In the autobiography Hunger of Memory by Richard Rodriguez, Rodriguez uses the term “private language” to depict the difference his heritage, culture, and spanish language, have with the American lifestyle, and english language. “Private language” to Rodriguez signifies the private spanish language his family and himself shared at home. Outside their home he considered it to be public, because everybody shared the same common language that is english. His family however stood out because of their ability to speak spanish, but it was mainly used inside their household where it was more private and used among friends, family, and the Catholic church. It was a “private language” used among other Mexicans and spanish speaking people.
In the story …show more content…
What they understood was that I needed to speak a public language. So their voices would search me out, asking me questions. Each time I’d hear them, I’d look up in surprise to see a nun’s face frowning at me. I’d mumble, not really meaning to answer. The nun would persist, ‘Richard, stand up. Don’t look at the floor. Speak up. Speak to the entire class, not just me!’,” (p.18). This quote summarizes the challenges a non english speaker and immigrant faces. The challenge of being in school, and not having the capability to interact with his classmates, and be bold enough to raise his hand in class of fear of being shunned and not accepted because of his accent, and the lack of english vocabulary. The teachers seemed to want to help him and engage Rodriguez in class, but his shyness prevented him from being confident in public speaking. Rodriguez didn’t feel comfortable speaking in front of a crowd of gringos due to not being completely comfortable with the language himself. Like he had stated in the text previously: “it would have pleased me to hear my teachers address me in Spanish when I entered the classroom. I would have felt less afraid. I would have trusted them and responded with ease,” (p.18). If the teachers had put a little effort in comprehending Rodriguez’s point of view in being shy towards public speaking this would be entire different story. If they took time with him, and
In the story …show more content…
What they understood was that I needed to speak a public language. So their voices would search me out, asking me questions. Each time I’d hear them, I’d look up in surprise to see a nun’s face frowning at me. I’d mumble, not really meaning to answer. The nun would persist, ‘Richard, stand up. Don’t look at the floor. Speak up. Speak to the entire class, not just me!’,” (p.18). This quote summarizes the challenges a non english speaker and immigrant faces. The challenge of being in school, and not having the capability to interact with his classmates, and be bold enough to raise his hand in class of fear of being shunned and not accepted because of his accent, and the lack of english vocabulary. The teachers seemed to want to help him and engage Rodriguez in class, but his shyness prevented him from being confident in public speaking. Rodriguez didn’t feel comfortable speaking in front of a crowd of gringos due to not being completely comfortable with the language himself. Like he had stated in the text previously: “it would have pleased me to hear my teachers address me in Spanish when I entered the classroom. I would have felt less afraid. I would have trusted them and responded with ease,” (p.18). If the teachers had put a little effort in comprehending Rodriguez’s point of view in being shy towards public speaking this would be entire different story. If they took time with him, and