Top Proposal:
For the final project, I plan on conveying the argument that Ebonics is an equally sufficient language. I also plan on placing urgency on the idea of teaching students, mainly focused on grades k-12, the truth about AAVE; where it came from, the rules, and the myths. To accomplish this task, I will construct a syllabus designing a course structured around these main ideas. This theme is important because in order to accept AAVE, you need to understand it. Many people reject what is "different" or unfamiliar, so by teaching students about AAVE, you are taking steps to linguistic equality. I chose this topic because before taking this WRA class, I had many false ideas and notions about what AAVE was.
To convey this theme, I plan on using many different genres that reach students on a more relatable level. The course syllabus will be clear and easy to understand. I will reference well known scholars such as Smitherman and Zuidema to disprove the many myths that there are about AAVE. I will also provide a worksheet comparing and translating Standard English and AAVE. The whole course is aimed at changing the stereotypical views many people have about AAVE in comparison to Standard English. Other possibilities for lessons are an example of a conversation between an AAVE and SE speaker, a study done on the class after it is completed and the effects it had on the students, and different readings and articles that support this theme. By incorporating all of these elements together, a great curriculum will be formed for learning and teaching AAVE and linguistic diversity.
Zuidema, Leah. “Myth Education: Rationale and Strategies for Teaching against Linguistic Prejudice.” Journal of Adolescent Literacy 48.8 (May 2005): 668-675. Rpt. in A Reader for Writers. Eds. Craig, Perryman-Clark, and DeJoy: Boston: McGraw- Hill, 2008. 351-366.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
DW3b
DW3b: Five Easy Pieces: Steps Toward Integrating AAVE into the Classroom
by Jessica Whitney
Black English, AAVE, Ebonics, AAL. Though the terms have evolved over the years, discussion of AAVE has been a topic of debate and controversy for decades. It is, however, more recently that this language is becoming accepted in the academic setting. New strategies and approaches for incorporating AAVE into the classroom are being brought forth at a rapid speed, yet one specific way for teaching AAVE speaking students has not yet been developed and put into practice. One of these advocates for developing strategies for teaching AAVE speaker is Jessica Whitney, and she demonstrates these ideas in her article "Five easy Pieces: Steps Toward Integrating AAVE into the Classroom". In the writing, Whitney lays out specific tactics for teaching AAVE speakers, and organizes them into five easy steps.
Step one: Teacher, Educate Thyself
The first step to integrating AAVE into the classroom is for teachers to actually understand the language itself. Whitney states that one of the biggest obstacles being faced is the ignorance of the culture and language. The stereotypes and preconceived notions commonly made by the white teachers need to be set aside, and starting with an open mind is crucial. The teacher's must work with the student's home language, which is most commonly AAVE, no against it.
Step two: Incorporate Multicultralism into the Classroom
The second step to accepting and teaching AAVE in an academic setting is to make the classroom a place that values diversity in the forms of language, culture, and experience. There are enough different methods of incorporating nonmainstream tactics into the classroom that the teacher has the opportunity to choose which method he/she thinks bet suits her students' needs. Whitney goes on to state that it is unjust to provide students with just a one-sided outlook of the world
Step three: Creating a Learning Environment Rich in Oral Language
Oral Language is just as important as written language, and in step three of Whitney's process, she explains the need to focus on both sides of learning, written and oral. How the student speaks is reflected a great amount in his/her writing, therefore if a teacher enhances a student's speech, the enhancement of their written language will also develop. Whitney then goes on to explain possible ways to incorporate oral language into the classroom, such as debates, in-class discussions, listening to readings, and brainstorming.
Step four: Encourage and Demonstrate Code-Switching in the Classroom
In step four, Whitney urges teachers to not correct a student when they exhibit habits difference from Standard English, but rather to acknowledge the fact that has different styles, rules, and patterns, and a person should be open to all forms. Teachers should help the students see the differences in languages by comparing and contrasting AAVE and Standard English. She also encourages code-switching, which helps the students to be more effective, both in their writing and speech.
Step Five: Allow the Students to Write like Real Writers
Step five encourages Teachers to allow Students to write like "real writers". This includes writing for a variety of audiences and have a specific point, while being aware of themselves as writers. To accomplish this goal, teachers need to allow students to use AAVE in both their written and spoken speech.
Whitney spells out simple, easy steps to follow for putting AAVE into the classroom. The author discusses AAVe in composition studies effectively, her writing being simple to understand with definite clear instructions and strategies. Whitney suggests that the responsibility is on the teachers, and that they have to first understand the language itself before teaching it. She also insists that AAVE shouldn't be ignored, but instead allowed in the classroom since it can often enhance the student's writing, making it more authentic.
by Jessica Whitney
Black English, AAVE, Ebonics, AAL. Though the terms have evolved over the years, discussion of AAVE has been a topic of debate and controversy for decades. It is, however, more recently that this language is becoming accepted in the academic setting. New strategies and approaches for incorporating AAVE into the classroom are being brought forth at a rapid speed, yet one specific way for teaching AAVE speaking students has not yet been developed and put into practice. One of these advocates for developing strategies for teaching AAVE speaker is Jessica Whitney, and she demonstrates these ideas in her article "Five easy Pieces: Steps Toward Integrating AAVE into the Classroom". In the writing, Whitney lays out specific tactics for teaching AAVE speakers, and organizes them into five easy steps.
