Cover Letter
One of the most meaningful insights that I gained through this phase was the ability to convey my thoughts in a more clear and concise way. But it was made possible by the emphasis on acknowledging the importance of the 3 different rhetorical appeals. Within my written language narrative and spoken narrative I used some parts more than others based on the way the audience was going to consume my work. Appealing to and understanding your audience is also something I have worked on and something in class that we’ve worked on that has really influenced this was Amy Tan’s “Mother Tongue”. The main course learning outcome that I exhibited was examining how attitudes towards linguistic standards and oppress language users. This is shown in my written narrative but I have shown this even in our analysis of Amy Tan’s writing. I have seen first hand how people view others who can uphold the standard language of society to a certain degree with my mother. Having to help her gain confidence and adjust to something new while I was also adjusting myself was a challenge but I feel like it has helped me become a better writer. I have two different points of view to how your audience can affect your writing, this is similar to Amy tan’s story in “Mother Tongue”; I have become better at presenting my work in a way that can fit “perfect english” while also making it easier to understand for someone like my mother. In my written Narrative I tried to use a more conversational tone in the beginning while using pathos to make the audience feel empathy. As you come to the ending there are more logos and ethos used since I tried to end it off with a serious message that could be encouraging to people. It loses some of the conversation tone and you can see how I tried to fit more in the “perfect english” standard. My writing to me can be seen as a building process to a more serious tone and the reader can comfortably adapt to the switch.
English is the standard language of many parts of the world. This is the first language most kids advance in because it holds more options for communication and networking in the future. My family comes from the Dominican Republic and their main language is Spanish. Growing up this is all I heard and I picked up on some of it naturally. It was the only language really spoken up until I was enrolled into school. I spent most of my early life in the Dominican Republic and would go back every summer until school started. My first core memories of learning English from a young age start with my mom writing vocabulary words or certain sentences on index cards for me to say and spell. We would constantly do this and my mom at this point would start speaking more English towards me because she knew it would help me advance my understanding of the English language faster. Although this was done with good intentions it came at a cost that I didn’t realize until I was faced with conversing with a cousin from my country on the phone. I understood what he was saying but I could barely get any words to come out of my mouth in response. I was scared and felt that I was losing an important part of me. I would only watch the english cartoons on t.v and did not have interest in the Spanish music my mom played either. This lack of involvement with my culture’s language was hurting me in a bigger way than I realized.
I didn’t like stuttering on my words or having to go aside and ask my mom what my family just said to me. I felt as I gained this standard English identity that was common to everyone that lived, I was losing my real culture’s identity. I wanted to change this no matter how difficult or embarrassing it might have been so I tried using the same method my mom used on me for English but converting it to Spanish now. I would ask my mom to only speak to me in Spanish and ask her to write down words and common phrases she knew I was having trouble with. On my own I would be in my room memorizing every word and trying to connect the phrases and sentences to english. It was a plentiful but steady process and I forced myself to speak only Spanish to family members even if I was messing up. Through my moms learning method of index cards and also regular conversation I felt like I was improving greatly. I barely came to my mom confused about what one of my cousins just said to me and I was even able to read Spanish books. I felt so in tune with my culture and that a part of me was finally restored. It’s gotten to the point where now my mother asks me to write something she says in spanish and convert it into a proper english sentence, it would mainly occur when she had to write an email to her boss or one of her co-workers. Even the music I neglected to listen to when I was younger I now enjoy and understand why my mother always played it around the house. I understand the intricacies of two cultures and they both have good benefits in their own way. English always helps me connect with many people and it also serves as a middle ground between cultures. Some of my friends speak a completely different language at home and I am able to learn from them because we have a good understanding of our cultures’ language in relation to English. In contrast Spanish may not serve as a universal middle ground but is my culture’s language and whenever I go back to visit my country that is filled with music and lively people, I feel comfortable knowing I can understand everything and also communicate what I think and feel in an effective way.
Because of the foundational work I performed when I was young, I can talk to family members without any issues. I demonstrated the value of knowing both my native language of Spanish and the “standard language” of English. My dedication to learning both languages has paid off, and I now take pride in my ability to speak both languages fluently. My experience is evidence of the importance of maintaining your cultural and linguistic heritage while also embracing the dominant language of the society you are in. Being biLingual has allowed me to open doors to new opportunities. My story serves as an inspiration to others who may be struggling to learn a new language or preserve their cultural identity.This memorable experience has stuck with me and motivates me to put in a lot of effort and work toward my objectives despite any obstacles I may encounter.
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