The summaries are due on Friday, Sept. 9th, and are done by:
ENGL300-1: Rebecca Borowiak
ENGL300-2: Juvonna McGarry
The comments by the rest of the classes are due on Monday, Sept. 12th, at class time.
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by: Rebecca Borowiak
Geneva Smitherman opens up her article with a quote from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, “What’s in a name?” Presumably from this quote, the article speaks about words and names and the power they have. Both African traditions and Smitherman believe that this impact of power is seen in the composition classroom, where language plays an important role and demands a lot of attention. The question in the title of this article is answered within the second paragraph of the article. AAE stands for African American English. Smitherman states that while not all African Americans speak AAE, linguists guess that about 80 to 90 percent of African Americans speak do. He also claims that members of other racial and ethnic groups speak AAE occasionally as well; therefore they are a part of the AAE speech community.
According to Smitherman this language can be referred to as Black English, African American Language, or Ebonics, among many other names. In our classrooms it is the names given to classify AAE that matter most compared to the language itself. “AAE has been labeled ‘broken’ English, slang, a dialect, and a language”(Smitherman 3). Viewing this language as slang or ‘broken’ English can have a huge affect on a teacher’s perception of the African American student speaking AAE. The way AAE is perceived and named relies not only on linguistics but politics as well and the article given aims to clarify this.
“Broken English” is a defined as “a fractured form of speech without logic or rules” (Smitherman 4). AAE violates all the rules of Standard American English, or what society claims is Standard English. This is a skewed way of viewing the English language since there is no universal standard in the United States for speaking English. AAE also seems to defy the formal writing structure of “Standard English Writing” by dismissing letters in words, and verbs disagree with each other. AAE lacks structure and organization that seems to exist within “standard English.” Smitherman then states that AAE does have rules and organization, just not the same following as the considered, “Standard English.” It follows consistent rules and patterns just like any other language. Smitherman then brings forward six additional reasons that AAE is not a substandard form of Standard English. This helps prove the fact that AAE is a real language and not just broken English due to the fact that it has evolved alongside Standard English, it is the product of the same sort of process that transformed Latin into French, it does not have ‘primitive’ features, AAE is a complex language, it has evolved further than Standard English, and it is no more or no less logical than Standard English or other foreign languages.
“Slang” is defined as street speech, the lingo of the ghetto. Though AAE does incorporate slang words such as English does, the language as a whole is not slang. Slang contains short-lived, informal words that usually only pertain to small groups of people in certain clubs, or social classes. AAE has words that have been around for decades and have been known by African Americans of all ages, gender, class, and region. By referring to AAE as slang, one could be insulting a student or assuming they have lived a life they assuredly did not. The most important reason as to why AAE is not slang is because slang is just vocabulary and as said in earlier paragraphs, AAE is a language.
“’Dialects’ are variations of languages that are mutually intelligible but include some grammatical and/or pronunciation patterns that are unique to speakers in certain regions, social classes, or ethnic groups” (Smitherman 8). In order for AAE to be considered as a dialect of English it must have a unique grammatical pattern. In the case of AAE and English the difference is in the use of the verb be. AAE also has distinctive patterns of pronunciation rules and rhetorical strategies that differ from English. “Language” consists of three rules that define speech as a language; pronunciation rules, rules that convey meaning and grammatical rules. The difference between a dialect and a language can be confusing for both needs the same rules to apply when defining it. Many African American scholars claim that the classification of AAE as a dialect over a language is merely due to racism. “Since language is a distinguishing feature of humans, the denial of language is the same as the denial of humanity”(Kimani Nehusi). He also echoes Smith saying, “It is universally accepted that English has borrowed the bulk of its lexicon from the Romance or Latin Language family, yet English is not classified as being Latin or Romance language but as a Germanic language.” Linguists will continue to argue over whether or not this speech should be considered a dialect or a language. It depends on the history and background of the speech and on the evidence given in the argument.
