Style of language

In lines 96-108 of the article “Ever since my mom died, I cry in H Mart”, Michelle Zauner describes the interactions between a young Korean boy and his mother and associates them with the relationship she used to have with her own mother.

The language contains several informal elements, such as contractions: “he’s eating” (l. 99), “isn’t” (l. 108). There are also elements of slang and spoken language, such as “kid” (l. 98), or “ol’ waterworks” (l. 98), which also sound slightly humorous, showing that the author is capable of self-irony. These elements make the text easy to follow and also make the readers feel more sympathetic towards the writer, as she seems more approachable. 

The vocabulary also contains Korean words such as “gochujang” (l. 101), or “seolleongtang” (l. 99). These words add authenticity and remind the reader of Zauner’s Korean roots. There are also many words related to food and eating. For example: “fried rice” (l. 99), “salty” (l. 101), “mung beans” (l. 102). T...