Step one: Teacher, Educate Thyself
The first step to integrating AAVE into the classroom is for teachers to actually understand the language itself. Whitney states that one of the biggest obstacles being faced is the ignorance of the culture and language. The stereotypes and preconceived notions commonly made by the white teachers need to be set aside, and starting with an open mind is crucial. The teacher's must work with the student's home language, which is most commonly AAVE, no against it.
Step two: Incorporate Multicultralism into the Classroom
The second step to accepting and teaching AAVE in an academic setting is to make the classroom a place that values diversity in the forms of language, culture, and experience. There are enough different methods of incorporating nonmainstream tactics into the classroom that the teacher has the opportunity to choose which method he/she thinks bet suits her students' needs. Whitney goes on to state that it is unjust to provide students with just a one-sided outlook of the world
Step three: Creating a Learning Environment Rich in Oral Language
Oral Language is just as important as written language, and in step three of Whitney's process, she explains the need to focus on both sides of learning, written and oral. How the student speaks is reflected a great amount in his/her writing, therefore if a teacher enhances a student's speech, the enhancement of their written language will also develop. Whitney then goes on to explain possible ways to incorporate oral language into the classroom, such as debates, in-class discussions, listening to readings, and brainstorming.
Step four: Encourage and Demonstrate Code-Switching in the Classroom
In step four, Whitney urges teachers to not correct a student when they exhibit habits difference from Standard English, but rather to acknowledge the fact that has different styles, rules, and patterns, and a person should be open to all forms. Teachers should help the students see the differences in languages by comparing and contrasting AAVE and Standard English. She also encourages code-switching, which helps the students to be more effective, both in their writing and speech.
Step Five: Allow the Students to Write like Real Writers
Step five encourages Teachers to allow Students to write like "real writers". This includes writing for a variety of audiences and have a specific point, while being aware of themselves as writers. To accomplish this goal, teachers need to allow students to use AAVE in both their written and spoken speech.
Whitney spells out simple, easy steps to follow for putting AAVE into the classroom. The author discusses AAVe in composition studies effectively, her writing being simple to understand with definite clear instructions and strategies. Whitney suggests that the responsibility is on the teachers, and that they have to first understand the language itself before teaching it. She also insists that AAVE shouldn't be ignored, but instead allowed in the classroom since it can often enhance the student's writing, making it more authentic.
Annotated Bibliography
Annotated Bibliography
Hamilton, Greg. “English in the City: Wass’up, Mrs. Stern?” The English Journal. 93. 4 (2004): 89-92. National Council of Teachers of English. 29 March 2009.
Hamilton discusses his colleague’s, Ruthie Stern, experiences in teaching AAVE speaking students. Stern explains the definition of Black English, how it is used by her students, along with specific examples from the classroom, including instances where her students spoke AAVE or used slang, and their consequences.
Jonesberg, Sara. “What’s a (White) Teacher to Do about Black English?” The English Journal. 90. 4 (2001): 51-53. National Council of Teachers of English. 29 March 2009.
Jonesberg urges the need for respect and celebration for Black English in the classroom. She views Ebonics as a representation of African American’s history and culture. Jonesberg also recognized bilingualism and the fact that there is no “bad english” nor “good english”, but rather differences in languages.
Wheeler, Rebecca. “Teaching English in the World: Code-Switch to Teach Standard English.” The English Journal. 94. 5 (2005): 108-112. National Council of Teachers of English. 29 March 2009.
Wheeler emphasizes the importance of not correcting “incorrect grammar” of AAVE, but rather look at the grammar as part of a different language. She examines different data from students to better understand the appropriate approach to helping AAVE speakers learn to write.
Whitney, Jessica. "Five Easy Pieces: Steps toward Integrating AAVE into the Classroom." The English Journal. 94. 5 (2005): 64-69. Voice of Democracy. 29 March 2009.
The article, by Whitney, discusses strategies for incorporating AAVE into the classroom, using five steps. She argues that AAVE should be embraced in the classroom, using students’ home language as a valued tool to help the students become better learners.
Hamilton, Greg. “English in the City: Wass’up, Mrs. Stern?” The English Journal. 93. 4 (2004): 89-92. National Council of Teachers of English. 29 March 2009.
Hamilton discusses his colleague’s, Ruthie Stern, experiences in teaching AAVE speaking students. Stern explains the definition of Black English, how it is used by her students, along with specific examples from the classroom, including instances where her students spoke AAVE or used slang, and their consequences.
Jonesberg, Sara. “What’s a (White) Teacher to Do about Black English?” The English Journal. 90. 4 (2001): 51-53. National Council of Teachers of English. 29 March 2009.
Jonesberg urges the need for respect and celebration for Black English in the classroom. She views Ebonics as a representation of African American’s history and culture. Jonesberg also recognized bilingualism and the fact that there is no “bad english” nor “good english”, but rather differences in languages.
