Language Synthesis Essay

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“If you speak to a man in a language he understands, it will go to his head, if you speak to him in his language, it will go to his heart” -Nelson Mandela. Although recognition of one’s language can be a recognition of one’s own self, and language unites people into communities, recognition of one’s language has little impact on identity and legitimacy as one’s identity is comprised of things far greater than just language. Language is part of identity, not the identity itself. Identity is made up of experiences, desires, dreams, culture, and yes, language, but language is only a part of it. People who value and recognize a language can be quite far from being the same, as Orwell (Source B), who clearly speaks English holds views completely polar compared to his fellow Englishmen and criticizes them with “… because they are especially bad – I could have quoted far worse if I had chosen.” Despite both Orwell and the people he criticizes valuing English, one, Orwell, sees the others is ‘illegitimate’. Amy Tan’s mom, (from Source A), is a victim of discrimination due to her “broken” English in a variety of cases like when she goes to …show more content…

No one goes to Starbucks and asks for a pizza. The most common language in a community should be the one others accommodate to, that way there is no favoritism of any one language. Otherwise, when both people in a conversation favor different languages due to their identities, no conversation would be held. Immigrants themselves know this, Amy Tan’s mom (Source A), doesn’t demand the doctors to speak in mandarin, but does her best with her “broken” English. Krauthammer (Source E), specifically refers to this: “No immigrant presumes to make the demand that the state grants special status to his language.” Yet, not all immigrants leave their roots as they ‘Americanize’, it is possible to speak English and honor one’s

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