Anzaldua

The conversation Anzaldua, a Mexican-American author of How to Tame a Wild Tongue, is entering is
how language reflects identity and having one national language is bad. She speaks different variations
of Spanish and English depending on different spaces and who shes talking to. Her language is
considered wild because different variations or dialects of Spanish are looked down upon by other
regions and countries because its not proper. This is a constraint she has when she travels. Mexico and
America dont accept her kind of language, so she feels like she doesnt belong. In How to Tame a Wild
Tongue, Wild tongues cannot be tamed, they can only be cut out, meaning Anzaldua feels culturally
attached to her language, taming it just take away a part of who she is. Tying in with linguistic
terrorism, she doesnt feel safe picking one language because she would lose a part of herself and be
oppressed. She is even punished as a child by a teacher for speaking Spanish to her friends at recess,
inhibiting her freedom. Although, I do believe the teacher was trying to help her for the future because
the more you use English, the better it will become. However, if she gave up Spanish or tried to get rid
of her accent to live in America, shed be conforming to society. She identifies herself as Raza, back to
her Indian roots before broader labels like Mexican or Spanish. I agree with her point that people should
not be ashamed of their natural language because its a form of self expression. Her audience is toward
her peers because she says we and uses Spanish unapologetically and to the dominant
norteamericano [North- American] culture.