Wheeler, Rebecca. “Teaching English in the World: Code-Switch to Teach Standard English.” The English Journal. 94. 5 (2005): 108-112. National Council of Teachers of English. 29 March 2009.
Wheeler emphasizes the importance of not correcting “incorrect grammar” of AAVE, but rather look at the grammar as part of a different language. She examines different data from students to better understand the appropriate approach to helping AAVE speakers learn to write.
Whitney, Jessica. "Five Easy Pieces: Steps toward Integrating AAVE into the Classroom." The English Journal. 94. 5 (2005): 64-69. Voice of Democracy. 29 March 2009.
The article, by Whitney, discusses strategies for incorporating AAVE into the classroom, using five steps. She argues that AAVE should be embraced in the classroom, using students’ home language as a valued tool to help the students become better learners.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
DW3a
A Perspective on Teaching Black Dialect Speaking Students to Write Standard English
by Juith P. Nembhard
Main ideas:
-Teachers must have confidence in their students
-Teachers must have high expectations for all of their students
-Teachers must help students make the distinction between their oral speech and Standard English
-Writing assignments must be graded thoroughly but fairly
-Teachers must hold conferences with students
-Students must do some of their writing in class, where teachers can provide help
-Students must be provided with outside help, such as tutors
-Teachers must not be afraid to give failing grades when they are deserved
-Teach Black Dialect students Standard English
-Use Prewriting, writing, and reformulation for the basis of teaching Standard English
-Students need to keep their culture and acknowledge it
-Students should focus on clarity and voice when writing, as opposed to grammar
-Students need to have effective communication skills so that they are not limited by their home language
-Teachers need to keep students motivated
Supporting evidence:
-Teachers who show sympathy to black dialect students are hurting the students' capacity to learn and reach their full potential. If teachers do not grade fairly, and use language as an excuse for showing favoritism to Black Dialect speakers, the students will never actually learn how to write.
"The student, after being shown the almost illiterate nature of her essay, asked plaintively, 'Why didn't they tell me?'"
-Children without Standard English are handicapped
-"The Students' Right to Their Own Language", issued 1974, states that black students have the right to speak as they wish and to maintain their cultural linguistic heritage
-bidialectalism allows students to enhance their linguistic range by keeping their own language, and using Standard English as a second language
-"teaching black students to write involves more than getting them to use plurals and to avoid double negatives"
The author summarizes suggestions and ideal ways for teaching black dialect students to write in Standard English. The writer emphasizes that the responsibility of teaching black dialect students relies on the teachers, not the students. Nembhard insists that grammatical errors should come second to the clarity and basic rules of writing. She also states the importance of teaching and understanding Standard English, and a student is crippled if not thoroughly taught. Following this statement, however, she goes on to say that black dialect students should keep their own language and culture. These two statements contradict each other, and the author fails to set up ideas and explanations on how to accomadate both of these requirements. The writer is conveying the fact that AAVE shouldn't be used in composition studies.
by Juith P. Nembhard
Main ideas:
-Teachers must have confidence in their students
-Teachers must have high expectations for all of their students
-Teachers must help students make the distinction between their oral speech and Standard English
-Writing assignments must be graded thoroughly but fairly
-Teachers must hold conferences with students
-Students must do some of their writing in class, where teachers can provide help
-Students must be provided with outside help, such as tutors
-Teachers must not be afraid to give failing grades when they are deserved
-Teach Black Dialect students Standard English
-Use Prewriting, writing, and reformulation for the basis of teaching Standard English
-Students need to keep their culture and acknowledge it
-Students should focus on clarity and voice when writing, as opposed to grammar
-Students need to have effective communication skills so that they are not limited by their home language
-Teachers need to keep students motivated
Supporting evidence:
-Teachers who show sympathy to black dialect students are hurting the students' capacity to learn and reach their full potential. If teachers do not grade fairly, and use language as an excuse for showing favoritism to Black Dialect speakers, the students will never actually learn how to write.
"The student, after being shown the almost illiterate nature of her essay, asked plaintively, 'Why didn't they tell me?'"
-Children without Standard English are handicapped
-"The Students' Right to Their Own Language", issued 1974, states that black students have the right to speak as they wish and to maintain their cultural linguistic heritage
-bidialectalism allows students to enhance their linguistic range by keeping their own language, and using Standard English as a second language
-"teaching black students to write involves more than getting them to use plurals and to avoid double negatives"
The author summarizes suggestions and ideal ways for teaching black dialect students to write in Standard English. The writer emphasizes that the responsibility of teaching black dialect students relies on the teachers, not the students. Nembhard insists that grammatical errors should come second to the clarity and basic rules of writing. She also states the importance of teaching and understanding Standard English, and a student is crippled if not thoroughly taught. Following this statement, however, she goes on to say that black dialect students should keep their own language and culture. These two statements contradict each other, and the author fails to set up ideas and explanations on how to accomadate both of these requirements. The writer is conveying the fact that AAVE shouldn't be used in composition studies.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
IAR analysis
IAR analysis: "Taking Black Technology Use Seriously:African American Discursive Traditions In the Digital Underground" by Adam J. Banks
What is invention?