Vocabulary is a unique feature that is the most recognizable and important . African Americans according to Smitherman has a unique lexicon compared to West African languages, the traditional black church, black music, and racial oppression. This includes slang, historical words, novel meanings, and sometimes obscenity, just like Standard English. In terms of slang, African American teenagers and musicians reflects the creativity of the people, heard especially in Hip-Hop music. Some examples are changing the part of speech, like fly from the verb to the adjective meaning attractive; turning prefixes into words dis from disrespect assumes the meaning of the whole word, “She dissed him;” Lastly, by attaching suffixes like converse becomes conversate. AAE speakers also tend to invent slang terms to replace words. Get my grub on takes the place of eat. The positive thing about such phrases is that students recognize it is a form of verbal speech and that writing such phrases in papers would be informal. Some of the slang words in AAE has crossed over into mainstream English and many of us will be able to identify such words. Some words in the English language have switched meanings in AAE, such as dope meaning excellent and bad meaning very good.
AAE speakers sometimes sound like southern white Americans. They both pronounce I as “Ah” and pen as “pin”. It is likely that 90 percent of African Americans lived in the South until the 20th century, so white American farmers and families picked up this speech from them. AAE however, features of pronunciation that is not found in Southern White Speech. “Most Americans, and especially black ones, can almost always tell that a person is black even on the phone, and even when the speaker is using standard English sentences” (Word 133) ( Smitherman 25). The features that makes AAE sound ‘black’ are its speech rhythms, voice inflections, and tonal patterns; the stressing of syllables change for AAE speakers as well, such as PO-lice. Vowels may change and consonants are transformed, AAE omits or sometimes simplifies consonants, frequently at the end of a word. AAE takes the Standard English language and turns it on its side. It is its own language for a specific culture in society. As other languages melt into standard English, AAE does the same.
“What is AAE?” is a very good question…This article makes a lot of good points about the labels people put on AAE, and why these labels can be problematic. I strongly disagree with the notion that AAE is broken English; I know plenty of people who are not African American who butcher “Standard English”. All English speakers deviate from “Standard English” and I think as long as an individual can effectively communicate with the surrounding world, it doesn’t really matter how their patterns of speech are classified. As long as it doesn’t hinder the learning process, I don’t see anything wrong with AAE. I think AAE is a form of identity for speakers who practice it and that AAE is fine to use in certain situational contexts.
ReplyDelete"Standard English" is a lofty ideal, and I think that because of the movement and constant evolution of language, it is impossible to pin down a language and make value judgments as to how the language should be expressed. An important issue is certainly understanding one another, but I have never not understood what was being said in "AAE" or other dialects. I don't know what sociological studies have been done to show the effects of the use of "AAE" (i.e. if it hinders employment therefore highlighting racial inequality), but I would be interested to know how "AAE" may show or bring out racist/bigoted judgments in others.
ReplyDeleteAfrican American English is used more and more in this century, and not only by African Americans. Whites are starting to increasingly use this slang as well; along with many other cultures. I believe that this language does not serve any purpose to our society and does not help one succeed in life. I think it is okay to use it when in a casual social setting, but in the professional world I do not think it should be used. It makes one look less educated and slow when using incorrect English.
ReplyDeleteThe article of AAE describes a language that I never really knew "officially" existed. This article opened up my eyes to recognize the important of AAE, or better known as African American English. This article explains the confusion of what I have been experiencing almost my entire life. Growing up in public schools but coming from a suburban home front, the difference in language from one community to another is very distinct. Adequately able to communicate in both, the thought of AAE being its own separate language in itself is exciting and surprising. This article explains the basic rules that apply to this very misunderstood language and is a good article to read for just a basic understanding of how AAE operates.
