A vividly concrete illustration of the change of words connotation depending on their usage is provided by Robin Tolmach Lakoff in his work You Are What You Say. He explained that the construction of sentences conveys different meaning. According to Tolmach Lakoff’s investigation, flat statements sound more confident, direct, and dogmatic. They show that a speaker knows what he says and believes fairly in his words (Lakoff 322). In comparison, a yes-no question will point at lack of the respondent’s knowledge, while a tag question shows that a person knows the subject of conversation but she is not so confident in the truth of the claim. It is obvious that tag questions are the best for communication with people if you do not want to sound …show more content…
By language, words, slang, gestures, mimes, and tone of voice which a person uses in communication, we can understand his or her social status, education, occupation, nationality, place of birth, and cultural identity. For example, a certain type of English is used by black people in the USA. It is not a language of any tribe in Africa and it is not an American or British option of English (Baldwin 46). It cannot be understood by white Americans entirely since it was created for needs of black people’s communication in the USA during the era of slavery (Baldwin 46). Gloria Anzaldua notices that Chicano Spanish is neither the literary option of English or Spanish. It was developed naturally by people who lived in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California as a result of blend of English and Spanish (Anzaldua pp.32-33). People identify themselves with their own languages. Consequently, prohibition of a certain language can be compared with neglecting of certain nationalities or social groups. Anzaldua compares it with linguistic terrorism because people lack an opportunity to be proud of their identity and feel waning by speaking the “wrong” option of language. On the other hand, what right do we have to define which language is right or wrong? Any language develops …show more content…
Taflinger in the work “The Power of Words: Advertising Tricks of the Trade.” It shows that sometimes it could be dangerous or fatal to use a “wrong” word or do not know the real meaning of the word. Taflinger noticed that misunderstanding of the word meaning of the words can affect the results of the political negotiations and lead to wars or peace. It sounds ridiculous and awful, but at the end of World War II “the Allies Powers sent a message to the Japanese demanding surrender” and got the response which included the word “mokusatsu” (Taflinger 1996). This word had two meanings: "to ignore" or "to withhold comment" (Taflinger 1996). The problem was that the Allies thought that the Japanese ignored the demand, though the Japanese asked to withhold comment. Therefore, the Allies dropped the atom bomb on the Nagasaki to end the war (Taflinger 1996). The consequences of such misunderstanding were horrible. The other example of people’s misunderstanding because of different meaning of words connects with fights in South Korea. It is certainly not so awkward but still affects our lives. It sounds strange, but lots of fights occurred in South Korea because “It’s yours” in Korean literally sounds like “Nigger.” I recently heard a news that an African American man beat up a bus driver because when he tried to give the bus driver the wallet he picked
In Baldwin 's article If Black English Isn 't A Language Then Tell Me What Is? starting off by telling the readers about French speaking people. He is explaining how different dialects doesn 't mean people aren 't speaking the same language. Going deeper about language saying that it ties into the culture. Give an example of Black Culture and how their expression of English is different. Talking about the phrases like jazz me, baby, sock it to me, and funky; being used that way they weren 't meant to. Finally introducing how the African American culture has been disrespected or ignored. Telling
Throughout history society has created many stereotypes and assumptions based on race and nationality to confine us into categories. The reality is, not every individual fits a specific category because we are unique even within the same ethnic group. In “On Being Told I Don’t Speak Like a Black person” Allison Joseph illustrates some speech stereotypes that come hand in hand with her racial background and how even people from the same racial background and house hold don’t all sound alike. The author portrays that race and linguistic has such a huge impact on our daily life and how society sees her differently to others when they see she does not fit in the stereotype of sounding “like a black person” and feels frustration to being compared
This marginalization is still prevalent today, as Black English is still overwhelmingly stigmatized and discredited in nearly all academic settings, particularly within American culture. Jordan’s demonstration that Black English is not given respect or afforded validity in academic and social settings still rings true today. Black English-speaking students see little to no representation of their language in the classroom, and are often actively discouraged from speaking the language of their community and of their upbringing. This suppression and delegitimization of a valid method of communication represents colonialist and white supremacist notions of language, social homogeneity, and latent institutional racism, and has negative, even dire, consequences for the students
Immigrants have helped shape American identity by their languages they speak from their home country. Richard Rodriguez essay “Blaxicans and Other Reinvented Americans” reveals Rodriguez’s attitudes towards race and ethnicity as they relate to make people know what culture is really identified a person rather than their race. For example, in the essay, it states that Richard Rodriguez “ that he is Chinese, and this is because he lives in a Chinese City and because he wants to be Chinese. But I have lived in a Chinese City for so long that my eye has taken on the palette, has come to prefer lime greens and rose reds and all the inventions of this Chinese Mediterranean. (lines 163-171)”. Although Rodriquez states”he is Chinese”, what he actually
In the essay if Black English Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me, What is? by James Baldwin and Mother Tongue by Amy Tan both shows idea of uses of slang and language in different context. In the essay if Black English Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me, What is? Baldwin states that how language has changed and evolved overtime, Baldwin describes how black English were used as white English, in civil rights movement where blacks were treated as slaves and the used slang language to communicate so that the whites won’t understand. This slang was taken from black language and now everyone uses to make the communication short. In the essay Mother Tongue Tan explains that how language could affect people from different culture. Tan states that how Asian students in America struggle in English. Tan also states that her mother is smart but she couldn’t communicate in English. Tan thinks that’s a big disadvantage for her mother and people coming from different countries cannot show their talent because of their weakness in communication.
