Bilingualism represented in How to tame a wild tongue by Gloria Anzaldúa

Abstract

This study aimed to analyse Gloria Anzaldúa’s identity representation through her writing in How to Tame a Wild Tongue (Anzaldúa, 1987), where she uses English and Spanish alternately. It also aimed to collect non-Spanish speakers’ impressions on this writing style. This study includes a summary of the analysed text and reports on a 2-question survey with non-Spanish speakers to examine their impressions regarding the use of Spanish  in an English text. The study aimed to answer the following research questions: 1) How does Anzaldúa’s writing style show her identity? 2) Why does she employ code switching  in her writing? 3) What are the impressions of non-Spanish speaking speakers of English while reading Anzaldúa’s text excerpts written in English and Spanish? Results indicated that Anzaldúa’s writing represents her identity as someone not belonging to one, but to different cultures represented in her Chicana identity, as well as in the use of both English and Spanish to navigate the English and Spanish-speaking worlds. Furthermore, results indicate that the use of Spanish  in her writing represents the need to connect to her Spanish-speaking audience. Participants indicated both positive and negative impressions related to their understanding of Anzaldúa’s code switching between English and Spanish in her writing.This study aimed to analyse Gloria Anzaldúa’s identity representation through her writing in How to Tame a Wild Tongue (Anzaldúa, 1987), where she uses English and Spanish alternately. It also aimed to collect non-Spanish speakers’ impressions on this writing style. This study includes a summary of the analysed text and reports on a 2-question survey with non-Spanish speakers to examine their impressions regarding the use of Spanish  in an English text. The study aimed to answer the following research questions: 1) How does Anzaldúa’s writing style show her identity? 2) Why does she employ code switching  in her writing? 3) What are the impressions of non-Spanish speaking speakers of English while reading Anzaldúa’s text excerpts written in English and Spanish? Results indicated that Anzaldúa’s writing represents her identity as someone not belonging to one, but to different cultures represented in her Chicana identity, as well as in the use of both English and Spanish to navigate the English and Spanish-speaking worlds. Furthermore, results indicate that the use of Spanish  in her writing represents the need to connect to her Spanish-speaking audience. Participants indicated both positive and negative impressions related to their understanding of Anzaldúa’s code switching between English and Spanish in her writing.