Spill the Arabic

You either got it or you don't. Speaking Arabic is something I do not have. One of my biggest insecurities is a question I get asked most frequently. "Speaking" is a blessing most people don’t think twice about, however, it is all I think about sometimes.

People are confused that l don’t speak Arabic for a few reasons. Arabic is all my parents speak, my sisters can speak it, and I have slight broken English. All not these signs are common characteristics of someone who speaks another language.

From coming out of the womb to being a junior in high school, my parents have spoken Arabic to me. My parents were learning English at the same time I was, since they were new to the country. All I heard as a child was Arabic and some English from the television, yet somehow, my first word was in English. “More.” “More” what? English? Wish came true because that’s all I speak. Since I grew up with Arabic, I would expect it to stick with me. However, from the sixteen years of living with it, my biggest accomplishment is understanding it. 


My sisters being able to speak it whilst I cannot is more embarrassing than it all. When people find out I am the only non-Arabic speaker in my family, I always get either two looks. One is confused with the urge to ask “what happened to you?” The other is a concluding look, as they come to a conclusion that I am the dumbest Tallu.  Personally, I believe the reason I don’t speak Arabic is little Tara Tallu wanted to be different.


What surprises people most, without knowing my parents and sisters speak Arabic, when I tell them I don’t speak another language is because of my broken English. I definitely do not sound like a typical American with my accent that comes out when I say words with “r” or when I ask what that word means, when it was probably their first word ever. They ask, most often, if I speak another language to avoid the, “are you dumb” question.


To fight these challenges, I learn common English sayings to make the time longer before they ask me something about Arabic. You can never question someone who says “spill the beans”.



Comments

  1. AnonymousFebruary 9, 2025 at 11:36 AM

    Hi Tara!! This is such a unique take on not speaking arabic. As someone who speaks hindi but can't read or write it often also feels like I got the first half and forgotten about the rest. I think it's quite strange how people attach speaking a langauge to how culturally involved you are.

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  2. IselaFebruary 9, 2025 at 2:10 PM

    Hi Tara! First of all you and your sisters are so cute, but also I love your personal narrative. Your tone is really great in this piece, I feel like I can almost hear you. Especially at the end when you used “spill the beans,” it was a really creative use of word choice and as someone who’s only spoken English their whole life it made me understand your perspective!

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