According to Joanne Dowdy, language is not simply a method of communication or a tool that certain sentient creatures have developed but is rather an essential and irrevocable facet of personhood. A person, says she, cannot truly be self-actualized (in a broad sense) if he or she is not allowed the freedom of his or her native tongue. An assertion like this is a bold one and one that demands thoughtful evaluation—perhaps more than Dowdy gave it herself. Inevitably, it leads one to the question: Can someone lead a meaningful, comfortable, fulfilled life identifying with a tongue that is not truly native?
The question, no doubt, has many contrived answers and yet even more questions that it raises. What is one’s native tongue pragmatically, metaphysically, and ethically? Is it the language that one heard when he or she was born? Is it the language in which he or she had the most formal or informal training? Does someone who is raised in a bilingual household have more than one native tongue, or must he or she choose the one which is truly native? Perhaps the problem in the first place is not really one that is specific to language but has much more to do with a general principle of oppression. Perhaps forcing someone to speak a foreign language is no different than forcing him or her to study in a field where there is no interest or forcing him or her to wear a particular garment. The implications that a worthwhile life cannot be come by unless it is lived in an atmosphere of some preferred speech is problematic indeed. The challenges may not be insurmountable, but the precipice of understanding is nowhere in sight.
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This inquiry raises a lot of important and deep questions that I don’t believe there is a “one size fits all” response to. There are similarities and differences in both stories from Dowdy and Smith, but the one thing they have in common with not only each other, and the rest of the world is, they are people. As much as psychologists and sociologists try to understand the human psyche there will always be a variable that throws a diagnosis off. That variable is everyone is different. We all have our own story that is unique and cannot be copied. What works for one person may not be what works for someone else. Can a person really live a fulfilled life identifying with a language that is not truly their “native” language? I believe the answer to that question is yes and no. For example, in Smith’s story, his native language was Ebonics and it was this language that he first learned to speak and express his self. As he changed and evolved as a person and his style of speech, Smith began to understand and relate with Standard English. Although his first learned language, Ebonics, is a part of his life, Standard English becomes just as meaningful to him. The struggles and challenges he faced may have caused turmoil at one point, but they allowed him to see different sides and qualities of each language. Later in life he is able to freely switch between the two and finds his true identity in not just one, but two languages. In Dowdy’s story, her conflict in identity and language is never solved and leaves you wondering what language she really calls her own. Her experiences never seem to bring her to a place where she is comfortable with either language. I think the important thing to see in both stories, and in life, is that our identity does not solely come from the language we speak, but from our experiences, our family, our personality, and so many other factors. True self-actualization is when we learn to accept ourselves and others without prejudice, learn to accept and embrace reality, and understand our own potential.
ReplyDeleteWith the predominant question in mind -- "Can someone lead a meaningful, comfortable, fulfilled life identifying with a tongue that is not truly native?"-- I thought about Ernie Smith's take on his native tongue. To Smith, his speech was easily changed and often contrived to achieve a desired purpose. Though he struggled as a child to speak "proper English," his pursuits definitely led him to meaning, comfort, and fulfillment. Whether it be the comfort of money and "gettin' over" a "mark," or the meaning which comes with teaching a young mind to read and write, the man led a fulfilled life.
ReplyDeleteIt is my opinion that Smith does not work for his language but makes his language work for him. It is a combination of the formal and informal training that led Smith to his success.