In order to understand a piece of writing, it is important to examine what activities the author had to engage in to create the text. For this particular writing, Banks had to research AAVE, along with research well-known scholars and sociolinguistics such as Smitherman, Holmes, and Powell. He needed to be familiar with AAVE rhetorical and grammatical features. Banks also had to research how AAVE is appropriated on the internet, by examining websites such as Blackplanet.com. He also researched the "underground" in AA's culture.
What is being invented?
The ideas, practices, or arguments created throughout the text written by Banks include:
- The internet (especially blackplanet.com) serve as an "underground" for African Americans to express themselves without the "political gaze"
-The internet offers a way to discuss issues and important topics, while bringing people together, therefore is beneficial to its users.
- Rhetorical and grammatical features are appropriated throughout the web.
- African Americans need to be better represented online.
- The internet views race and cultural factors as unimportant
What is being arranged?
What is being put into relation to what:
-The internet to African Americans
-African Americans to AAVE
-AAVE to the "underground"
-"underground" to the digital divide
-digital divide to problems of access and use
-problems to online to AAVE's rhetorical features
What is arrangement?
It is important to realize how things put into relation to one another while trying to comprehend a piece of writings. In the writing by Banks, the following include the arrangement for his text:
-discussion to discussion
- discussion to example
What is being revised?
In this writing, by Banks, he is trying to stress the fact that technology, especially the internet, need to represent all people, not just white, middle-class men. He is also stating that African Americans have the right to use AAVE. While proving these points, Banks also is trying to bring awareness to the fact that the digital divide still exists, along with the fact the there still is an "underground".
What is revision? What strategies are engaged specifically to help the writer achieve the revisions
To reach his point, Banks had to engage in finding, and using, examples of AAVE on websites. He also had to use quotes and other ideas from well-known sociolinguistics and scholars.
What is invention?
In order to understand a piece of writing, it is important to examine what activities the author had to engage in to create the text. For this particular writing, Banks had to research AAVE, along with research well-known scholars and sociolinguistics such as Smitherman, Holmes, and Powell. He needed to be familiar with AAVE rhetorical and grammatical features. Banks also had to research how AAVE is appropriated on the internet, by examining websites such as Blackplanet.com. He also researched the "underground" in AA's culture.
What is being invented?
The ideas, practices, or arguments created throughout the text written by Banks include:
- The internet (especially blackplanet.com) serve as an "underground" for African Americans to express themselves without the "political gaze"
-The internet offers a way to discuss issues and important topics, while bringing people together, therefore is beneficial to its users.
- Rhetorical and grammatical features are appropriated throughout the web.
- African Americans need to be better represented online.
- The internet views race and cultural factors as unimportant
What is being arranged?
What is being put into relation to what:
-The internet to African Americans
-African Americans to AAVE
-AAVE to the "underground"
-"underground" to the digital divide
-digital divide to problems of access and use
-problems to online to AAVE's rhetorical features
What is arrangement?
It is important to realize how things put into relation to one another while trying to comprehend a piece of writings. In the writing by Banks, the following include the arrangement for his text:
-discussion to discussion
- discussion to example
What is being revised?
In this writing, by Banks, he is trying to stress the fact that technology, especially the internet, need to represent all people, not just white, middle-class men. He is also stating that African Americans have the right to use AAVE. While proving these points, Banks also is trying to bring awareness to the fact that the digital divide still exists, along with the fact the there still is an "underground".
What is revision? What strategies are engaged specifically to help the writer achieve the revisions
To reach his point, Banks had to engage in finding, and using, examples of AAVE on websites. He also had to use quotes and other ideas from well-known sociolinguistics and scholars.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
DW2b
Dw2b:
The internet has become one of the most common ways to research, pass time, contact people, and perhaps most importantly, a way to express oneself. It has replaced the old ways of researching, with faster, easier access to an endless supply of information. Cyberspace is now a place of discussion, a place to grow from others’ ideas and knowledge, and ultimately, a place of controversy. One of these controversial issues is race, and the expression of it. Race is a controversial topic in all areas of our society, and this has even leaked into the internet. Blackplanet.com is one of these social networking websites that allows the expression of diversity, specifically the appropriation of AAVE. Blackplanet.com is aimed primarily towards the African American public, and most of its users are, indeed, Black Americans. Individuals aren’t afraid of judgement on this site, therefore, they speak and discuss without holding back, and without the restrictions of using Standard English. In today’s society, we tend to worry to much about what is right or wrong, instead of the deeper meaning. The internet allows us to look pass using Standard English, and by doing thins, take steps toward a greater acceptance of the diversity of language. In his writing “Taking Black Technology Use Seriously: African American Discursive Traditions in the Digital Underground”, Adam J. Banks states:
“This socialized instruction of feedback and guidance about personal pages helps with the millions of users (10,500,000 at the time of this writing) forge connections with each other that ensure the growth of the community and the discursive conventions that develop within it.”