America is a presumptuous country; its citizens don’t feel like learning any other language so they make everyone else learn English. White Americans are the average human being and act as the standard of living, acting, and nearly all aspects of life. In her essay “White Privilege: The Invisible Knapsack,” Peggy McIntosh talks about how being white has never been discussed as a race/culture before because that identity has been pushed on everyone else, and being white subsequently carries its own set of advantages. Gloria Anzaldua is a Chicana, a person of mixed identities. In an excerpt titled “How to Tame a Wild Tongue,” she discusses how the languages she speaks identifies who she is in certain situations and how, throughout her life, she has been pushed to speak and act more “American” like. McIntosh’s idea of whiteness as a subconscious race that carries its own advantages can enlighten why Anzaldua feels like she
Baldwin’s essays are well written in formal English where he discusses the real problem of socially constructed idea of the Negro’s. According to Baldwin, language is an important to group identity, further connected to the power of the black’s identity. According to the James Baldwin essay If Black English Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?, demonstrate that the language is something through which you convey your message to others. The native language can also be called as a
In 1996, the Oakland School District proposed the inclusion of what is known as "Ebonics" into its curriculum. Ebonics, or Black language, has been referred to in various ways over the years: "African American Vernacular English," "Pan-African Communication Behaviors," "African Language Systems," or "West and Niger-Congo African Language Systems." By any name, Ebonics, when studied over the years, has been proven to be a real language with its own phonology, syntax, morphology, sentence patterns, and double interpretations of words. The pattern that Ebonics speakers in the United States speak is highly similar to the patterns seen in both the Caribbean Creole and the West African languages. No one would have thought that comedian Bill Cosby would have an opinion on this subject, but as I read through essay I realized the logic and validity behind his paper.
Elements of minority cultures are continually hijacked, re-invented and commercialized until the origin and cultural significance becomes unknown to its consumers. Notably, languages and dialects such as Spanish and African American Vernacular English, often crossover into popular culture and mainstream media. In Jane H. Hill text, “Language, Race, and White Public Space,” Hill points to the appropriation of Spanish by Whites through the usage of “Mock Spanish,” a mix between English and Spanish. According to Hill, Mock Spanish is harmful because it reduces Spanish to a colloquialism and reproduces stereotypes that construct “white public spaces” in which it is only acceptable for white people to use Spanish. In the same way that Mock Spanish is a “racist discourse,” the crossover of African American Vernacular English into popular culture is pervasive and dangerous because it erases the voices of black people and belittles the cultural significance of African American Vernacular English in Black
Language is a mean of communication in any given society. It represents the ability to evolve and progress through the ongoing process of living with other human beings. Many can perceive this instrument as tool of liberation and transformation but others as an instrument to enslave, manipulate or oppress a group of people. Whichever the case one need to acknowledge that it is necessary and not a waste of time the many different discussions about this ongoing topic regardless of the time period or social context any country might have. In Puerto Rico, there has been an ongoing dilemma about languages; Dr. Alicia Pousada examines on her essay what many might define “the language madness on the island”. Throughout this paper some of her most interesting ideas will be shared and discussed so that this already extended topic might find another page to take place.
These handouts outline what Professor Garcia will say and contain information that will be seen on the quizzes and exams. They contain certain terminology that the Professor will define and elaborate on. For example, the term “Tejano” is written in the handouts in order for the students to listen attentively for the definition. This kind of terminology is specific to the course, as it stands for a Mexican-American living in Texas. Specific language is important in a class like Chicano Studies 1A because it is a discourse community. Discourse communities contain six identifiable characteristics described by Swales, one of them which is that they have “acquired some specific lexis” (66). Using terminology specific to the course is a literary practice because it introduces you to the terms and language used by the community allowing you to be more familiar.
The African influence of American English can be found as far back as the Seventeenth century. Although its influence may have began that far back, the influence of African American slang has arguably reached its peak (so far) in the last half on the 20th century. Evidence of this can be seen in magazines, music, television, and films. Perhaps more importantly, evidence can be seen in the way that people of ethnic groups, other than African American, have changed their speech due to this influence. The Equal Rights Movement lead to a paradigm shift in African American linguistic consciousness due to Black intellectuals, scholars, activists, artists, and writers deliberately engaging in a search for a way to express Black identity and the particular circumstances of African American life. Although there had been strides in Black pride in the past, this was the first one to call for linguistic Black p...
It is apparent that there are many types of dialect within American English. The coexisting of two or more languages, either serving together in the same area or servicing different areas, is as old as language itself (Pei 106). This has happened throughout time and appears to be inevitable. It is impossible to believe an entire country could conform to one language, and then only one dialect of that language. Throughout history societies have survived for some time using different languages until these language barriers tore territories apart. It is apparent how, in America, barriers between dialects separate black men from white men even more than physical conditions.
In December of 1996, the Oakland school board recognized Ebonics or African American Vernacular English (AAVE) to be a legitimate language. Furthermore, Oakland proposed that students should be instructed in Ebonics in order to help transition into speaking and writing in Standard English. This resolution was met with controversy as the opposition views the language as “slang” or “broken English”. Although linguists disagree whether or not Ebonics is its own language or if it is a dialect of English, “All linguists, however, agree that Ebonics cannot correctly be called 'bad English ', 'slang ', 'street talk ', or any of the other labels that suggest that it is deficient or not a full-fledged linguistic system.” (Rubba, 1997) It is incredibly important for these students to become fluent in standard english as lack of fluency makes it incredibly difficult to succeed in modern American society. Without implementing an education program stressing transition from AAVE, these students will continue to achieve below average, and will never truly become comfortable using Standard English.
Language acquisition is perhaps one of the most debated issues of human development. Various theories and approaches have emerged over the years to study and analyse this developmental process. One factor contributing to the differing theories is the debate between nature v’s nurture. A question commonly asked is: Do humans a...