Journal Entry #1

Ingles my friend, Ingles 

"Ingles"(English) as a second language. Both stories "Mother Tongue" by Amy tans and "Private and Public Language" by Richard Rodriguez talk about the English language as a second language. Also, the adversities the have during their period of learning how to speak proper English. As an English speaker as my second language I feel related to both stories. Both have shown similar adversities that I have overcome. For example, to talk in front of people or to overcome the fear I have when talking because my accent might sound funny to others. Both stories had some certain feeling toward me, even though both can relate to me I feel a dipper connection to "Private and Public Language".

            Since the beginning of the piece of literature I feel comfortable reading it. It had a more interest because it contains Spanish words in it. That made me feel closer related to the story. The details the writer use when describing how he felt in school when he had to speak. Also, how shy he was when it comes to speak English in front of the class, so shy that he mumbles the words and no one was capable of understanding. That feeling that everyone is looking at you, all eyes at the same time waiting for you to speak. That feeling when your face starts turning red and your eyes are moving, hands cannot stay still, you open your mouth but the word would not come out. That feeling of not being in your house and viewing school as a place where you are force to learn a new language. Is the same feeling I had back then when I had just arrived from Mexico, when I was a boy of 13, When hello, and how are you where complex and hard to understand, when I had those moments where I needed someone to talk to but I could not because there was a barrier that separate us. We all had that one experience when we had to present in front of others and an unpleasant event occurs ruining your presentation. Hating the moment your parents decided to move to a different country and closing yourself to the people. The same feeling the author had when he explaining how he felt about English are the same feeling I had when I was learning it. even till today talking in front of people has being a big issue to me, not because am shy but making a mistake or talking with and accent that people will laugh of it. Also, how learning the new language separates you from your family, because not all have the opportunity to learn. On the end of the story Richard Rodriguez says that every time he is on the streets and hears a family speaking to each other in Spanish he turns and smile at them, just like me every time I see a family talking in Spanish it remains me of my family back then when we use to speak together, when we use to not worry about speaking another language, back then when I did not have to worry about my accent. Back then when we communicate with each other.