English 2 - Pahomov Public Feed
The Conflicting World of Language
Silver English
January 12, 2011
Language can be a very conflicting component of
everyday life. Language, both
verbal and nonverbal can easily be misinterpreted. It is often the case that the receiver of the message
perceives the language completely different than the sender of the message
intends. Thus, a conflict ensues,
as the receiver and sender battle as to who is interpretation is correct.
As I sit here today as a 10th grader my
language is pretty good I would say.
But it wasn’t always like that.
H-h-h-h-h-h I m-m-m-m-m-m- m y n-n-n-n-name i-i-i-i-s A-a-a-a-a-Alexander. All I hear is
laughter from all the other kids in my fifth grade class on the first day of
school. I paused, sat their
confused wondering what they were laughing about. The teacher told the class to stop and for and for me to
continue. I-I-I-I-I-I live
i-i-i-i-In C-c-c-c-c-center city and I-I-I-I-I love s-s-s-s-s-s-sports. I didn’t know what was happening. These
kids who most of them looked like strangers were laughing at me. I didn’t know who they were. I thought
I talked fine. The teacher said settle
down kids, and the next person went and talked fluently. Then the next couple
people talked fluently also. I still didn’t know what was so funny. Even the
kids I have known all my life were laughing.
This was one of the hardest times of my life, never
before was I afraid to speak until now.
I wouldn’t raise my hand in class, wouldn’t read out loud. My parents were concerned. They asked me what was wrong. I didn’t want to answer them. Then I started to talk to my mom and she heard it. I always
had a lisp but the stuttering was new. She didn’t know how it happened or why
it happened. All I knew was that I
hated speaking!
“A telephone call makes my throat bleed and takes up
that day’s courage. It spoils my
day with self-disgust when I hear my broken voice come spitting out into the
open” (The Woman Warrior by Maxine
Hong Kingston). She has the same
problem that I do. I hate talking
on the phone, reading out loud, or even asking people questions. I am always afraid that I am going to
stutter. It usually happens when I know the
people because they expect it to happen. If its people that I don’t know I
don’t to stutter.
Now Im still scared to talk on the phone but not so
much the other things. Im getting over that. When people talk to me they
wouldn’t know that I stutter cause
I work so hard to resolve that Issue.
My Dream is to be a Broadcaster for ESPN. Its
possibly to do and it will be hard but Im willing to do it to so how hard I work
if I put my mind to it.
A friend between cultures...
Jordan
McLaughlin
Silver Stream
I’m fifteen now,
I recall when I was twelve when my friend and I were playing basketball. I’m
from chestnut hill a place that is looked at by others as a place for the rich.
My friend grew up in Elkins Park, a suburban but tough neighborhood, now he lives
in Mount Airy with his dad. He is Mexican-American adopted in Texas, and I am
White. We were both raised with the same goal in mind. Respecting people and to
not insult others, and be mannerly. His dad is very good at basketball coaching
and teaches others how to play the game for real, not street ball, proper
basketball. When my friend was in 8th grade and I was in 7th
we used to play basketball together. I never play basketball except with my
friend.
“You got nutin,”
My friend told me.
“Bring it, I will
beat if it kills me,” I replied.
“You suck yo.”
“Can you not
call me yo.”
“I only say yo
to my brotha’s.”
“So I’m one of
your brothaaa’s”
“Why do you
speak like your black? I know that you’re not a thug,” I questioned my friend.
At the time I
was smaller and I found myself saying things that weren’t necessarily true, I
would often listen to stereotypes, and I wasn’t around a lot of black people in
junior high because I went to a mostly white private school. He always used to
use slang on the court, he wanted a to be black because he thought he was cool.
That’s when I realized that the
way a person talks identifies them with a culture my friend obviously wanted to
be identified as black although he was not. I decided to let my friend think
what he wanted, since he had these phases that he went through.
Today he has
gone to greater extents, not being a phase but a part of himself, when we talk
he talks black English because he wants to sound tough, he wants to impress the
girls at his school.
