Say what? The language we speak defines who we are. It defines our cultural references and how we understand ourselves. Chin's "How I Got That Name" deals with how the transition from one language to another changes our identity. In the poem, this transition is reflected in her two names, "Mei Ling" and "Marilyn." In going from a Chinese name to an American one, the speaker becomes a whole new person.
Questions About Language and Communication
- When the speaker refers to the grammar of the words "I am" in the first six lines of the poem, what is she suggesting about the relationship between language and identity?
- How does the English language alienate the speaker from her parents?
- In what ways can language allow us to create new identities for ourselves, according to the speaker of this poem?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Language fixes our identity for us. It traps us.
Au contraire, language allows us to break through the confines of our identity.