While language is used to communicate information directly, the style of language use also provides information about the person who is speaking or writing and their relationship with the public recipient. Amy Tan talks about the different styles of English she grew up with as the daughter of a Chinese immigrant in her article, Mother Tongue. The title is a play on words, signifying both Tan's native English language and the English style he uses when communicating with his mother. His mother speaks English as a second language and has a specific way of speaking. Tan points out that using this simpler form of English with his mother, which sounds awkward to native speakers, is something he does automatically. He is not consciously aware of the shift from the English style he uses with his mother to the more sophisticated American vernacular he uses with other native English speakers; it's something he's been doing since early childhood. Tan discusses the differences between the intimate language he shares with his mother and family, and the formal language he uses with some others. He argues effectively that these differences are integral to how people define their relationships with others. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay that goes on to explore the topic of the types of assumptions people make about others based on their speaking style. Is the way people talk to those in their intimate circle and the way they talk to those outside always different, and if so, are the speakers aware of the change in style? As a writer, Tan is fascinated by the uses of language and the subtle meanings they contain. The difference between the English Tan uses with his mother and the English he uses with others is highlighted in his mind as he gives a lecture on his novel The Joy Luck Club. This was a speech he had given many times before and in these discussions he uses erudite and syntactically complex English. As he spoke he realized that his mother was in the audience. Her mother had never heard Tan speak professionally before, and this emphasized the difference between the two "Englishmen" compared to Tan while wondering how well her mother would understand her speech. Tan provides an example of the style of English he uses with his mother to clarify the difference to the reader and to demonstrate how he lets himself slip into his use with his mother without being aware of it. He describes walking down the street with his mother, discussing the cost of furniture. “…I heard this: “Don't waste money like this”. She would never say an English sentence like this to a native English speaker, but this is how she and her mother have spoken to each other in English since she learned to speak. Tan describes the difficulties her mother's English speaking causes outside of the family and the Chinese American community. She knows that her mother's knowledge of English is superior to her ability to express it, and comments that her mother is able to read complex financial publications such as Forbes, appreciate American books, and listen to news broadcasts without problems. However, Tan notices that her friends tell her that they have a lot of trouble understanding her mother's speech. The reader can feel the pain that Tan feels as she recalls being embarrassed by her mother's stilted speech when she was little. She resents the use of terms such as "broken English" because this is the language she grew up with and for her it has connotations of home and family. At the same time, she recognizes that the world outside their intimate circle is central. imperfect English. 6, 2006, 20-23.