“I was talkin
this girl at my school yo, and she was like I can’t go out wit you if you have
a girl friend, and I was like naw its high school im not a pimp that’s just
what we do these days you know what im saying,” my friend told me.
“Why would you
say that to a girl?” I questioned his stupidity.
“Cause I like
her dawg.”
“You can’t go
out with another girl if you have a girlfriend.”
“Sikee naw, yeah
you can.”
“Not where we
are from.”
“Dey just
backup’s dawg. You be drawlin”
“I’m not drawlin
dude I just don’t want you to turn out bad is all. You’re my best friend I
don’t want you to not get into college. The way you talk its like you are
bringing yourself down. You know if you speak proper English you will get a job
and get into a good college. When you interview at college are you gonna talk
the way you are now?”
“Your crazy
dawg, when I go to interview at college I won’t talk like dis you know.”
“So what are you
trying to impress me?”
“No this is just
we talk dees days.”
“Who’s we?”
“Me and my
homies.”
“My homies and
I.”
“What eve yo,
get off my back.”
“Your right, you
should be able to do what ever you want.”
The way a person speaks can alter the way a person is viewed by others. Many times people that use urban slang are often looked down upon. Although people speak different variations of the English language, English is English. People that speak Black English are defining their culture by using their voice as powerful tool that ultimately defines their person. According to James Baldwin, “What joins all languages, and all men, is the necessity to confront life, in order, not inconceivably, to outwit death: The price for this is the acceptance, and achievement of one’s temporal identity.” The usage of language is a necessity and without it man can’t function. People that speak variations of English use it because it is a cultural standard, but also because it is the way to communicate with other people within their same community. People like my friend have used Black English, and urban slang in modern times, for ease of communicating with their peers. My friend has embraced the African-American culture and since he’s always around black people he has chosen to use Black English.
Its all in the Voice
“Mugga.” said Tecarria.
“What?” I replied.
“Ya know, mugga.” she answered.
“I have no idea what you are talking about.”
“You is too white.”
I never really thought about that, being “too white” that is. I had been going to Levering middle School for two years now. The school was located in Roxorough, which is why I went there, because it was my neighborhood school. However the majority of the kids were not my neighborhood kids. They always talked about places I had never even seen, like Diamond Block. I felt so left out. The kids that lived on “Diamond Block” were the poorer kids; the kids in my neighborhood were the richer. In my middle school you could pick out whose parents made more than 50 thousand a year and whose didn’t just by their voice. There was a distinct language barrier between their neighborhood and mine, and it was that barrier that made my 7th grade experience hard.
I have always been a social person. I always had a lot of friends because I always made friends with people inside of my comfort zone, meaning the people from my area. When I began talking to the kids in my class I knew what kind of people they were. I knew what their parents did and what they would grow up like. It was more necessity then curiosity that I learn their “language,” or “Black English” as James Baldwin calls it. Being stuck in a room with twenty other kids five days a week means we need to talk, a least a little. According to James Baldwin after you speak “You have confessed your parents, your youth, your school, your salary, your self-esteem, and, alas, your future.” I couldn’t agree more. Before Levering, before those kids, I knew very little slang. I came from a family that spoke with very little slang. I grew up with kids that used very little slang. So, it was only natural that I used Standard English. When I talked I confessed my parents and my youth. So did they.
I picked up a lot of slang during middle school. I learned a new language in a way. That was me confessing my school.
“It’s because she’s a trick.”
“What are you talking about? What is a trick?” said my neighborhood friend.
“Oh it means like a hoe.” I replied.
“Where did you learn that?” my friend asked.
“People at school, I guess.” I answered.
“You shouldn’t talk like that, it’s not you, it’s too ghetto.” said my friend.
