The Power of Language Essay examples - 1074 Words

The Power of Language Language plays an important role in communication by bringing people together and enriching their relationships. Language can also alienate those who do not speak it properly, or at all, from those who do. The essays, Mother Tongue, by Amy Tan, best known for her book, The Joy Luck Club, and Se Habla Espanol, by Tanya Barrientos, delve into the many powers that language holds. These essays reflect how by not speaking a language in proper form and by not speaking a language at all, affects the lives of the subjects of the stories. People who can speak a certain language, but only in ‘broken’ form, are generally looked down upon by native language speakers. In her writing, Mother Tongue, Amy Tan writes about her†¦show more content†¦However, many Hispanic families were and in some cases, still are viewed as lower-class citizens. According to Barrientos, â€Å"To me, speaking Spanish translated into being poor. It meant waiting tables and cleaning hotel rooms. It meant being left off the cheerleading squad and receiving a condescending smile from the guidance counselor when you said you planned on becoming a lawyer or a doctor† (561). They are not respected in a lot of communities, they live dirty, and they have bad jobs. These stereotypes are reasons why Barrientos did not want to be called Mexican and never wanted to learn Spanish. If diversity had been celebrated when Barrientos was a child, as it is celebrated and honored now, she would have grown up speaking Spanish and being pr oud of her heritage. Children are very impressionable and tend to take on others’ opinions as their own, but as they grow older, they develop a greater understanding and perspective of the way things are and the way they should be. As adults, both Tan and Barrientos learned to accept and embrace the languages that previously embarrassed them. Barrientos immersed herself in her Mexican heritage and enrolled in many Spanish classes. With each enrollment, she faced yet another stereotype that came with being of Mexican ethnicity; her instructors thought she should already know Spanish since she was Latina. Barrientos is now determined to learn her native language. Tan has learned to love the way inShow MoreRelatedLanguage : The Power Of Language1575 Words   |  7 PagesThe Power Of Language What is the meaning of language? How big the role of language in your life? Have you ever realize the impact of language in your life? In my opinion, language is not as simple as people seen in general. Usually the way people see language just as a tool for communicating with others. For me, behind the general usage of language, it also has a big role in our life because a language has the power to stand and show each person’s identity. Inside the Gloria Anzaldua’s essay â€Å"HowRead MoreThe Power of Language1300 Words   |  6 PagesThe Power of Language Bob Jones 11-19-96 period 3 Mrs. Fox Of all possible human qualities, the one that wields the most power is the ability to use, understand and communicate effectively through language. A proficient use of language allows us to clearly communicate an exact idea from one person to another person or group of people. This precise science of being able to convey exactly what you want equates to the acquisition of power. An important link betweenRead MoreThe Power Of Language1464 Words   |  6 PagesThe Power of Language Language is often defined   as a system of communication, a way for humans to interact with one another. Language itself can hold a great amount of power. It can express one s emotion, show love or hate, and could give meaning. For example an object has no identification unless the power of language is wielded to provide it a name based on its ability and function. Language often has a great influence on culture and religion. This is shown greatly in the cultures of the HebrewsRead MoreThe Power Of Language1931 Words   |  8 PagesNathalie Gregoire Professor Gladstone English 150 The Power Of Language In 1441 a nightmare was rained upon in african. For the first time, the life of slavery breathed on their land. tribes were torn apart and death was seen as the enemy. The europeans took the african people in shackles and forced them on a boat. for days and nights they sat crammed in one spot. dirt became part of their skin and bitterness tainted their hearts. many were hungry due to lack of food and sick due toRead More The Power of Language Essay793 Words   |  4 Pages The Power of Language nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;If I say that I am currently employed with a major petroleum distribution center, you may think that I am a highly qualified person making limitless amounts of money. However, I am using the power of language to merely say that I work at a gas station making minimum wage. Great historical figures throughout history have used the power of language, the ability to use words to their advantage, to inspire people to unite under one common cause andRead MoreEssay on The Power Of Language1283 Words   |  6 Pages The Power of Language nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Of all possible human qualities, the one that wields the most power is the ability to use, understand and communicate effectively through language. A proficient use of language allows us to clearly communicate an exact idea from one person to another person or group of people. This precise science of being able to convey exactly what you want equates to the acquisition of power. An important link between language and power is persuasionRead MorePower Of Language In Lolita816 Words   |  4 Pagescapability to withhold information, exaggerate, belittle, and overall use the power of language to subdue the reader to perceive the story as they see fit. Once the reader begins the story under a characters narration, they are submissive to hear the story in which ever way the narrator wishes to provide the events. Lolita is narrated by the unlawful pedophile himself- Humbert Humbert- who constantly uses the power of language, which allows him to trick the reader to succumb to his wanted perceptionRead MoreEnglish AS Language Essay - Language and Power958 Words   |  4 Pagesfrom language study, explore how written language is used to assert power Text H is a poster which displays the rules and information to students taking or entering an exam. It also is for the use of the invigilators, to inform them of the rules as well as the candidates. This poster will be shown right across the country to students preparing to take an exam. This is done to make sure there is regularity and equality everywhere, so that nowhere has different rules. The text asserts power usingRead MorePower Of Language Essay1390 Words   |  6 Pageslife and joy. Language is a very powerful tool used by everyone. Our language and the words we use every day have power to change lives and our world. Language is defined as a â€Å"method of communication, either spoken or written, consisting of the use of words in a structured or conventional way (Google Dictionary).† Whether structured papers or rambling thoughts, everything we think has power because of language. Looking through the history and rules of language, we can see how language can change,Read MoreThe Power And Ethics Of Language1748 Words   |  7 PagesThe Power and Ethics of Language It was April 2010. David Cameron and Gordon Brown were the political frontrunners of Great Britain. However, that realization was irrelevant with what was about to happen. Everyone was watching as the highly-anticipated, first televised debates in the United Kingdom began. The discourse ended after several hours, and a new candidate quickly emerged as the leader. His name was Nick Clegg. He led the Liberal Democrats, the smallest party. One might think about it over