ReplyDeleteThis article describes AAE as it's own language. I think that now in the US "standard english" is fading. There are so many different races and ethnicities that words from other languages and cultures have become permanent staples in the English language. I think it is important to understand not only what AAE is, but other cultures languages. America is a melting pot and there isn't any reason for us to push the way other cultures speak aside. I do feel that there is a time and place for everything. For example, a job interview probably isn't the right setting in which you would want to speak with slang words, and on the flip side one probably isn't going to speak formally when hanging with friends.
ReplyDeleteThe AAE is African American English, there are so many different dialects of English. It depends on many, many, many factors. Everyone uses 'Proper English' in business settings, this is because you may sound not smart or uneducated. I remember i learned about this in another class, your true dialect comes out sometimes with friends, but always when the person is mad or scared.
ReplyDeleteBorowiak Talks about AAE which is African American English and how there are different types of English. From Slang,Dialects and Vocabulary. Slang would be the inappropriate form of English, Dialects are different variations of languages basically. Vocabulary includes historical words with important meanings behind it. Then you have broken English which is a fractured form of speech without any logic to it or rules. A lot of people don't write or speak proper English, so therefore this article would be beneficial for those people that do not. Also African American's aren't the only people that use slang in English, many other cultures use it as well. This should help everyone become better in English.
ReplyDeleteI was not aware that African American English officially existed. I have heard of the word Ebonics used, but never fully understood what it meant. I agree with Geneva Smitherman’s article, “What is AAE?,” and her idea that AAE is not slang or broken English because it does have grammar rules. I do believe that when one is professionally writing one should abide by the rules of the English language. It is evident in today’s society that no one speaks proper English all the time, as seen in text messaging writing. However, this should not be portrayed through one’s professional writing. In her article, Smitherman mentions that some teachers do not understand phrases and words spoken with African American English. I feel that speaking this language consistently will hinder a person’s possibilities in the future with things such as finding employment.
ReplyDeleteThe article, "What is AAE?", discusses the background and specifics of African American English. It is under debate whether AAE is a legitimate language. Some compare AAE to slang and call AAE a phase. However, the article states that AAE has been around for decades. People who do not know the history of AAE assume that it's "broken English". The term Ebonics has also been used to describe AAE but this is thought to be a racial term. AAE is incorporates much of standard English but as with other cultures and groups languages there are certain slang words and variations of placement of emphasis. Overall, AAE is simply a dialect from a group of people that has been around significantly longer that many believe.
ReplyDelete"What is AAE?" is an article about African American English, or slang. I have grown up in a time were slang is used very often. I have never payed to much attention to it because it never has bothered me. It is not just African Americans that speak this "broken" english, however; many cultures and backgrounds speak it. I would not considered a real language, but i can see whhy some people do.
ReplyDeleteThe article "What is AAE?" the origin of African American English such as slang,broken english,dialects, and vocabulary. I was fascinated by this article because I became informed on the various technological terms of African American English. I am a product of AAE because I have grown up around people who speak broken english, slang and talk with a dialect. My parents raised me to speak properly however, when I would go to school I was told I talked white by peers because I spoke proper english. This article allowed me to see where African American English comes from. I believe African American English is not a language but rather incorrect speaking for years.
ReplyDelete"What is AAE", brings out a different point of view to what we know as "slang english". Many would argue whether it should even be consider to be correct. According to the article AAE has been around for years and it spoken by most African Americans with an 80 to 90 percent. People should acknowledge that many people are raised with this form of speaking and for them its not seen as slang.
ReplyDeleteAAE stands for African American English. Everyone is raised differently and comes from different backgrounds. Therefore, your dialect comes from what you have grown up with and are accustomed to. I think that slang is over used way too much but it is not just african americans who use it. In a social environment I can see it as being acceptable, however, in other circumstances I think it's important to try and use proper English.
