The Intellectual Problem of Change of Voice: Language Adaptation and Cultural Identity in Zadie Smith's Speaking in Tongues
Overview
This essay analyzes Zadie Smith's passage 'Speaking in Tongues' to examine the intellectual problem of language adaptation and voice change experienced by the author during college. The paper argues that Smith's adoption of a new language with altered phonetic qualities represents a form of social climbing that creates regret and alienation from her childhood cultural identity.
What this essay covers
- Introduction establishing language as communication tool and Smith's contradiction between childhood and college language
- Analysis of linguistic features including rounded vowels and consonants as markers of displacement
- Examination of speaker's regret and social climbing motivation for voice change
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Intellectual Problem of Change of voice
Introduction
Language is a strong factor when it comes to communication. The choice of language in any given setting is what ensures people can understand the other. Different settings require their specific language for communication to be effective. In the first paragraph of the ‘Speaking in Tongues ‘passage by Zadie Smith, the contradiction or the intellectual problem that is seen is that of the author adopting a language while in college. As the author continues speaking, it is evident that the speaker is regretful for having left the childhood language and gotten to a new language with a different voice as to what was the case during childhood (Smith). This article will investigate the intellectual problem of adapting a language that has made the speaker regretful for not speaking to the culture that existed before.
Adapting a language and leaving the childhood language that the speaker knew is a significant problem that the speaker seems to be troubled with. The speaker starts the passage by acknowledging that the new language she uses has rounded vowels and consonants. One can interpret the use of such a voice of language in describing the speaker's new language as displeasing because of long words that are difficult to pronounce.