SPICE OF MOTHER TONGUE
SPICE OF MOTHER TONGUE By Marvellyn Nguyen
The words dared to stare at me, the words on the whiteboard spelling out what I thought was impossible to properly pronounce, which are known as the six tones of the Vietnamese language. It is an image and memory that I will always remember. From learning my native language at an academy to now being able to speak it in my mother’s tongue fluently, in my bilingualism I embrace Vietnamese as an austroasiatic second language that is wired inside of me that runs within my veins.
““From learning my native language at an academy to now being able to speak it in my mother’s tongue fluently...””
I recall the number of times where my attempts at pronunciation were a source of laughter among my Vietnamese elders. As the perfectionist that I am, the frustration in me built over time as I repeatedly attempted to master Vietnamese phonology. It wasn’t until I tried to understand my situation in someone else’s shoes, that I finally made sense of mine. I came across a middle-aged woman immigrant from Vietnam who attempted to speak English to me. Her name was Phượng, which translates to “the mythical Phoenix creature” in Vietnamese. Broken English spilled out of her mouth, words jumbled on top of one another. As I saw her shaking her head and biting down on her lip, I realized my own frustration was mirrored in her difficulty of not being understood. In this moment, I realized that our ability to succeed lies within the universal truth of coming to accept and face our own fears of embarrassment and criticism.
““It wasn’t until I tried to understand my situation in someone else’s shoes, that I finally made sense of mine.””
After that exchange, I continued to strengthen my mother language in any way possible, from striking up conversations with native speakers at Asian markets to studying the menus at local Vietnamese restaurants. The time I have invested into learning a second language allowed me to apply my growing skills over time to be of service to others. In classrooms, I translated for teachers with Vietnamese ESL students to increase engagement within classroom activities and help decrease the language barrier. Outside of the classroom, I volunteered as a translator for the nonprofit Extend Your Heart translating grade reports from students in Vietnam for their sponsors in America.
““The time I have invested into learning a second language allowed me to apply my growing skills over time to be of service to others.””