By the end of middle school I had changed my language. My neighborhood friends, speaking Standard English, heard my language and saw me as one of “those ghetto kids.” I never really knew how I felt about this. I mean on one hand I fit in at school, I had friends to talk to, and I could understand what they were saying, on the other hand my home friends didn’t understand me and even my parents had begun to notice, they would tell me not to talk like “those ghetto kids,” that their language was bad. I don’t feel like it was ever ‘bad’ just not the most professional. For instance when I had to go to my high school interviews, I spoke in Standard English because that is what showed the better side of my background. I feel like that was what James Baldwin was talking about your language, it shows who you are but different parts, standard being the better parts and informal being the not so good parts, or the ghetto. The only problem is Standard English is “too white” and slang is “too ghetto.” Now, in high school I feel like I have found a happy medium. Nobody tells me that I talk “too white” or “too ghetto” anymore. I feel like it’s partly because I have separated myself from all of my middle school friends and my high school friends do not use as much slang.
I feel like my language today gives a decent representation of who I am currently, who I use to be, and who I will be, just as James Baldwin said it did. I feel like this is true for most people. For instance, when I hear a person for the south speak, I instantly know that they are from the south or when I hear someone from parts of Philly or New York their accents are very distinct to what part they are from and the language they choose is very distinct to the type of person they are. Your language, in turn, is you more than your person is. Your voice is more of an impacting tool, than your body will ever be because you can see a person but until you hear them you will not know them.
Customizing. By: Olivia Smith
My cousins and I are sitting by the lake on the hot July day. We’ve been talking for a while when Johnny gets up and asks:
“Anything to drink?”
“Wooders fine,” I said.
“WATER?”
“Whatever!”
This is one of the many times my cousins from Jersey have teased me about my Philly accent. This happens to me wherever I go. Friends are always teasing my family and me about the way we talk. Its not annoying and I don’t get mad, its just one of those things that your reminded of a lot. Whenever you are outside your hometown, you tend to pick up on outside towns sayings. I think this leads to you creating your own language. Customizing your own English can either make you or break you.
There are stereotypes about the way that you “should” talk if you are from one place. But when it comes down to it you talk however you want. According James Baldwin “It (language) is the most vivid and crucial key to identity: it reveals the private identity.” This just goes along with the fact that you can make your language your own. There is so much slang in the world that you can make your language however you would like. Slang is one of something that people use. But when you use it a lot you can potential change your whole sound.
The way you customize your language can also be the way that you gain power. The less slang you use the more educated you tend to sound. It’s the way people think. When you use slang and other shortened words you can sound like you have less knowledge. “It goes without saying, then, that language is also a political instrument, means, and proof of power.” This is another quote by James Baldwin. I think that he means that when you say things people could get the wrong impression from you. This is important at things like interview, internships or even jobs. If you talk to your boss with a lot of slang they could think that you’re either being disrespectful or even looking down upon. There are many ways that you can give the wrong impression with the way that you talk. Even though no one deemed these words bad or rude for some reason everyone thinks that they are. It’s the same reason that we have negative and positive connotations. No one said that these words were bad. So why does everyone agree that they are?
Another situation that I clearly remember is when my eighth grade class got a new math teacher. Mr. Minturn was from Ohio.
“A couple things you should know about me is” he would say, “My mum and pa live in Ohio.”
Our entire class would laugh when he would slip up with a word we were unfamiliar with.
“Why are you laughing?” he would say
“Your accent!” we would reply.
He always told us that we were the ones with the accents but we always thought he was crazy. By the time I graduated we had him saying “wooder” and “begal” like a pro. He told us that we could talk however we wanted in his class and that he would say “mum” and “ceulors” but we would laugh at each other just for the mere fact that we weren’t introduced to the words he said. It makes me think. If there was a child that never lived permanently anywhere for a long period of time, how would they talk? Whatever pleased them, I presume.
Because of the way different people talk, it gives you the freedom to make your own language. You can said “wooder” if you live in Brooklyn and you can say “tawkin” if you live in Ohio. Because we live in a Nation with so many different “English-es” we can modify the way that you would like to talk.