In this quote, Banks is explaining the importance of personal pages on the web, such as BlackPlanet.com. He stresses the involvement that these pages have on the growth of knowledge and the stimulation of the mind on those individuals that participant in such personal websites. He also agrees with the argument that cyberspace is beneficial in the fight against linguistic prejudice and encourages connections between people. Cyberspace does this by allowing individuals express themselves without restrictions, especially the restrictions of Standard English. By users appropriating AAVE, it raises awareness about the language. It also helps people not familiar with AAVE to understand it and see the way it can be used. Personal sites, like Blackplanet.com, increase discussion by creating a connection between users. The internet, just like any other thing in this world, can have its down side, but overall, the good outweighs the bad. There is going to be discrimination against the unfamiliar, like AAVE, but the internet is a tool to help shut the door on that issue. Cyberspace prompts intellectual discussions, while appropriating AAVE, overlooking conformity, and allowing the expression of individuality.
The internet has become one of the most common ways to research, pass time, contact people, and perhaps most importantly, a way to express oneself. It has replaced the old ways of researching, with faster, easier access to an endless supply of information. Cyberspace is now a place of discussion, a place to grow from others’ ideas and knowledge, and ultimately, a place of controversy. One of these controversial issues is race, and the expression of it. Race is a controversial topic in all areas of our society, and this has even leaked into the internet. Blackplanet.com is one of these social networking websites that allows the expression of diversity, specifically the appropriation of AAVE. Blackplanet.com is aimed primarily towards the African American public, and most of its users are, indeed, Black Americans. Individuals aren’t afraid of judgement on this site, therefore, they speak and discuss without holding back, and without the restrictions of using Standard English. In today’s society, we tend to worry to much about what is right or wrong, instead of the deeper meaning. The internet allows us to look pass using Standard English, and by doing thins, take steps toward a greater acceptance of the diversity of language. In his writing “Taking Black Technology Use Seriously: African American Discursive Traditions in the Digital Underground”, Adam J. Banks states:
“This socialized instruction of feedback and guidance about personal pages helps with the millions of users (10,500,000 at the time of this writing) forge connections with each other that ensure the growth of the community and the discursive conventions that develop within it.”
In this quote, Banks is explaining the importance of personal pages on the web, such as BlackPlanet.com. He stresses the involvement that these pages have on the growth of knowledge and the stimulation of the mind on those individuals that participant in such personal websites. He also agrees with the argument that cyberspace is beneficial in the fight against linguistic prejudice and encourages connections between people. Cyberspace does this by allowing individuals express themselves without restrictions, especially the restrictions of Standard English. By users appropriating AAVE, it raises awareness about the language. It also helps people not familiar with AAVE to understand it and see the way it can be used. Personal sites, like Blackplanet.com, increase discussion by creating a connection between users. The internet, just like any other thing in this world, can have its down side, but overall, the good outweighs the bad. There is going to be discrimination against the unfamiliar, like AAVE, but the internet is a tool to help shut the door on that issue. Cyberspace prompts intellectual discussions, while appropriating AAVE, overlooking conformity, and allowing the expression of individuality.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Dw2a
DW2a:
Blackplanet.com is a website, like myspace.com or facebook.com, used for social networking. It allows users to create a profile, express their opinions, meet other people, and discuss current issues or topics they find important. Unlike the other social networking websites, however, Blackplanet.com is aimed primarily towards the African American public, and most of its users are, indeed, Black Americans. When I browsed this website, many AAVE features were appropriated throughout the entire site, and in most of the users’ profiles. One primary feature of AAVE that stands out is the rhetorical feature called braggadocio, which is especially apparent in user’s “about me” section. Here is an example from “idarastar”’s profile: “i don't need to write a little paragraph tryin to convince you that i am a cool %#&@$! chick. i just am what i am and that is one cool ass chick.” It is very obvious from this statement that the user is proudly bragging about themselves, or in other words, using braggadocio. Similar statements are made in the majority of the profiles.
Another feature of AAVE that is appropriated is repetition. An example of this, from
“RRbatman”’s profile is: “Those who watch things happen and Those who wonder what happened.) Which one are you? Obama needs our help to MAKE THINGS HAPPEN!”
As you can see, he uses the word “happen” repeatedly, just within one or two sentences, emphasizing the issue he is trying to address. RRbatman also appropriates the rhetorical feature, using a sermonic tone.
“REST IN PEACE TO THE HOMIE STACK BUNDLES, GONE BUT NEVA FORGOTTEN FAR ROCK LIVES ON! A.K.A YOU NEVER SEEN LIGHTSKIN LOOK SO TOUGH!!!” In this statement from a user’s profile, he acknowledges the use of AAVE, or a version of it, and translates it into Standard English. This is one of the few locations on Blackplanet.com that AAVE is actually, in a way, discussed and not just appropriated.
In this statement from a user on blackplanet.com, he appropriates the grammatical feature well known in AAVE of using the verb “be”.
“the most overused phrase on BP: I'm REAL! I be perusing some profiles and there's an 80% chance that when you see those words, there's a booty shoot or a picture in their drawls, and 9 times out of 10 they ain't got time for games, lol!” This user also acknowledges the slang term “I’m Real”, and mixes in internet slang with the use of “lol”.
