My Three Englishes: That Are Not Only Englishes

Out of all the languages spoken in our world today, English continues to be the most prevalent and judgmental language in our society. There are many variations of it for each individual. As Amy Tan puts it the different “Englishes.” Being born in India and raised in Japan for part of my childhood and then moving to the United States exposed me to many cultures and languages. From the day I learned to talk, my parents spoke to me in Tamil; one of the many languages that are spoken in India. When I moved to Japan, I was forced to learn Japanese because the schools taught the curriculum in Japanese. While I was juggling between these two languages, an Indian couple who was our neighbor spoke Bengali and they spoke to me in Bengali. From what my parents told me, I was cognizant of the time and place and switched to the appropriate language that best suits the situation. Thus, for a long time I spoke Tamil with my parents, Japanese at school and Bengali when I went to that couple’s house. When I turned six years old I came to the United States. Slowly, I started to learn English but forgot Japanese and Bengali. I didn’t forget Tamil because my parents insisted I speak Tamil with them. So, not talking or using a language whether it be formal/informal jargon or slang, the human brain is designed to erase the memory of you ever learning it. Especially because I was so young, I forgot the languages that I wasn’t using very quickly. To this day, I can speak Tamil to the extent where people can understand the main ideas of what I am saying but lack the flow and colloquial slang that my family members in India use. For example, it is hard for me to be sarcastic or ironic; if I try to use informal slang I naturally add English terms which confused many of my cousins went I went to India this summer. They all still make fun of my broken Tamil unfortunately. But I find myself to be very successful on implementing my Englishes. I use a slang/colloquial English when texting and conversing with my friends and my sister, a more formal and sophisticated English when writing an essay or other official paper or when talking with an older individual such as a teacher, administrator or an acquaintance. Having the influence of my Englishes allows me to adapt to whatever scenario I am in which provides me with power because I have the ability to speak in such a way that would reach the appropriate audience. Even though, there is no such thing as unlimited power, your voice and language can aid to support the defense of your argument; thereby providing the ample amount of power you need.