TV, every alternate day. Global Warming is an overall augmentation in the surface temperature of the planet consequently leading to climatic changes. These changes are owing to heat ensnared by various green house gases encompassing carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, CFCs and ozone. This has lead to various repercussions such as increased flooding, hot summers, rise in diseases, etc, etc. However, the other perspective is, it might not be as serious an issue as believed to be. There has not been sufficient evidence to prove the direct link of global warming with natural calamities. So, this paper will discuss both the pros and cons of this global warming argument. Background The "Greenhouse Effect" is entirely a natural process which takes place on an everyday basis. However, the trouble only begins, when there are heightened emissions from man creat ed industries and other automobile forms, generating amounts of carbon dioxide which are far higher than the permissible levels. The list of greenhouse gases includes water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, ozone and nitrous oxide. ... They contribute to more than 20% of the carbon dioxide emission in the atmosphere, a contribution is far more then the contribution by vehicles. Deforestation is also on rise to create space for these set ups and to procure fuel by burning wood, again contributing to Global Warming. The trouble happens when the large scale combustion of fossil fuels happen everyday in the industries and in automobiles, and results in generating high amounts of the main GHG, carbon dioxide. The level of the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has shown an uphill path, again due to human initiated industrialization. â€Å"Humans have been modifying the environment through processes associated with industrialization...One of the most important results of these activities has been increased emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2)† (Berliner 32). Cons of Global Warming Sceptics consider global warming as a myth, a fantasy or a Western agenda, but they might have no answer for the various nat ural calamities all over the world particularly the floods in Australia or the frequent droughts in any other parts of the world. The effects of global warming are tremendous as well as very hazardous. One of the first things we may probably notice is the fluctuation of extreme weather conditions. Very hot summers and extremely cold and chilly winters are its first indication. The effects and the resultant damages of global warming were what that concerns the people. It is taking its toll on the polar ice caps, in the form of a sudden meltdown, with the glaciers in the Arctic region disappearing at much a faster rate. â€Å"The Arctic is warming at twice the rate of the rest of the world and the sea ice

Respond to classmate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Respond to classmate - Essay Example Next to be considered is conciseness. When communicating, be sure you are not beating around the bush. Be direct and to the point while communicating. Following conciseness is consideration. Be aware who needs the information and consider all those who need to know. When considering your communication you need to be concrete and use specific facts and figures along with clarity so those you are communicating with will have no possible confusion. Lastly, Courteous and correctness go hand in hand. As a communicator you should be courteous of the listener and uses correct language and also in messaging use correct grammar, punctuation, spelling, and accurate facts and figures. Using these seven C’s can guide and promote effective communication in the workplace.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In my workplace, communication is a must. As a Title one paraprofessional, I am working with several teachers to help those struggling students to improve in reading, writing, and arithmetic. If I was given the students and teachers did not consider what the students’ needs were I would not know what to teach them. It is my job to collaborate with each grade to better the students time and help them progress. It is also courteous on the teacher’s part to keep us in the loop so we can be correct and concise in who needs extra help. Without proper communication, I would fail in helping those students to progress and learn. Communication is essential in every aspect. Nordmeyer, Billie. Keys to Building Effective Communication in the Workplace. Everydaylife.globalpost.com. Retrieved from http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/keys-building-effective-communication-workplace-1575.html I agree with the seven Cs presented in this article and wondered if they talked about delivery methods too?   There are times it is difficult to deliver all the information in a concise manner if there are a lot of details to be discussed.   About a week ago I was trying to explain a situation at

Apple Company Domestic and International Market Research Paper - 1

Apple Company Domestic and International Market - Research Paper Example Understanding the domestic market is a necessary requirement to determine economic performance and forecast on future objectives. Apple has initiated innovative strategies that ensure they stay relevant in the market, even with the high price of their products (Davies, 2007). However, the European market has reported slow growth because of competition from the android, Microsoft and windows phones. Asia and other emerging markets such as Africa provide a fertile ground for Apple’s expansion. Cook maintains that segmentation to Asian countries has been beneficial, and it has been able to claim a considerable share of the market. The international market involves multifarious factors such as cultural adaptation, political interference, and consumer trends in the region. Apple has a considerably large market in Europe and Asia that presents diverse consumers of its products. Planning and strategizing is necessary to capture such complex markets, especially with the current competition and globalization concerns (Davies, 2007). HP and Dell are two large competitors in the international technology market that concern Apple. While China provides Apple’s largest international market, Europe provides a considerably large market for their products. However, it has declining sales in the international market (Asia and Europe) that is worrying. Apple plans to retain most of large financing outflows in the domestic market. Capital expenditures, share purchases, and dividends characterize the outflows. Its international target market largely hinges on a well-off market, and Asia presents a large market for this objective as the nation continues to build on its richness. The company has no intentions to reduce the price of its commodities or manufacture inferior products to widen its international market. The iPhone, despite its high price, remains to be a considerable selling point for the Apple products. It perceptibly will dominate the international Asian market, just

Strategic Assessment of Wal-Mart for an ITM class Essay

Strategic Assessment of Wal-Mart for an ITM class - Essay Example Many others are of the view that the current problems were because of Wal-Mart’s failure to incorporate state-of-the-art IS/IT technologies in its operations. Being a business technology consultant hired by Wal-Mart, I do believe that Wal-Mart is in trouble mainly because of its failure to incorporate suitable IS/IT technologies in its activities. Offline businesses are currently giving way for online businesses or e-commerce. It is important for Wal-Mart to give more attention to online businesses. â€Å"Wal-Mart has assembled a team of 70 developers, computer engineers and researchers — dubbed @WalmartLabs — in an aggressive attempt to position itself at the forefront of social and mobile commerce† (Wal-Mart: The Next Tech Giant?). However, its e-commerce platform still needs more fine tuning to attract more visitors. Just like Amazon and Google, it is better for Wal-Mart to enter into the search engine business so that it can expand its business portfolios as well as enhance its retail business. Shopperception is a new IT related technology evolved out in recent times to check the consumer behaviours and buying habits. â€Å"Shopperception recognizes the customers when they check-in and it remembers previous buying habits and can predict what the customer is likely to want on this visit† (Israel). Wal-Mart should use this technology extensively in its retail outlets to help the consumers. â€Å"The Wal-Mart network, connecting more than 2,400 stores and 100 distribution centers worldwide. At Wal-Mart, we dont implement technology for its own sake," says David Flanagin, Director of Network Engineering† (The Wal-Mart Story, p.1). From the words of David, it is evident that Wal-Mart is not much keen in using technologies to improve the efficiency of its global activities. It should be noted that efficient working of a supply chain is necessary for Wal-Mart to