Sammie Interview Analysis:
Native Language Studies
Audrey’s story is not a typical one. I was surprised to find out she did not spend a majority of her life in America like my other interviewees, but her English had no distinguishable foreign accent. However, I decided to include her interview in this project, because although she was not physically in America, she was exposed to American English the same way my other interviewees, Kenny and Nadia, were.
I find it very ironic that she and I both had to formally be taught our native languages. When a person thinks of a “native language”, it is generally not learned through books or paper. However, growing up in America, our exposure was fairly limited.
For Nadia, her grandmother taught her Twi, but like Audrey, my own mom taught me Vietnamese formally at home. However, she didn't start as early as Audrey’s mom. It is a very challenging task to sit any seven or eight year old down and ask them to perform a tedious task such as sound out individual words or repeatedly copying down an alphabet. It was struggle, and I dreaded it every day. However Audrey and I feel very proud and grateful for what our parents did for us. Even though it took me almost a decade later to realize it. Similar to Audrey, my parents never wavered with their policy about no English in the house. Whenever I stepped through the door, I was expected to speak full and fluent Vietnamese. Although it was frustrating, it kept me balanced and knowledgeable about my language and culture.
I find it very ironic that she and I both had to formally be taught our native languages. When a person thinks of a “native language”, it is generally not learned through books or paper. However, growing up in America, our exposure was fairly limited.
For Nadia, her grandmother taught her Twi, but like Audrey, my own mom taught me Vietnamese formally at home. However, she didn't start as early as Audrey’s mom. It is a very challenging task to sit any seven or eight year old down and ask them to perform a tedious task such as sound out individual words or repeatedly copying down an alphabet. It was struggle, and I dreaded it every day. However Audrey and I feel very proud and grateful for what our parents did for us. Even though it took me almost a decade later to realize it. Similar to Audrey, my parents never wavered with their policy about no English in the house. Whenever I stepped through the door, I was expected to speak full and fluent Vietnamese. Although it was frustrating, it kept me balanced and knowledgeable about my language and culture.