Internet slang is also mixed within the AAVE in many user’s profiles, so a lot of the AAVE is not used in its correct format. Words such as “U”, “wanna”, “pics”, or “gonna” are commonly used, sprinkled all throughout users’ profiles. One of the most seen grammatical feature of AAVE on blackplanet.com is the omission of the “th” sounds. “IF U AINT older dan me DONT HOLLA AT ME”. In this excerpt from a user’s profile, she replaces the Standard English word “than”, drops the “th” sound, and replaces it with the word “dan”. Almost every user on blackplanet.com appropriates some form of AAVE, even though it may not be completely correct.
Blackplanet.com is a website, like myspace.com or facebook.com, used for social networking. It allows users to create a profile, express their opinions, meet other people, and discuss current issues or topics they find important. Unlike the other social networking websites, however, Blackplanet.com is aimed primarily towards the African American public, and most of its users are, indeed, Black Americans. When I browsed this website, many AAVE features were appropriated throughout the entire site, and in most of the users’ profiles. One primary feature of AAVE that stands out is the rhetorical feature called braggadocio, which is especially apparent in user’s “about me” section. Here is an example from “idarastar”’s profile: “i don't need to write a little paragraph tryin to convince you that i am a cool %#&@$! chick. i just am what i am and that is one cool ass chick.” It is very obvious from this statement that the user is proudly bragging about themselves, or in other words, using braggadocio. Similar statements are made in the majority of the profiles.
Another feature of AAVE that is appropriated is repetition. An example of this, from
“RRbatman”’s profile is: “Those who watch things happen and Those who wonder what happened.) Which one are you? Obama needs our help to MAKE THINGS HAPPEN!”
As you can see, he uses the word “happen” repeatedly, just within one or two sentences, emphasizing the issue he is trying to address. RRbatman also appropriates the rhetorical feature, using a sermonic tone.
“REST IN PEACE TO THE HOMIE STACK BUNDLES, GONE BUT NEVA FORGOTTEN FAR ROCK LIVES ON! A.K.A YOU NEVER SEEN LIGHTSKIN LOOK SO TOUGH!!!” In this statement from a user’s profile, he acknowledges the use of AAVE, or a version of it, and translates it into Standard English. This is one of the few locations on Blackplanet.com that AAVE is actually, in a way, discussed and not just appropriated.
In this statement from a user on blackplanet.com, he appropriates the grammatical feature well known in AAVE of using the verb “be”.
“the most overused phrase on BP: I'm REAL! I be perusing some profiles and there's an 80% chance that when you see those words, there's a booty shoot or a picture in their drawls, and 9 times out of 10 they ain't got time for games, lol!” This user also acknowledges the slang term “I’m Real”, and mixes in internet slang with the use of “lol”.
Internet slang is also mixed within the AAVE in many user’s profiles, so a lot of the AAVE is not used in its correct format. Words such as “U”, “wanna”, “pics”, or “gonna” are commonly used, sprinkled all throughout users’ profiles. One of the most seen grammatical feature of AAVE on blackplanet.com is the omission of the “th” sounds. “IF U AINT older dan me DONT HOLLA AT ME”. In this excerpt from a user’s profile, she replaces the Standard English word “than”, drops the “th” sound, and replaces it with the word “dan”. Almost every user on blackplanet.com appropriates some form of AAVE, even though it may not be completely correct.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
DW1b
DW1b: Analyzing "Myth Education: Rationale and Strategies for Teaching against Linguistic Prejudice" by Leah Zuidema
“You may have dark skin, we tell them, but you must not sound Black. You can wear a yarmulke if it is important to you as a Jew, but lose the accent. Maybe you come from the Ukraine, but can’t you speak real English? If you didn’t sound so corn-pone, people would take you seriously. You’re the best salesperson we’ve got, but must you sound so gay on he phone?” Zuidema follows this up by stating that “Many of us feel free to make judgements about others because of the ways that they use language. We make assumptions based on the ways that people speak and write, presuming to know about their intelligence, their competence, their motives, and their morality.”
The excerpt above, derived from “Myth Education: Rationale and Strategies for Teaching Against Linguistic Prejudice”, by Leah Zuidema, brings to our attention the amount of ignorance and prejudice that language produces, especially in today’s society. It illustrates the feelings that we all experience on a day to day basis when we use language, both written and oral. We are taught Standard English from the moment we enter the school system, and condemned if we use any sort of variety of this. We were, and still are, constantly corrected on our grammar “mistakes”, which are really just the dialect we use outside of school. Individuality of speech is viewed as unacceptable while at school, and those who do not comply receive lower grades and less favoritism. Zuidema stresses the idea of conformity of language, and how it is pushed onto us from every aspect of life, whether it be at school, work, or just in conversation with a person you just met. Immigrants, for example, who may have difficulty pronouncing certain words in English, or have a thick accent, may be viewed as “not American”, or “stupid”. A person is judged, discriminated against, and stereotyped based on their language. If we heard a President give a formal speech using words such as “gonna”, “ain’t”, “wanna”, or any other type of common slang, we, as a society, would consider him ignorant or uneducated.