ReplyDeleteWhat is AAE talks about what African American English is and identifies it as slang, broken English or different dialect. I don't think it's fair to call it " African American English" because many people butcher standard English. I don't consider slang an appropriate language to speak in certain settings like academic or business related. I love slang and code switching. My friends and I even make up our own words . It's fun, It's original and it provides an element of secrecy so that outsiders don't know exactly what we are talking about. However, there is a time and a place for broken English because the reality is that it may confuse people. Standard English is a prerequisite in academic settings and business settings. People in those settings expect you to speak standard English. It's like language uniform that everyone wears. I'm pro Slanguage but I acknowledge the fact that its necessary to be able to code switch to standard English when deemed necessary.
ReplyDeleteThis article is all about AAE. AAE stands for African American English. This was described as slang, or a form of broken english. I have never thought of AAE as its own language. I always thought of AAE as something similiar to an accent from different parts of the United States. The article goes on to talk about how AAE is spoken by 80-90 percent of the African American Population in the country. In my opinion, people from all cultures speak the way they were raised. I personally do not think that it has anything to do with race. Also I am curious as to how "Standard English" has been defined, especially with so many dialects current in this country today.
ReplyDeleteThe article "What is AAE?" talks about African American English. Also known as Ebonics, or Lazy English, AAE actually does follow rules. They explained how it shouldn't be called Lazy English because that would be equivalent to calling Italian "lazy Latin". I was not aware of AAE before this article, but I do not believe it makes sense to call it that. It even says in the article how not only African American talk that way. It is used by many different groups of people. However, a lot of the words or "slang" are stemmed from many decades ago from African Americans. AAE is in a way artistic, but it is not always appreciated in today's society. People who do not understand the history of it, look down upon it.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to have an article actually defend AAE and support the language as more than slang. In the article, "What is AAE?" linguists state that AAE is not a drift off of "standard English." AAE has it's own base of rules just as "standard English" has it's own basic grammar rules. Although AAE (African American English) sounds different to my ears I am aware that it's not ghetto nonsense, but a language that is understood among many people. For example, the article mentions French which came from Latin, and both are recognized as common languages. AAE has significant history behind it just like any other language. AAE cannot be widely accepted as a language is because it is hidden behind "standard English." AAE is everywhere and used almost as commonly as "standard English" so there is no reason why it cannot be recognized as a standard language.
ReplyDeleteI agree that AAE is not broken english. AAE is honestly just how a vast majority of people talk. For example, may people say "pin" as the pronunciation of the word pen. It varies greatly from "standard English" but this is likely because many of the rules of standard English are unnecessary in casual conversation. Which is when AAE takes place. For example, the writer says that speakers of this realize that it is informal and would not use it in formal writing.
ReplyDeleteI found this article about African American English (AAE) very interesting. The article made a valid point about AAE being just like any other foreign language and how language is the main form of communication between humans AAE should be recognized. I did not know AAE was considered a different language but this article makes valid points. Most African Americans lived in the south before the 20th century, and thats why white southerners pick up on the different pronouciation of certain words.
ReplyDeleteThis article brings about a point that I never knew officially existed. I had always grown up hearing about "slang" though I never knew that it actually had a name; African American English. I would have never thought to compare Standard English forming into AAE as Latin forming into French. After Smitherman had made that point, it was much easier to understand. I found it an interesting point that the language itself in written from is informal; but when spoken, it's just like any other language. I know that broken English is used all the time though I'll never understand why it will always be considered "informal."
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this article about AAE my eyes have been opened. I have heard the term ebonics used along with broken English and linguistics but I never knew it was called AAE. This article talked about the use of AAE as "street speech" or a "ghetto" language. AAE is a fractured form of speech without logic or rules. They call it the African American language which is don't think it exactly correct. I know many people from many different backgrounds that butcher standard English. This is becoming more prevalent today.
