Search for my Tongue
Search for my Tongue
Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
C
Co
on
ns
si
id
de
er
r
t
th
he
e
i
im
mp
po
or
rt
ta
an
nc
ce
e
o
of c
f cu
ul
lt
tu
ur
re
e
and language
and language
U
Un
nd
de
er
rs
st
ta
an
nd
d
S
Su
uj
ja
at
ta B
a Bh
ha
at
tt
t¶
¶s
s
v
vi
ie
ew
w
o
of
f
language and culture
language and culture
D
Di
is
sc
cu
us
ss
s
t
th
he
e
w
wa
ay
y
t
th
he
es
se
e
v
vi
ie
ew
ws
s
a
ar
re
e
presented
presented
Slide 7 contains link to video on BBC Bitesize
W
W
hat are your views on the
hat are your views on the
following statements?
following statements?
Discuss with a partner.
Discuss with a partner.
I d
I d
on
on
¶t li
¶t li
ke i
ke i
t w
t w
he
he
n I he
n I he
ar p
ar p
eo
eo
ple l
ple l
ivi
ivi
ng in
ng in
Bri
Bri
ta
ta
in
in
speaking a foreign language.
speaking a foreign language.
W
W
hen they¶re in
hen they¶re in
Britain they should speak English.
Britain they should speak English.
It
It
must
must
be a
be a
rea
rea
l ad
l ad
va
va
nt
nt
ag
ag
e to s
e to s
lip
lip
be
be
tw
tw
ee
ee
n
n
different languages
different languages
It
It
must
must
be r
be r
ea
ea
lly c
lly c
on
on
fu
fu
sin
sin
g t
g t
o h
o h
av
av
e to
e to
use
use
tw
tw
o
o
different languages
different languages
If
If
y
y
ou li
ou li
ve i
ve i
n Br
n Br
ita
ita
in a
in a
nd
nd
yo
yo
u spe
u spe
ak
ak
Eng
Eng
lis
lis
h bu
h bu
t
t
your first language is something else, then you
your first language is something else, then you
should do all you can to keep your first language
should do all you can to keep your first language
rather than forgetting about it.
Sujata Bhatt
Sujata Bhatt
Su
Su
ja
ja
ta
ta
Bh
Bh
at
at
t w
t w
as
as
bo
bo
rn
rn
in
in
19
19
56
56
in
in
Ahmedabad, the largest city in the
Ahmedabad, the largest city in the
Indian state of Gujarat, where her
Indian state of Gujarat, where her
mother tongue was Gujarati
mother tongue was Gujarati
Sh
Sh
e
e
is
is
in
in
tr
tr
ig
ig
ue
ue
d b
d b
y
y
tw
tw
o
o
la
la
ng
ng
ua
ua
ge
ge
s
s
interacting in her mind and how this
interacting in her mind and how this
affects her identity
affects her identity
"I have always"I have always thought of myself as thought of myself as an Indian who is an Indian who is outside India." outside India."
[My mother tongue] [My mother tongue] That's the deepest That's the deepest layer of my
Themes
Themes
Lan
Lan
gua
guage
ge
is
is
used t
use
d to s
o sy
ymb
mboli
oli
se cu
se cultu
ltural
ral
identity
identity
Th
The
e poe
poe
t s
t sugg
uggest
est
s t
s that
hat
cul
cultur
tural
al ide
identi
ntity
ty
never dies regardless of where you live
never dies regardless of where you live
Sh
She su
e sugg
gges
ests t
ts tha
hat tw
t two cul
o cultu
ture
res m
s mix
ixed
ed
together enhance one another
Search for My Tongue
Search for My Tongue
This has a double
This has a double
meaning: the physical
meaning: the physical
device needed for
device needed for
speech and the
speech and the
language you speak
language you speak
The language you
The language you
speak is seen as speak is seen as inextricably linked to inextricably linked to your culture your culture
Y
You ask me what I meanou ask me what I mean
by saying I have lost my tongue.
by saying I have lost my tongue.