We all have, undoubtably, experienced linguistic prejudice at some point in our lives. This idea is conveyed throughout my literacy narrative, in less obvious and dramatic terms. School is a major contributer to linguistic prejudice, and in a way, is encouraging such behavior. You can see this in the grading system for written papers, which is based solely off of “Standard English”. There is no room for variations, dialect difference, or slang in this grading system, and if you happen to stray off the “Standard English path”, your grade will suffer. I started to realized this, as mentioned in my literacy narrative, around the time I entered middle school. It is at this time when your written language really starts to matter, and words such as “ain’t”, were to be sifted out of our vocabulary. As human beings, we tend to judge anything that is different than us, and we do this especially in language. School, however, is the first place we need to start recognizing, and accepting, individuality of language. There is no "right" or "wrong" language, therefore the school system needs to start realizing this issue, start accommodating for it, and work out solutions for the linguistic prejudice that is incorporated throughout the system.
“You may have dark skin, we tell them, but you must not sound Black. You can wear a yarmulke if it is important to you as a Jew, but lose the accent. Maybe you come from the Ukraine, but can’t you speak real English? If you didn’t sound so corn-pone, people would take you seriously. You’re the best salesperson we’ve got, but must you sound so gay on he phone?” Zuidema follows this up by stating that “Many of us feel free to make judgements about others because of the ways that they use language. We make assumptions based on the ways that people speak and write, presuming to know about their intelligence, their competence, their motives, and their morality.”
The excerpt above, derived from “Myth Education: Rationale and Strategies for Teaching Against Linguistic Prejudice”, by Leah Zuidema, brings to our attention the amount of ignorance and prejudice that language produces, especially in today’s society. It illustrates the feelings that we all experience on a day to day basis when we use language, both written and oral. We are taught Standard English from the moment we enter the school system, and condemned if we use any sort of variety of this. We were, and still are, constantly corrected on our grammar “mistakes”, which are really just the dialect we use outside of school. Individuality of speech is viewed as unacceptable while at school, and those who do not comply receive lower grades and less favoritism. Zuidema stresses the idea of conformity of language, and how it is pushed onto us from every aspect of life, whether it be at school, work, or just in conversation with a person you just met. Immigrants, for example, who may have difficulty pronouncing certain words in English, or have a thick accent, may be viewed as “not American”, or “stupid”. A person is judged, discriminated against, and stereotyped based on their language. If we heard a President give a formal speech using words such as “gonna”, “ain’t”, “wanna”, or any other type of common slang, we, as a society, would consider him ignorant or uneducated.
We all have, undoubtably, experienced linguistic prejudice at some point in our lives. This idea is conveyed throughout my literacy narrative, in less obvious and dramatic terms. School is a major contributer to linguistic prejudice, and in a way, is encouraging such behavior. You can see this in the grading system for written papers, which is based solely off of “Standard English”. There is no room for variations, dialect difference, or slang in this grading system, and if you happen to stray off the “Standard English path”, your grade will suffer. I started to realized this, as mentioned in my literacy narrative, around the time I entered middle school. It is at this time when your written language really starts to matter, and words such as “ain’t”, were to be sifted out of our vocabulary. As human beings, we tend to judge anything that is different than us, and we do this especially in language. School, however, is the first place we need to start recognizing, and accepting, individuality of language. There is no "right" or "wrong" language, therefore the school system needs to start realizing this issue, start accommodating for it, and work out solutions for the linguistic prejudice that is incorporated throughout the system.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Dw1a
Language is a complex, unique, and complicated thing. There are thousands of languages across the world, and on top of that, thousands of more dialects. No one individual speaks the exact same way, using different tones, styles, and grammar. Language, however, deepens even farther, in that it differs even within the individual. Throughout life, your vocabulary, the way you speak and how you speak it, changes and evolves. You learn that somethings are only appropriate to say in certain situations and atmospheres, and because of this, everyone does their own version of code-switching, consciously or not. The two places that my language differs the most is in the two places I spend the most time; at school and at home.
The first time I began analyzing the difference in my speech at home compared to that in school was when I reached middle school. Middle school is a time for change and a time when you begin to mature into a young adult. I began to realize that the way I speak at home and with my friends, was very different from the way I speak in front of my teachers and elders at school. Even though this process had been happening since I entered the school system, it is entering middle school that predominately sticks out in my mind. It is at this time, I began to realize that something are only appropriate at home, while others appropriate at school.
Being taught “Standard English” all my life, I came to realize that the manner in which I speak was deemed wrong to express in my writings. For instance, even though I use the slang term “wanna” frequently throughout my speech in substitution for “want to”, the term would be marked incorrect in a writing submitted for school. If i used the word “wanna” in one of my writings, I would be accused of not thoroughly proofreading my paper, and receive a lower grade for grammatical errors. At school, slang terms that I would use frequently at home such as “gonna”, “whatcha”, “ya”, or “dunno”, would not be readily accepted, therefore I would not readily use them while at school. While at home, I would use abbreviations in both my writings and speech. This is most obvious in communications such as AIM, Facebook, text messaging, or even my note taking. Slang terms such as “lol”, “wtf”, “omg”, “otay”, or even profanity would never be acceptable to use in my writings, or speech, at school. My tone is also substantially different at home compared to at school. At home, I tend to be louder and speak with my emotions, being more comfortable with my surrounding. At school, however, my tone is more serious, I speak with less emotion, use less slang, and tend to think about my vocabulary choices more than I would while at home. At home, I think less about my speech, because my comfort level is higher than it would be at school. I use slang terms that are shared amongst my friends and I, that wouldn’t be appropriate for a class lecture.
