Para 1 - language barrier Flashcards
Point
In the first stanza, MacCaig uses sentence structure and word choice to portray the speakers memory of his Aunt as he describes her as a lively and charismatic person. Despite this however, he is unable to communicate with her due to their language barrier.
Quote + analysis
The quote “Aunt Julia spoke Gaelic very loud and very fast” opens the poem on an affectionate tone as it describes the speakers memory of his Aunt. He remembers her as a lady full of life, the repetition of the word “very” enforces this because it shows just how lively she was as she always had something to say.
Quote 2 + analysis
Furthermore, the quote “I could not answer her - I could not understand her” shows that the speaker was unable to communicate with his Aunt due to their language barrier. The repetition of “I could not” enforces how prominent this communication barrier was, he was unable to reply to his Aunt. The dash is a physical representation of the language barrier between them and it expands on the reason why the speaker could not understand his Aunt.
