Gloria Anzaldua, a Mexican woman, faced childhood challenges because of her use of Chicano language and difficulties with learning English. Learning English was particularly difficult for her as it was not her native tongue. As a child, Anzaldua struggled to understand English properly and spoke with a Hispanic accent. She recounts that at Pan American University, she and other Chicano students were compelled to take two speech classes in order to eliminate their accents. Anzaldua argues that this attempt to suppress self-expression through censorship violates the First Amendment. To vividly express her point, she states, “El Anglo con cara de inocente nos arranco la lengua”. Additionally, she contends that although wild tongues cannot be controlled, they can only be eradicated through censorship (Anzaldua 42).
The passage discusses Anzaldua’s frustrations with the university’s rules that aim to eliminate aspects of Hispanic culture. It is clear that she deeply values her Hispanic background and disagrees with the university’s goal to eradicate students’ accents. Additionally, from the passage, it can be inferred that despite disapproval from native speakers, Anzaldua takes pride in her Chicano way of speaking and remains unfazed by others’ opinions.
The inclusion of “Pan American University” suggests a culturally diverse institution that provides a range of academic disciplines. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that around 9.1 million people in Texas are estimated to be Hispanics, validating the cultural diversity associated with Pan American University. Regrettably, it is disheartening and degrading for Hispanic individuals to be compelled to learn an extra language in order to assimilate into society.
Despite the emphasis on diversity at Pan American University, it is ironic that they still have a requirement for speech classes. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, multicultural means being “of, relating to, reflecting, or adapted to diverse cultures.” However, mandating individuals to learn different languages and become bilingual in order to assimilate into society contradicts the essence of true multiculturalism. In fact, it goes against the very idea of “Pan America,” which includes all civilizations, ethnicities, and ways of life between North and South America.
There are contrasting suggestions regarding the university’s policy between its name and how it treats its students. In my view, if their ideology varies so much, they should not retain the name. The second sentence expresses a slight hostility towards the idea of the university eliminating the accents of Chicano individuals, which is justified. An accent reflects one’s culture and personality; it is what defines a person. It provides insights into their origins, experiences, and level of education. The Irish accent, for example, is uniquely distinct and sets them apart from others.
In their country, everyone sounds like them, making them unique in the world. Even America has different accents depending on location, with dialects changing as you move from region to region. There are various accents including northern, southern, and western. Accents are tied to one’s culture, so eradicating them is akin to wiping out someone’s heritage. Many people take pride in their roots and personal journey, thus trying to erase their past would be inaccurate.
Anzaldua discusses the First Amendment in the third sentence and its protection of freedom of expression. The First Amendment prohibits Congress from passing laws that establish or prohibit religion, limit speech, press, peaceful assembly, or the right to petition grievances. As previously mentioned, dialects and accents are part of one’s cultural background, as is religion. It is within your rights to worship whomever or whatever you choose.
Congress’s inability to pass a law establishing a national religion raises the question of why Pan American University should have that power. Throughout history, nations have engaged in conflicts over religion, making America’s promise of freedom of worship an essential aspect of its greatness. Anzaldua makes her disapproval of the university’s imposition on students and their efforts to eradicate accents evident by including a Spanish sentence that translates to “The Anglo-faced innocent, freed us from the language.” In her closing sentence, she asserts her belief that wild tongues cannot be subdued, but can only be excised.
The author subtly utilizes the contrasting terms “wild” and “tamed”. The concept of “taming” one’s tongue may be unfamiliar to many, leading to confusion. Taming the tongue refers to the training of the tongue to prevent unintended sounds from being produced. Individuals with lisps, for instance, must train their tongues to eliminate the lisp. When learning a new language, such as Spanish, it is necessary to also train the tongue to accurately produce the required tones or sounds. Failure to tame the tongue in these languages may result in uttering completely incorrect phrases and portraying oneself as foolish.
When I was a freshman in high school taking Spanish class, I had an embarrassing experience. I accidentally used the term “mama” instead of “mamá” to talk about my mother. In Spanish, “mama” means breast milk. This incident made me feel unimportant as a student that day.
In another instance, when the speaker mentioned cutting out someone’s tongue to control them, it can be understood differently. I think she was talking about the Mexico-Texas border. There have been many unsuccessful efforts to limit illegal immigration into the United States at this specific border.
Between 2005 and 2008, an estimated 1.5 million individuals unlawfully migrated into the United States, with an average of approximately 500,000 per year.
A distinctive characteristic of Pan American University is its function as a gathering place for both Chicano and American cultures. It offers a chance for Chicano students to acquire American skills while enabling educators to immerse themselves in Chicano culture. These areas of interaction facilitate a greater comprehension of varied cultures. During my childhood, I had a firsthand encounter with one such contact zone.
Having lived in Nicaragua for three years and later relocating to Ecuador for two years, I encountered a situation akin to Anzaldua’s. Both countries were unfamiliar to me because of my father’s job, and everything seemed different. One noteworthy distinction was the prevalence of considerable poverty, which emphasized the importance of education. Moreover, when I walked down the street without knowing the native language, instead of facing judgment and being told to return to my own country, the locals would make an effort to communicate with me and extend their help.
It is important to acknowledge that there were people of both kind and unkind nature in attendance. Just as in any country, there are individuals who display positive and negative traits. From my point of view, this served as a prime illustration of a contact zone – a space where diverse cultures and communication styles converged to understand each other’s ideas. We should strive to engage with those whose native language is not English and aid them in understanding our language and culture.
Unless one is of Native American descent, it is impossible to ascertain the original language spoken by this nation. Native Americans have inhabited this land long before Columbus arrived and declared it for England. They have transmitted their hunting, shelter, and gathering techniques from one generation to another. Despite being the true inhabitants of America, they have historically experienced mistreatment at our hands.
We tend to have a habit of attempting to alter the culture of others to fit our own needs, which is an awful way of creating a contact zone. Anzaldua brilliantly captures this notion during her time at Pan American University, where they tried to change her culture and suppress her identity. The only way to suppress one’s identity is to remove it entirely, and I express this because you cannot choose your origin or where you come from. You cannot change who you are or hold your family responsible for shaping you. You have only two options: despise your heritage or do as Anzaldua does – accept yourself for who you are and embrace self-love.
