How a singular person speaks is different from how other people would speak. Some would stutter because they might be nervous, anxious, or scared. Others could be extremely confident because it’s about a certain topic they are very knowledgeable in and they can talk about it very easily. This thought process is about realizing that when speaking English, it’s about understanding how people speak the language, especially when certain people speak it whether it’s their second language or an accent that’s a part of it. There is no form of perfect English. Trying to speak in “perfect English” is a form of self resentment from how you sound when you speak English in any other way that doesn’t sound clear and understandable.

In a text by Amy Tan, “Mother Tongue” Tan talks about her life as a young girl and how her life was living under an immigrant parent household. When she was a child, she had two types of English that she would speak with her parents but use the other form of English with other people. The type she used outside of her home would be “perfect English” which is the English that she forces herself to use because she’s ashamed of her voice, her way of speaking and she doesn’t have any intention of someone hearing her speak that way.

There really is no form of perfect English because everyone is different in their own background. This type of mentality can be extremely strenuous on someone while growing up because it can cause a self consciousness that is stressful. In the text, Tan states, “My Mother has long realized the limitations of her English as well. When I was fifteen, she used to have me call people on the phone to pretend I was she… I had to get to the phone and say in an adolescent voice that was not very convincing, “This is Mrs. Tan” (Tan 2) Tan was put into situations that a child didn’t have to or even need to go through because of the fact that her parents couldn’t speak quite well like her. She had this swelling feeling of resentment not towards her family but more of how they speak in english. I believe that when it comes to a situation such as this, a child who is stuck between a language but used in different contexts mixes their mind a bit. They’re still growing and learning about what to say, they won’t have the answer no matter what english they use, “perfect” or not.

When it comes to the topic of speaking languages clearly, I can definitely say that I know very little Spanish while living in a Puerto Rican household. I still mess up with words but I know how to say certain things. I can’t speak full sentences but I do Spanglish which is a mix of English and Spanish of course. Although she cares about her family, there’s a type of judgement in her writing that really speaks out. Specifically when she talks about how her mother speaks English and how Tan herself speaks it toward her family. She almost feels embarrassed about it and it makes her feel alienated because she wants to be “normal” and wants to speak “perfect English” even though there is no way to speak English perfectly. In Tan’s text, she wrote,”Lately, I’ve been giving more thought to the kind of English my mother speaks. Like others, I have described it to people as “broken” or “fractured” English. But I wince when I say it… I’ve heard other terms used, “limited English,” for example. But they seem just as bad ” (Tan 2) Using “broken” and “fractured” in her writing is a slap in the face for her. She has stated that her mother uses “broken” English because it doesn’t sound right, that it’s choppy and it’s all over the place. But having to explain it like that makes her feel bad, makes her feel judged and misplaced which makes it more uncomfortable for her. To continue even further, Tan further explains, “My mother’s “limited” English limited my perception of her. I was ashamed of her English. I believed that her English reflected the quality of what she had to say.” (Tan 2) The self judgement and shame lies dormant in her because her mother doesn’t know how to fully speak what she wants to say in English. While Tan had to explain her mothers lack of “perfect” english because it was “broken” and “fractured”, I will continue to use my Spanglish because it feels right and feels like

Having the ability to speak a language is a powerful thing people can have because it gives them free reign of being able to say what’s on their mind. At the same time, it can feel like a burden when speaking in front of certain people that you care about especially when you need an opinion on something. Same thing with public speaking, it can feel extremely nerve-wracking and you might mess up at any point in time. Saying the wrong word, pronouncing something incorrectly and or even using an accent that you have learned because of a different language. These mistakes don’t define whether you can speak a language with the “perfect” annunciation, but it shows that you have many ideas you want to show.