Blog Entry #1

About Me:
My name is Hadeel Al Dallal. I am from Bahrain, a small island in the Middle East. I am eighteen years old, and my birthdate is March 22, 1991. My first language is Arabic and my second language is English. I have two sisters and a brother, two of which are younger than me. I am currently attending the University of Delaware and I plan to major in Business. My favorite hobby is reading, and my favorite genre is Romance, yet I still read some non-fiction books. Another two of my interests are music and art.

Response to Amy Tan's "Mother Tongue":
Language is an essential component in everyday communication. It gives people the ability to understand others and interact with the people around them. Whilst reading Amy Tan’s “Mother Tongue”, I found that I could identify with the writer's thoughts and feelings.
The language individuals use in front of their peers might differ greatly from the language they use in front of their parents or teachers. In front of their peers, the language used tends to be informal, straight forward, and more explicit. Whereas the language used to communicate with elders tends to be formal, complex, and virtuous. This is due to various reasons, one of which is the laid-back atmosphere between them and their peers, and the other of which is the respect entities have for the elder.
I am bilingual, hence I have grown up speaking both Arabic and English. I would usually talk Arabic with my parents, yet I find myself talking a mix of English and Arabic with my brother and sisters. This is because of the different generations and the distinctive environments associated with each generation. While talking to my siblings, I use informal language and might even use impertinent language at times. However, I completely avoid using impertinent language around my parents and teachers. Things that my peers would overlook and perceive as normal might be perceived as rude by grown-ups. Hence, I find myself using two different kinds of languages.
Since my English teachings have all been done at school or through my readings, my English tends to be formal, whereas my Arabic tends to be more casual. My roommate and floor mates have also noticed and commented on the formality of my language. This is because of the my upbringing and the atmosphere I was surrounded by for the past eighteen years.
All in all, language reveals a lot about a person’s personality. It hints at their general moral and ethical values as well as their consideration for those around them.