Mirror, Mirror:
Self-Efficacy and Acceptance from Language Fluency
Self-Efficacy and Acceptance from Language Fluency
Abstract:
In this paper, I explore several facets of David Sedaris's experience in "Me Talk Pretty One Day" and my own experiences in my untitled poem from Project 1. Using both Sedaris and Canagarajah's writings, I examine Canagarajah's disagreement with the modern monolingual orientation and Sedaris and my own experience with learning a new language. Canagarajah believes that speaking like a native is unnecessary because we all interact with so many languages and dialects each day, all languages are intermixed. While Sedaris and I had differing experiences both inside and outside the classroom, we both found that the monolingual orientation that Canagarajah tries so desperately to disprove, still holds stronger than the translingual orientation of the future. Our experiences shape how we learn and interact with the language, but they do not change the clear divide between the native and foreign speakers. There is a clear psychological connection between personal identity and one's ability to communicate. Interpersonal relationships are nearly impossible to foster over the massive divide languages can create. This greatly contrasts Canagarajah's optimistic translingual world, showing instead a world divided between people who linguistically "belong" and those who are "outsiders".
In this paper, I explore several facets of David Sedaris's experience in "Me Talk Pretty One Day" and my own experiences in my untitled poem from Project 1. Using both Sedaris and Canagarajah's writings, I examine Canagarajah's disagreement with the modern monolingual orientation and Sedaris and my own experience with learning a new language. Canagarajah believes that speaking like a native is unnecessary because we all interact with so many languages and dialects each day, all languages are intermixed. While Sedaris and I had differing experiences both inside and outside the classroom, we both found that the monolingual orientation that Canagarajah tries so desperately to disprove, still holds stronger than the translingual orientation of the future. Our experiences shape how we learn and interact with the language, but they do not change the clear divide between the native and foreign speakers. There is a clear psychological connection between personal identity and one's ability to communicate. Interpersonal relationships are nearly impossible to foster over the massive divide languages can create. This greatly contrasts Canagarajah's optimistic translingual world, showing instead a world divided between people who linguistically "belong" and those who are "outsiders".
Works Cited:
Canagarajah, Suresh. Translingual Practice. London: Routledge, 2013. Print.
Nagel, Madeline. "Literacy Narrative." Left at the Dancing Skeleton. n.p, 2013. Web. 29 Sep 2013.
Sedaris, David. Me Talk Pretty One Day. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2000. Print.
Canagarajah, Suresh. Translingual Practice. London: Routledge, 2013. Print.
Nagel, Madeline. "Literacy Narrative." Left at the Dancing Skeleton. n.p, 2013. Web. 29 Sep 2013.
Sedaris, David. Me Talk Pretty One Day. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2000. Print.
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