Changing Languages

 Travis Marsden

GEOG 101

Feb. 15, 2021

Response Paper 5

Changing Language

This week we read “How To Tame A Wild Tongue” written by Gloria Anzaldua’s. This story was about her own experiences growing up in America whose main language is Spanish. It was hard growing up. Always getting in trouble for speaking her first language and getting teased for her accent by the other kids when she did speak English. It was more like being bullied rather than teased and for something that was uncontrollable. 

Not only was she looked down upon by English speakers but also other people who spoke Spanish. Apparently the Spanish she spoke, which is Chicano Spanish, Is a different variation from traditional Spanish. There are actually multiple variations and all are considered inferior by traditional speakers. Couple examples of these variants are called Tex Mex and Spanglish. These languages that are considered inferior have evolved from original Spanish. If we look back on history, languages are constantly changing. So just because a language is changing doesn’t mean that it should be considered less than. Also, no one should be punished for speaking their first language.