Extra Thoughts on Tan's Essay

I thought it was very interesting how Tan pointed out that people would treat her mother badly because she did not speak English very well. At first I thought to myself that seems absurd. However, after contemplating it a little bit longer I thought that she actually had a point.

I don't think people who speak clear English deliberately treat people who speak broken English poorly, but rather the do this unconsciously. I started thinking back to work where people come in sometimes and do not speak English. It is very hard for me to relay information to them and it also becomes quite frustrating not knowing how to explain things to them. As with the doctor in the hospital in Tan's essay, it is easier to speak to someone who can communicate effectively, which would explain why they were able to help her mother out after speaking to Tan.

From my experience I have a very good example of this. Say someone comes into my work by themselves and does not speak a word of English. It is very hard for me to ask them questions or to inform them of a problem. However, it is much easier if they have a child with them that speaks both English and the same language as their parent because they can make sure the information is received properly on both ends with a lot less confusion and frustration.

In conclusion, I feel like people were not trying to be demeaning to Tan's mother, rather there was just a communication error. Also, as this class centers around communicating ideas effectively, I think it is obvious that the more clearly and idea is presented, the better it is understood and received. This essay also demonstrates how important communication really is.