English 131 B

27 February 2013
To: Leah Rankin
From: Nicole Hayes
Subject: Short Assignment 2.2 Peer Interviews
Overall, the interviews went well, considering that they were my first. An informal
approach worked best; all three interviewees are close friends of mine, and so the
interviews had a relaxed, casual atmosphere that I do not expect to be replicated in the
future. I interviewed Jessica Tsang, a Chinese-American student, Alex Abbey, who spent
a month last year in Japan, and Rebecca Gilbertson, a Washingtonian who has never spent
a significant amount of time outside the United States.
Jessicas interview was the first, and the most successful. For whatever reason, she
understood the point of my questions the best of any of the interviewees, and required the
least prompting. Her answers also sparked the most additional questions, marked in the
transcript in bold. This is perhaps because our backgrounds are the most similar: she was
born in Canada to Chinese parents, raised in a household that spoke Chinese but learned
English when she was four, while I, born in America to American parents, spent a solid
percentage of my youth in Europe, mostly the United Kingdom, and view American
English and British English as two entirely separate languages that I happen to speak. She
did, however, have an interesting point of view on the differences between talking to
friends, who she views as equals, and professors, viewed as superiors.
This was in marked contrast to my interview with Alex. In many ways, this was the least
successful interview. Her responses were terse, required a lot of prompting, and
frequently revealed nothing about either her or her culture in general. In all fairness to
Alex, some of this was my fault. While she said it was a good time to talk, she spent
much of the interview dealing with an on-going registration disaster and was fairly
distracted. There were, however, a few useful revelations. In direct contrast to Jessica,
Alex said she views her professors as equals and speaks to them almost identically to
how she speaks to her friends, only with less cursing. Her responses on the whole were
blunt and to the point, much like the way she professes to speak: the same to everybody,
without adjusting to fit anyone elses ideas of what is correct.
Rebeccas interview was different again. In terms of length and content, hers was in the
middle; it was substantially longer than Alexs but slightly shorter than Jessicas. Rebecca
rambled a bit, and I didnt catch all of her responses. Her viewpoint on language was
much more distinct than Alexs; she maintains a clear separation between her friends and
her professors, but much less of one between friends and family. She has a very strong
and accurate self-image, recognizing that she can be blunt but also that she has control
over it. She also admitted to eavesdropping on people speaking in other languages, but
otherwise not making a distinction between those who speak English fluently and those
with a thick accent.

Overall, the biggest thing I would change is to clear up the use of the word language in
my questions. Almost every question uses it, and throughout the questions, I switch
through three or four different definitions. This meant that when I was reading the
questions, I would have to define and redefine language to the interviewees, and I was
not always consistent. The other big problem was that my questions were written for
people who speak two or more distinct languages or dialects, like Jessica and I. With
Alex and Rebecca, I struggled more to rephrase the questions in ways that were relevant
to them. With Rebecca in particular, I adapted a lot throughout the interview; Alexs was
not long enough and Jessicas did not require adaptation. There is not much I will change
about my daily word choice: I already think before almost everything I say, although I
cannot say I think much, and maintain clear lines between myself and my superiors. In
short, my interviewing process leaves much to be desired; my rhetoric does not.
Interview Questions:

What languages do you speak fluently?

What languages are you passable in?
What languages and language dialects were spoken in your household growing up? A
language dialect is akin to an accent Seattle, Eastern Washington, New York, et cetera.
Were these languages different from the ones spoken at your school? If so, how did this
affect you while you were growing up? If not, how did you act around those who spoke
differently from the majority?
How does the language you speak around friends differ from the one you speak with your
family? With professors or employers?
How do you deal with the differences in the languages spoken around you? Transitions,
etc.
How is the language (or languages) you speak on a daily basis different from the
language you use to write?
How do you choose which language to use at any given point? Do you choose, or does it
just come out? Has this ever impacted you?

Jessica Tsang What languages do you speak fluently?

o Fluently?
o English, Cantonese (essentially)
What languages are you passable in?
o Mandarin
What languages and language dialects were spoken in your household growing up? A
language dialect is akin to an accent Seattle, Eastern Washington, New York, et cetera.
o Cantonese (Hong Kong), vulgar
o Toysanese (sp?) southern dialect of Cantonese
Where/when did you learn English?
o Canada, going to school. Went to half Canadian/half Chinese school, where we
learned both, so I was about four or five ish.

