Linguistic Profiling, African American English, Gullah

http://youtube.com/watch?v=EPGx1icFdLQ

In my linguistics class and in English 3201, I have learned that AAVE is considered a grammatical language. However, I was never taught in any detail about its origin or history. Of course, I heard here and there that it came from slavery. But I did not know much beyond that.

Actually, what I thought I knew about the language, I have come to learn, is incorrect.

Growing up, I've always heard this language being called Ebonics. It was not until last year at LSU that I learned it was widely known as AAVE. I always thought it was an ignorant and lazy language used by those of a lower class. I often associated it with gangs, guns, death, drugs, etc.

But this semester, my eyes have been opened to a completely different concept. Though I've met this concept with apprehension, fear, and resistance, I at times find myself understanding.

I wanted to include this video because of my ignorance. I questioned whether others in this course may have the same void of knowledge I have about AAVE.

As I was watching the video, I, for the first time this semester, slightly understood. We speak Standard English because our ancestors spoke it, and they were never forced to change their dialects. Instead, those on the African coast, the African middle men changed their languages to trade with the white Americans. They created a Pigeon language, and they still speak it today. But those who received the most suffering were the slaves. They were placed in groups in a type of reservation setting where they were held until they were shipped to America. While on these destitute reservations, the blacks (who were about to be enslaved) were separated. They were separated by language, to limit revolts. So, in order to communicate, these slaves had to create their own language, a language which is often referred to as Gullah.

What worries me is that while watching the two African Americans speak Gullah, I could barely understand. Though modern AAVE is not the same dialect as Gullah, it does have its resemblances. This made me wonder whether I truly understand AAVE? Throughout watching this video I also wondered why modern-day America is unable to teach African American children Standard English, and the different groups of people in the video came to form a language through which they could communicate? Is it because African American students feel no need to learn the language, unlike the middle men in Africa? Why can't their be a blend of AAVE and Standard English that is more acceptable and not so widely criticized? Why can't we, all as Americans, break barriers that different cultures and regions of people were able to break? Maybe our school system doesn't fail miserably because teachers constantly correct African American students. Maybe it fails miserably because we have two separate cultures and feel no need to come together and blend our cultures in anyway.

I asked my friend because I was curious of another person's point of view, why she prefers not to communicate with the black community. I found her answer very interesting. She said, "It's frustrating because not only do I not always understand them, but I hate to listen to them butcher the language." But what language? I asked her this and she said, "Standard English. In order for African American to maintain this certain identity they mess up the English language." I think I may almost be coming to a turning point, because my question would be, "But didn't we force them to take on this certain identity? And wouldn't you think that modern AAVE is African Americans' ways of trying to take Gullah and transform it into something that is more of a 'Standard English' dialect?"

Language Issues Prove Challenge to Brown

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,119393,00.html
-"It's an issue in every part of the country."

This article discusses the issue of discriminiation today in the classroom. There is a segregation of students who are native English speakers and who are not. Public schools are not fulfilling the Brown vs. Board of Education decision that states that there should be "equal access to education opportunity for all." The problem here is that the students who cannot speak proper English successfully are being separated from the students who can. This is discrimination. Just like we have discussed all semester, students who do not naturally speak proper English should not be denied an education. They should be given just as much, or even more attention by teachers so that they can learn proper English. In the article, a 17-year old student named Jackson Gao said that the high school he attended did not even have an ESL program. Do you all think that this is unfair to him? Why should be be denied an opportunity to learn through the English language?

On the other hand, some non-native English speaking students are completely lost when they are placed in English-speaking classes with no help. Should these students be separated completely in school? Or, should they be a part of English-immersion classes, like the article suggested? There is a need for more teachers who are trained in teaching bilingual classes . Should teachers be responsible for this type of language discrimination? Shound more teachers be able to speak a second language fluently? I know that here at LSU, I will be fluent in Spanish by the time I graduate! Either way, failing to address these language issues in the classroom denies education for students.

Free Verse Poetry: My Texas Dialect

Where I come from
We don't ride horses to school
We don't have roaches the size of rats
Even though people who ain't from 'round here think we do
They say everything is bigger in Texas
But that don't mean everything
I ain't from the country, but I'm still a country girl
Houston is a big ole' city, but my country accent still stays
They say you can never take the Texas outta' a Texas gal
No matter what anyone says, Texas is the South for me
I'm always gonna be a Texas girl with a Texas twang
We might not ride horses to school, but we sure 'nuff ride 'em
Either at a ranch, or near Rodeo Houston time, or just for fun
Houston is full of big buildings, roads, and multiple freeways
But that doesn't mean I don't say gosh dern and fixin' to because I do
I will always be a Texas gal, born and raised,
Even if I am in Louisiana for a lil' while!


This is the dialect poem that I wrote for class when Chanclerier "xero" Skidmore came to visit. It basically describes the way that I talk when I am back home in Houston, or just hanging out with friends. I try my best to use proper grammar when I am at school, work, or in any other professional setting. The bold words resemble specific words that show my dialect. As you can see, I am very proud of where I am from, and have a lot of love for my hometown.

Throughout the semester, I have expressed my opinions on the issue of allowing students' home dialects in the classroom. I have stated that I believe that a student should not be criticized for speaking their home language, but to understand the difference between proper English and slang. I know that my Texas "twang" dialect is not proper English, and I would not even think to use that type of grammar in formal essays or papers. However, I think that it is useful to allow students to be able to write in whatever language they wish to in certain free-writing or creative assignments. Does anyone else agree with my views? Does anyone think that students should not be allowed to speak in their home languages in the classroom? There are some teachers who correct students every time they say a word that is not proper grammar. Do you think that teachers should do this? Why or why not? These are questions that I have asked myself after observing a majority of AAVE high school students this semester.

A Bit of Scientific Thought for Our English Class

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/09/19/asia/talk.php

Some would suggest that there’s not a lot to debate about regarding a simple fact, but there are many important things to consider. The world’s languages are going extinct at a faster rate than any mammal, plant, fish or bird species on Earth. I read somewhere that English, Spanish, and Mandarin Chinese are the fastest growing and currently the most abundantly used languages of modern society. So suppose that one day these were the only 3 languages that were in use. What would the world lose from losing languages? With thousands of the current languages only existing in an oral form, should linguists attempt to preserve these cultural identities by converting them into a written form? It seems like somewhat of a waste of time since in some cases there are only 3 people alive who still speak the language. But because language is oftentimes a huge part of an entire culture, is it worth the time to preserve the language in order to conserve a culture of a particular community?
I would imagine that as languages begin to disappear, the number of dialects of a few languages would skyrocket. What if by the end of the century the 6 billion people of the world spoke only 1 of 3 languages? Surely the variety of dialects would out number the current number of languages in the world today. For example, the Australian dialect is very much different than that of America’s New Orleans’s dialect. And the British dialect is a much different dialect than that which would be created from the Pacific Island region.
Most people do not realize what kind of an impact losing languages would have on our globe. Maybe it’s a little extreme, but if the world would conform to only three forms of communication thousands of cultures, customs, and traditions would also disappear. We’ve worried about differences between AAVE and Standard English. Think of the dialect issues that could occur if a third of the world spoke only one language!