Not the Expected by: Imani Johnson
I just
entered my Algebra 2 class as my teacher played whatever random song he had in
his iTunes. My classmates and I were doing our daily routine of checking to see
if any assignments were given back to us and taking our materials out of our
bags. As I was pulling my binder
and pencil out of my bag my friend came to bother me.
“Go away!” I tell him pushing him away.
He laughed and started to tickle me
while trying to discreetly steal my binder. I laughed and snatched my binder
and screech, “Oh my god! Stop it leave me alone!”
“Oh my god leave me alone,” he mocks still reaching for my binder.
“Stop you're so mean to me.”
Still in that mocking tone he imitates me, “Stoppp.”
“Dude really?”
“Why do you talk like that?” he asks.
Ever since
I came back from over seas I’ve been asked this same question over and over
again, “Why do you talk like that?” I never have a real response for this
question except that it’s just the way I talk. As my friend stares at me while
he waits for an answer I just ask him, “Talk like what?” I already know his
answer before the words even pass his mouth.
“Like a white girl.”
I don’t
take his response as an insult knowing that he didn’t mean it as an insult but
just his only way to describe my speech. I thought back to 7th grade
when I first came back from over seas and felt like an outsider among my
friends because of how they talked. They talked in higher voices and talked
with using words such as “like”, “oh my god”, or “dude” constantly. Speaking
like them meant that you were cool and I was in need to make new friends so I
decided to speak like them. Their
language was pretty cool and I got a kick out of speaking the “new”
generation’s language. My change in language was a permanent change and became
a part of who I am.
Apparently
to people I was viewed as white although my skin is brown and my race is
African- American. Although what people say, I always thought of myself as
African-American. For a while I was confused with why people called me white,
but then as I grew I realized what they meant. I didn’t act like how a
stereotypical African- American acts: being annoyingly loud, speaks improperly,
etc. I went against my race’s
stereotype. Intentionally. It wasn’t because I wanted to become someone I
wasn’t but because I wanted to prove those stereotypes wrong. To show that I’m
a young educated African- American girl and not a loud, rude, uneducated African-American
girl. That I deserved to be respected. I realized that many African- Americans
are disrespected because of their language. My language was created to prove that I’m not what people
assumed me to be and to be cool.
As high
school came along I was called the “whitest black girl” or when people listened
to me talk they or looked through my iTunes they would say I only have white
music. My friends not only would say this about me but also my parents.
In
the words of James Baldwin, ”Language incontestably, reveals the speaker,” your
language greatly defines who you are. This is how most people think and how
many racial stereotypes were created. Even so, what happens to those who do not
fit under those stereotypes? Where their likes and dislikes aren’t like
everybody else in their race, or where they don’t act like others in their
race? I’m one of those people who don’t fit under a racial stereotype so many
people try to place me under another stereotype. The most common one I get placed under is “white.”
I
realize that not many people are not used to not being able to determine your
identity by just observing how you talk. Even I am guilty of judging someone
and getting confused because they talked differently than their race’s
stereotype. Even though many people talk about how I talk and call me something
that I’m not, I will continue to talk the way I talk because people need to
understand that language isn’t always the key to someone’s identity.
I Dont Like The Way You Talk By: Chris Fichera
Nasir was the biggest bully in the 5th grade. I didn’t know what he meant so I responded with “Whatchu mean?”
“I heard you talk like me mane. You talk hood.”
“Uhm Ok?” (But I didn’t understand what he was talking about). “I do because I’m from the hood.”
“Well you need to turn dat around cuz I’m da only white boul dat talk black up in here.”
“Yea whatever u say. I talk the way I talk and if you don’t like it we can walk to walk.”
“I was just saying cuz everybody in this jawn think and call you a ‘wanna be.’”
“Really?”
“Yep just thought you would like to know.”