I ask you, what would you do
I ask you, what would you do
if you had two tongues in your mouth,
if you had two tongues in your mouth,
and lost the first one, the mother tongue,
and lost the first one, the mother tongue,
and could not really know the oth
and could not really know the otherer,,
the foreign tongue.
the foreign tongue.
Y
You could not use them both together ou could not use them both together
even if you thou
even if you thought that way.ght that way.
And if you lived in a place you had to
And if you lived in a place you had to
speak a foreign tongue,
speak a foreign tongue,
your mother tongue would rot,
your mother tongue would rot,
rot and die in your mouth
rot and die in your mouth
until you had to spit it out.
until you had to spit it out.
I thought I spit it out
I thought I spit it out
but overnight while I dream,
but overnight while I dream,
Lost voice could
Lost voice could
mean isolation in a
mean isolation in a
new culture
new culture
Conversational style, who is
Conversational style, who is
she talking to?
she talking to?
T Tongue ongue as as aa metaphor for metaphor for language is used language is used throughout the throughout the poem: extended poem: extended metaphor metaphor One must be One must be excluded no matter excluded no matter
what you want. Could
what you want. Could
this suggest a desire
this suggest a desire
to maintain both
to maintain both
cultures?
cultures?
Negative language gives
Negative language gives
this first section sickening
this first section sickening
and sombre view of the
and sombre view of the
loss
loss
Tone changes at
Tone changes at
the end of this
the end of this
section
section
How should this be
How should this be read? Sadlyread? Sadly, angrily, angrily, hopefully towards the , hopefully towards the end. Mark aend. Mark a
quotation to back up each possible interpretation
((munay hutoo kay aakhee jeebh aakhee bhasha)munay hutoo kay aakhee jeebh aakhee bhasha)
((may thoonky nakhi chay)may thoonky nakhi chay)
((parantoo rattray svupnama mari bhasha pachi aavay chay)parantoo rattray svupnama mari bhasha pachi aavay chay)
((foolnee jaim mari bhasha nmari jeebh)foolnee jaim mari bhasha nmari jeebh)
modhama kheelay chay) modhama kheelay chay)
((fullnee jaim mari bhasha mari jeebh)fullnee jaim mari bhasha mari jeebh)
((modhama pakay chay)modhama pakay chay)
The Gujarati script, on the
The Gujarati script, on the
right, is repeated in English
right, is repeated in English
at the end of the poem.
at the end of the poem.
W
Why is the same thing said twicehy is the same thing said twice
in two languages?
in two languages?
W
What is the purpose of thehat is the purpose of the
phonetic transliteration below the
phonetic transliteration below the
script?
script?
Is this a poem more effective
Is this a poem more effective
when read out loud or seen on
when read out loud or seen on
the page?
it grows back, a stump of a shoot
it grows back, a stump of a shoot
grows longer
grows longer
, grows moist, grows
, grows moist, grows
strong
strong
veins,
veins,
it ties the other tongue in knots,
it ties the other tongue in knots,
the bud opens, the bud opens in my
the bud opens, the bud opens in my
mouth,
mouth,
it pushes the other tongue aside.
it pushes the other tongue aside.
Everytime I think I've forgotten,
Everytime I think I've forgotten,
I think I've lost the mother tongue,
I think I've lost the mother tongue,
it blossoms out of my mouth.
it blossoms out of my mouth.
Strong positive natural
Strong positive natural
imagery.
imagery. WWhat mighthat might
this suggest?
this suggest?
Is it necessary for one
Is it necessary for one
to overpower the
to overpower the
other?
other?
T
Takes place in akes place in a dream; as a dream; as such, is it such, is it real or real or
just something she hopes for?
just something she hopes for?
