English: The Universal Language

Through our discussions and harkness discussions, we’ve collectively come to the conclusion that there is an aspect of shame involved in Marjan’s behavior throughout the play. However, I want to focus more on the role of English specifically being learned, a language that comes naturally to many of us. In the Spanish classes I’ve taken, accent is a thing to be fixed for the purpose of comprehension and externally perceived skill. It becomes more and more emphasized as we move up in level, but the same sense of shame the characters in “English” had is not present in the few kids that still pronounce “hola” with the “h”. What sets English apart from other languages, making the learning process feel full of pressure and high stakes? On Week 1, Wednesday, Marjan expresses that learning a language allows us to “speak not only our needs but our wants. To speak our souls. To speak.” Reading this the first time, I thought of surface level experiences, such as ordering food in a foreign country. However, reading it back now, this signifies how Marjan views English and the opportunities it can give her. It is not simply a language that makes foreign experiences

convenient, but makes all aspects of her life better. It is a way for her to level with the rest of society, which seems to entirely revolve around English. Without it, she is isolated from the rest of the world and is essentially a different person - a nonexistent person even. In the eyes of non-English speakers, where the world of literature, medicine, education, and economics seems to be dominated by English, foreigners have no voice to contribute. Ultimately, “English” has revealed another aspect of deep-rooted white supremacy that has found a place in the global system today.