From then I reacted thoughtfully and feelingly. I felt as though I wasn’t welcomed or wanted. I was pretty much the only kid that didn’t talk to anyone except for when I was doing my work and the teacher called upon me. I didn’t bother talking to anyone because the kids were all rude and whatnot. I already knew how I was and if I got into trouble with anyone it would not be pretty. So I sat aside from everybody. Then I come to find out no one really liked me in the first place. Consequently I reacted like I cared a little bit but not in front of Nasir’s face. While I was talking to him I acted like I didn’t really care but deep down inside I did. I should have just accepted it originally because I shouldn’t care what people would think. The voice is the power of me, and the power of me makes my internal identity wise. This is important because I’m different from the inside to the outer edge of me. I may act tough externally. But I have a sensibility side inside of me. Therefore, my internal identity is the voice and accent I hold. Even though people didn’t buy/accept my speech, it was just my identity.
In the words of James Baldwin, “The price for this is the acceptance, and achievement, of one’s temporal identity.” He believes that identity is rated from acceptance and achievement. By rated I mean its settled between acceptance and achievement. Voice is the stability of acceptance. Back to my case I accepted my own act but no one else did. My vocals grew into me by the surroundings and areas I live in. I speak “black English” because of some of my brothers, the people I grew up with put together my voice.
I really don’t care about how I talk anymore, unlike when I was in the 5th grade. This changed overtime by maturity levels. From starting off caring at a non-mature level to concerning-free at a matured level. I used to feel embarrassed until people started talking to me. Without this characteristic, I wouldn’t be the person I am now. So the way I speak defines who I am and who I am defines the way I speak. Now the way I look at it, as it’s the trait that makes me internally; it makes me feel good to know whom I am!
The Identity Behind Speech
Silver Stream
1/04/2011
The Identity Behind Speech
“What rice want?” He snapped at me.
“Pardon?” I asked.
“What rice you want?” He asked a little louder.
“Sticky.” I responded after a long pause.
Besides the obvious facts like that he had Chinese characteristics and worked at a chinese store, you could tell he was from China. The way he spoke brought that out. He wasn’t a typical Asian-American but born and raised in China. Probably came to America as a teenager. He couldn’t have been older then 20.
I got my food and left, pondering for a while. You could tell a lot by a persons speech. Walking home, I saw some guys standing at the corner. I don’t have a better way of describing them then ‘gangsters’. Oversized jeans closer to the ground then their bottom, boxers hanging out, nike high tops and dark hoodies.
“Damn, tha jawn bad.” One of them announced, eyeing a woman that was now crossing the street.
“Yo, she hot.” One of the guys agreed with him.
“She ‘ard.” The third smirked.
“You just salty cause you know you couldn’ land a chick like that.” The first guy teased.
They were obviously from Philadelphia. Born and raised in the general area. The little bits I heard of the conversation indicated a clear understanding of Philadelphian slang. Words such as ‘jawn’ and ‘salty’ aren’t used anywhere else. And their accent sounded it too. Probably from North or West Philly. Not really surprising since I was in West but it was still fascinating how much the way they spoke gave away. It also made me think of who they were trying to be. They wanted to sound tough and chill. Class didn’t matter but they still managed to get across that they owned the place; Just by the tone in their voice.
James Baldwin said that “A language comes into existence by means of brutal necessity, and the rules of the language are dictated by what the language must convey.” He is stating that a language develops when it is needed, when people don’t have the ability to communicate with each other. This shows that with every language comes a history. A reason why it was created and a reflection of the people who speak it. An example would be ‘Black English’, which was pieced together by slaves who came to America from Africa and couldn’t speak to each other. Referring to this example, Baldwin also stated that “...And (he; African Americans) enters a limbo in which he will no longer be black, and in which he knows that he can never become white.” It means that with the language that a person speaks comes not only with a history but an identity. Language reveals a person, but also creates them.
In the streets of London, England, the way one speaks gives away everything about them. The formality in their tone reflects their education which goes as far as signifying their wealth and the status of their family. Their accent shows the region they are from and their vocabulary gives of what they aspire to be or what they have become.