Positive image could imply that the
Positive image could imply that the
language is beautiful and exotic
Think about«
Think about«
Ho
How do
w does t
es the p
he poe
oem pr
m pres
esen
ent th
t the ar
e ar
gu
gume
me
nt
nt
that our speech and ourselves are
that our speech and ourselves are
intimately connec
intimately connected? Do people not
ted? Do people not have
have
to s
to sear
ear
ch fo
ch for the
r their ow
ir ow
n tong
n tongue -
ue -
or
or
authe
authentic
ntic
voice
voice
-
-
even
even
if they
if they
have
have
not ha
not had
d
to move from one
to move from one language to another?
language to another?
W
What does the last sentence of the poem
hat does the last sentence of the poem
mean?
W
Writing responses to the poems
riting responses to the poems
The poem contains lots of similes and
The poem contains lots of similes and
metaphors
metaphors ((imagery), similes is when you useimagery), similes is when you use
like and metaphors is when you don't use like. I
like and metaphors is when you don't use like. I
liked the line about spitting it out
liked the line about spitting it out ((tongue) ittongue) it
reminded me of a horror film.
reminded me of a horror film.
W
W
hat is it worth and why?
hat is it worth and why?
Treatment of how the poem is written is
Treatment of how the poem is written is
poor
-poor - suggsuggests Gests G/F grad/F gradee
First sentence: pointless
First sentence: pointless Second sentence: personal response, butSecond sentence: personal response, but
needs developing
W
Writing responses to the poems
riting responses to the poems
W
W
hat is it worth and why?
hat is it worth and why?
The whole poem is about tongues reall
The whole poem is about tongues reallyy, there are lots of , there are lots of
images of tongues. Sujata describes her mother tongue as if it
images of tongues. Sujata describes her mother tongue as if it
was something growing in her mouth, whi
was something growing in her mouth, which gets bigger or ch gets bigger or
smaller.
smaller. She thinks that if sShe thinks that if she doesn't speak Indian from day tohe doesn't speak Indian from day to
day it will die away. It's like, use it or lose
day it will die away. It's like, use it or lose it. But it never it. But it never
actually disappears because at night the tongue 'bl
actually disappears because at night the tongue 'blossoms outossoms out
of my mouth', so it's come to life again.
of my mouth', so it's come to life again.
Suggests a C/B grade answer
Suggests a C/B grade answer Gets hold of the importance of this image in the poem
Gets hold of the importance of this image in the poem
Understands what the poet is saying
W
Writing responses to the poems
riting responses to the poems
W
W
hat is it worth and why?
hat is it worth and why?
Suggests A grade answer
Suggests A grade answer Clear explanation of a complicated image
Clear explanation of a complicated image
Short quotations to illustrate what is said
Short quotations to illustrate what is said Connects images to argument of poemConnects images to argument of poemPersonal responses to the imageryPersonal responses to the imagery
In English, we use the word
In English, we use the word 'tongue' to mean 'language' as well as your a'tongue' to mean 'language' as well as your actualctual
'tongue'. The poet compares knowing two languages to having two tongues in
'tongue'. The poet compares knowing two languages to having two tongues in your your
mouth, which she calls 'the mother tongue' and 'the
mouth, which she calls 'the mother tongue' and 'the foreign tongue'. She is afraidforeign tongue'. She is afraid
that the mother tongue might shrivel away
that the mother tongue might shrivel away(('rot and die') like a plant with no roots.'rot and die') like a plant with no roots.
But in the last part of the poem, the mother tongue seems to grow back during the
But in the last part of the poem, the mother tongue seems to grow back during the
night, and 'push the other tongue as
night, and 'push the other tongue aside'. It's like when she dreams, she dreams iide'. It's like when she dreams, she dreams inn
Gujarati, and this keeps the language al
Gujarati, and this keeps the language alive for her. It connects her to her ive for her. It connects her to her
memories. The image of two tongues growing in your
memories. The image of two tongues growing in your mouth is weird, and a mouth is weird, and a bitbit
disturbing.
disturbing.YYou can imagine how it would feel. But then it 'blossoms' which alsoou can imagine how it would feel. But then it 'blossoms' which also
suggests something beautiful. I thought this was a