Were these languages different from the ones spoken at your school? If so, how did this
affect you while you were growing up? If not, how did you act around those who spoke
differently from the majority?
o Yes. Ive definitely lost more of my Chinese speaking abilities, because I havent
used it as much, like in high school.
o Took Chinese in high school Mandarin.
Were you ever adversely affected because the language you spoke at home was not
English?
o Not really. Not at school. I guess in history, because kids with English speaking
parents get help at home, and I didnt have that.
How does the language (word-choice) you speak around friends differ from the one you
speak with your family? With professors or employers?
o (Family) More vulgar with friends, not as reserved. Language choice wise, not
really information wise. Use more English slang.
o (Profs) Take more submissive words. I speak with a higher level of resect, not
that I dont respect my friends, but its more a recognition of a higher authority.
How do you deal with the differences in the languages spoken around you? Transitions,
etc.
o I dont know. I think in both languages. When it comes to numbers, I think in
Chinese. Some select subjects I use Chinese.
Do you ever have moments when you havent quite switched over languages?
o Yeah. Sometimes Id be speaking English, but Id say a word in Chinese.
How is the language (or languages) you speak on a daily basis different from the
language you use to write?
o Use a lot of filler words; I would never write that down
o I definitely have classier diction when I write because I can visualize it better, and
go back and revise.
o It makes me sound more intelligible, whereas when I speak its like oh. That just
came out of my mouth.
How do you choose which language to use at any given point? Do you choose, or does it
just come out? Has this ever impacted you?
o It just kind of comes out automatically. cause I respond to my environment as I
see fit. Its just like a reaction; I dont really think about it.
o Sometimes I would force myself to practice speaking with a higher diction or
more formally in times that dont require it. I dont feel like theres a wrong
diction you can use, its just how you wanna be perceived.

Alex Abbey First things first: what languages do you speak fluently?
o English
What languages are you passable in?
o Japanese
What languages and language dialects were spoken in your household growing up? A
language dialect is akin to an accent Seattle, Eastern Washington, New York, et cetera.

o English Western Washington, Montana?

Were these languages different from the ones spoken at your school? If so, how did this
affect you while you were growing up? If not, how did you act around those who spoke
differently from the majority?
o The same as with everyone else.
How does the language you speak around friends differ from the one you speak with your
family? With professors or employers?
o Slightly less cursing (family)
o No different less cursing? I dont swear that often unless Im really pissed off.
How do you deal with the differences in the languages spoken around you? Transitions,
etc.
o I dont know. I dont treat anyone differently. If I can understand them, I can
understand them.
How is the language (or languages) you speak on a daily basis different from the
language you use to write?
o Much less flowery, and much more to the point. It goes on slightly less.
o A little bit different vocabulary.
How do you choose which language to use at any given point? Do you choose, or does it
just come out? Has this ever impacted you?
o Depends on the situation. I dont know. When the thought requires better word
choice to be precise (choose).

Rebecca (Becky) Gilbertson

What languages do you speak fluently?
o English
What languages are you passable in?
o N/A
What languages and language dialects were spoken in your household growing up? A
language dialect is akin to an accent Seattle, Eastern Washington, New York, et cetera.
o West Coast English
Were these languages different from the ones spoken at your school? If so, how did this
affect you while you were growing up? If not, how did you act around those who spoke
differently from the majority?
o I would always be interested in where they were from and how they thought we
sounded and what their view on our language was, and then I would always ask
about theirs. (International students)
How does the language you speak around friends differ from the one you speak with your
family? With professors or employers?
o Not with my parents, but when I talk to other I dont extended family, maybe,
I feel like Im a lot gentler around strangers with my word choice.
o I try to be more professional; I try to sound like I know what Im talking about, I
dont attempt to look stupid. I dont make stupid comments, like I would around
my friends.

How do you deal with the differences in the languages spoken around you? Transitions,
etc.
o I found since coming to the UW, I like eavesdropping on people talking in
different languages. Unless theyre trying to talk to me in another language, its
fine. other than that, people are who they are and they speak the language they
speak.
How is the language (or languages) you speak on a daily basis different from the
language you use to write?
o When I write, I know Im writing for an academic audience who probably has a
better vocabulary than me so I use a thesaurus a lot. When Im writing essays, I
sound a lot more put together than when Im talking because Ive had time to
figure out exactly what I need to say.
How do you choose which language to use at any given point? Do you choose, or does it
just come out? Has this ever impacted you?
o I sense the different contexts and like, around my friends, I will talk Read
me the question again
o I guess its partially a respect kind of thing, like a professor deserves more respect
and so you should talk to them with more confidence. Your friends deserve
respect to, but I guess theres more confidence, so it just kind of comes out. With
professors theres a moment where I have to think about what I say before I say it
so I dont accidentally insult their intelligence.
o I joke less.