The way I speak just as much reveals who I am. I speak a clear, proper English without too much of a specific accent. This makes sense considering I learned to speak the language in pre-school when I was two. I was taught standard textbook English. If you listen to me talk long enough though, I sometimes let German slip, that’s because I was born in Austria and it was my first language. Even odder, I switch between accents and slang when I speak fast. Since I live in Philadelphia, I’ve picked up some Philly slang but I also use Australian words and phrases, having lived there for a fair amount of time. If you heard me for long enough, you could probably guess my life story.
Speech is a dead giveaway when it comes to a person. It reflects your history and your current status as well as your emotions. The way you project your voice signifies how you feel in a situation. Your vocabulary shows who you are as a person. Your accent reflects your history. Though just simple words coming from a mouth, language is an identity.
"Stewed Language"
Keanu Farrow
January 10th, 2011
English 10th:
“Stewed Language”
My language describes whom I am as and individual. It shows people how I can manipulate myself to not only understand other dialects, but also use them to my advantage to either speak to someone of lower power and higher importance.
Coming from a family of inhabitants with an education level of an esteemed college student, it was very easy to learn the “gifted tongue” of a politician.
Possibly the best demonstration of this was when I was in my last year in junior-high. Back at Cook-Wissahickon, a newly formed student government was formed and in need of a senator, vice-president, and president. I rose to the situation ran for office. I used my intelligence to guide my speech and persuade the community into allowing me to become 8th grade president.
According to James Baldwin, “Language reveals the speaker.” In my 16 years of life my language has revealed that I was the type of child who had no reference of “casual speech” or in this case having no recall of making the way I spoke to the audience in a more casual way whilst using slang or “Anglicism”, words distorted by the English language.
As stated before, I came from a family who spoke the tongue of highly educated citizen, but when growing up my language hindered the process of making friends.
I once lived in one of the “un-safe” parts of Philadelphia known as Brickyard located just a bit further from Germantown. The inhabitants spoke a somewhat distorted version of English known as “Ghetto talk” by many other people. Slang was a big influence in all types of speech, as Philadelphia needs its own dictionary to understand the way its settlers communicate with each other. I was put into the environment surrounded by people who talked very different compared to me. In any conversation it would either be repeated due to the fact that barely anybody understood my vocabulary since I spoke with such big words.
Referenced by James Baldwin, “People evolve a language in order to describe and thus control their circumstances, or in order not to be submerged by a reality that they cannot articulate.” Learning slang to communicate with others is somewhat an evolution in the way I speak. I manipulated my situation as a highly educated child in a bad neighborhood to speak the language of the other citizens in Brickyard.
There were times in my life where my language was put to the test and day by day; Anglicism was made a priority to get by. In the short story “How to Tame a Wild Tongue”, the author Giona Anzadúa said, her language “Chicano Spanish is a border tongue which developed naturally.” I remember my family moving from different neighborhoods, to different cities, and eventually to a different state.
Virginia Beach, Virginia was my latest move back in June of 2004. Back then I had mastered the “slang” vocabulary of Philadelphia and could manipulate myself to achieve power in conversations. When I relocated to Virginia, everything made a complete 180. I remember trying to talk to one of my newly made friends in Virginia. I asked him for some water, but in the Philadelphian accent I said the term “wood-er” to which raised eyebrows towards me. I never really fit in when conversing with the people of Virginia at first. To do so I had to learn their dialect as well as keeping up with my own “home-bred” language. I started hanging around children and adults who spoke a diluted version of “Cajun-country” a form of country speech that also has roots tie in from Louisiana. After about 4 months living in Virginia, I had mastered the tongue spoken in the state.
My language is really how it defines me as an individual. It shows me how I can literally alter the way I talk to gain not only friends, but power in almost everything. My language started out as one specific thing as simply one language. Throughout the course of my 16 years of life languages from all over the country have mixed in with mine and distorted my native tongue to create a “stewed-version’ of my language. To this day, my language represents who I am, and over the course of the future, I will have new languages mix into my language, manipulating my tongue and altering the way I can converse with the community.
ENG2-001
- Term
- 2010-11.S2