These aren’t the only two places, home and school, where I use code-switching, but they are the most obvious and drastic. Language affects everyone’s day-to-day life, even in ways that we might not realize. Our language changes along side our situations, the people we are around, and the places that we are at. Because our language and our writing are closely intertwined, our writing also changes with our atmosphere. As a society, we need to analyze and accept different dialects, and the reasonings for code-switching. Classes on subjects such as Ebonics, and other languages, are the first steps towards the acceptance of individuality in speech.
The first time I began analyzing the difference in my speech at home compared to that in school was when I reached middle school. Middle school is a time for change and a time when you begin to mature into a young adult. I began to realize that the way I speak at home and with my friends, was very different from the way I speak in front of my teachers and elders at school. Even though this process had been happening since I entered the school system, it is entering middle school that predominately sticks out in my mind. It is at this time, I began to realize that something are only appropriate at home, while others appropriate at school.
Being taught “Standard English” all my life, I came to realize that the manner in which I speak was deemed wrong to express in my writings. For instance, even though I use the slang term “wanna” frequently throughout my speech in substitution for “want to”, the term would be marked incorrect in a writing submitted for school. If i used the word “wanna” in one of my writings, I would be accused of not thoroughly proofreading my paper, and receive a lower grade for grammatical errors. At school, slang terms that I would use frequently at home such as “gonna”, “whatcha”, “ya”, or “dunno”, would not be readily accepted, therefore I would not readily use them while at school. While at home, I would use abbreviations in both my writings and speech. This is most obvious in communications such as AIM, Facebook, text messaging, or even my note taking. Slang terms such as “lol”, “wtf”, “omg”, “otay”, or even profanity would never be acceptable to use in my writings, or speech, at school. My tone is also substantially different at home compared to at school. At home, I tend to be louder and speak with my emotions, being more comfortable with my surrounding. At school, however, my tone is more serious, I speak with less emotion, use less slang, and tend to think about my vocabulary choices more than I would while at home. At home, I think less about my speech, because my comfort level is higher than it would be at school. I use slang terms that are shared amongst my friends and I, that wouldn’t be appropriate for a class lecture.
These aren’t the only two places, home and school, where I use code-switching, but they are the most obvious and drastic. Language affects everyone’s day-to-day life, even in ways that we might not realize. Our language changes along side our situations, the people we are around, and the places that we are at. Because our language and our writing are closely intertwined, our writing also changes with our atmosphere. As a society, we need to analyze and accept different dialects, and the reasonings for code-switching. Classes on subjects such as Ebonics, and other languages, are the first steps towards the acceptance of individuality in speech.
Monday, January 26, 2009
IAR analysis: "It Bees That Way Sometime"
IAR Analysis: "It Bees That Way Sometime" by Smitherman
- research the history of Black English, as well as White English
- examine the grammar and structure of both Black and White English
- compare the two languages and how they are used
- define terms such as language and style
- examine how Black English is changing, and the influences White English has on it
- examine how Black English is mingling with White English
- research the difference in dialect across different regions (In the South compared to the North)
What is being invented? (The ideas, practices, or arguments created by the text)
- one language is not better than the other
- the style/tone of Black English
- the "be" verb in Black English is very important, and can have different meanings depending on the situation/context that it is used
- there is no "past tense" in Black English
- words have different meanings in each language
- White English is influencing Black English (will verb)
- discuss the rules of Black English vs the rules of White English
- show examples of a sentence in one language, and how it would be translated in the other language
- explain the different structure/rules/patterns of Black English ("th" is omitted, multiple negatives, ect.) and compare it so White English
- Black English speakers do not always follow all of the patterns/rules discussed
What is arrangement? (How are things put into relation to one another)
- Examples of the same sentence in White English and in Black English
- Poem
- comic
-compare and contrast
- introduce rule of Black English, then give example compared to White English
What is being arranged? (What is being put into relation to what)
- Africanized Black English to Black English Spoken today
- The change of Black English (now compared to the past)
- The influences of White English on Black English
- The rules of Black English compared to those of White English
- Grammar/Style/Tone/Pronunciation of Black English
What is revision? (What strategies are engaged specifically to help the writer achieve the revisions)
- Examples of real life situations
- the use of the comic
- the use of the poem
- the use of Black English within the text
What is being revised? (what is the writer trying to change)
- the idea that White English is better than Black English
- the stereotype that Black English has no structure/pattern/rules
- education on correct Black English
- Awareness that if African Americans continue to be accepted in the mainstream, Black English features could become extinct
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