Speaking In Tongues: Does Language Unify Or Divide Us?

Non-English speakers encounter negative consequences, such as social alienation, discrimination, and low self-esteem when they live in the United States. First of all, non-English speakers have social alienation. In the article, “Speaking in Tongues: Does Language Unify or Divide Us?” The author shows language has the power to recognize people’s identity, which implies language can separate people from different groups or integrate them into one group that are based on their nations. Simply a name can easily distinguish a person’s identity. Everyone has a unique name that is connected to his culture background. In the article, “Leave Your Name at the Border,” Munoz says, “Around Fresno, identity politics rarely deepen into exacting terms, so to say “Mexican” means, essentially, “not white”” (80). Many non-English speakers immigrant in U.S have the same unfavorable experiences especially loneliness. Since they cannot get involve an English community for various reasons, for example, language, religion, and culture, they stay away from English speakers. In contrast, they are likely to connect to the individual or group that has same language or similar culture background. As a result, less interaction with diverse people leads to an
People who move to a new country can cause them feel nervous, challenging, and distressing. The first year after moving from China to the United States, I moderately experienced culture shock, depression, as well as low self-esteem. I was afraid of talking to neighbors, answering phones, and asking questions; I was very nervous when I did not catch on a conversation in stores; I was unconfident to face my future life. In the article, “Mute in an English-Only World,” Lee says, “It usually meant trouble and a good does of shame, and sometimes real hurt” (93). A non-English speaker live in U.S has to encounter a series of difficulties to adapt to the English dominate