ReplyDeleteIn the article, "What is AAE?" it is indicated that the practice of African American English, or AAE, is being used more and more in today’s society; it is being spoken by persons of all cultures, just not by African Americans. The article makes several effective points concerning the labels that are placed on AAE and, more importantly, how these labels could be considered problematic. AAE is not “broken” English; there are many of people in society (many that I even know personally) who are not African American, and yet who botch “Standard English.” Every speaker of the English language digresses from “Standard English”—however, some digress more than others. Furthermore, it only becomes problematic when an English speaker, who has digressed from “Standard English,” is unable to communicate effectively in a professional/proper setting. I believe that as long as the learning process is not hindered (and that knowing when it is acceptable to use AAE and when it is not acceptable to use it), then I see that there is nothing wrong with speaking AAE in certain situational contexts.
ReplyDeleteIn the article "What is AAE?” we take a look at African American English. We learn about its history and the fact that it is not "broken English" or "slang". African Americans are not the only ones who use "AAE"; there are several cultures who have adopted this type of speech. Although we should not look at it as "slang" or "broken English", it still should not be used in the professional world or in business correspondence.
ReplyDeleteIn this article, AAE is described as a very own language. It is not a part of slang because it grows. AAE evolves along with the everything else that needs in order to survive in the future. People tend to believe that speakers of AAE are uneducated ad stereotype them as lower class. In reality, this is just a part of their own culture It should start to be looked at as a different language instead of a hindrance to the English language.
ReplyDeleteby: Darius Bell
ReplyDeleteI wasn't aware of AAE before having read this article. I do think that the author had good ideas on what he thinks about bringing other forms of dialect into,what is, "standard English", that most of us understand. I Also agree with the author, that persons who might not have broad ways of communicating to other people might be ignorant to what is being said, therefore, it could potentially hinder you from further communication with the other subject. I think that using other forms of dialect is acceptable if it doesn't hinder another person in the process.
“What is AAE?” depicts how deviated the American language has become from what is known as “Standard English.” Expressing a language is very hard to do so when the language grows constantly. AAE is highly frowned upon, however I believe it isn’t such a bad thing. Not any one particular group of people deviate from the “Standard English” they were once taught. Slang has introduced its way into everyone’s mouth at one point or another. I don’t believe that someone should be placed in a specific category for their pattern of speech. AAE is should not be frowned upon, unless it is hindering the learning process, in which it should be looked upon harder. The usage of AAE is no different than any other dialect used in a language and should not be particularly picked on.
ReplyDeleteIn this article, "What is AAE?", the author tells the reader that AAE is African American English. The article delves into the debate of whether or not this is an actual language or simply slang. Based on the background of AAE and the fact that it has been around for a very long time, the conclusion is that AAE is an actual dialect and is not simply slang or broken English. The idea that AAE is slang comes from the fact that it does not follow the rules of the standard English language. However, this does not mean that AAE is slang.
ReplyDelete"What is AAE" specifically refers to African American English. It deals with the slang that African Americans use in today's society. I think it is important to consider that although this article deals a particular slang, it stands for many various dialects used across the country. I come from a very small rural area where most people talk with a more "hillbilly" slang. Everyone has his or her own way of speaking and they completely have that right. The real important issue here is when and where it is appropriate to use it. Certainly in a professional setting, one should act and speak accordingly.
ReplyDeleteThis article talks about AAE, also known as African American English, Black English and Ebonics. For a long time people assumed that it was slang, but as the language continues to evolve, it is quickly becoming more than that. AAE is considered to be its own dialect of English. I think it is interesting because, the people that are observing the dialect can understand what is being said for the most part but cannot speak it themselves.
ReplyDeleteThis article on AAE is very interesting to me. As a Radio-Television major, we are encouraged not to use abbriviations of words, different dialects, and are even coached out of our accents on some levels. The idea that I am just speaking another lanuguage that gets little respect in my chosen field is saddening. AAE was coached out me and many of my peers and we were always told that this kind of speech was doing harm to the English language when in reality, we were speaking our own language.
ReplyDeletethis article explains the different dialects. I believe that people should understand that a dialect is a way of speaking and shouldn't be judged. Just because that person does not speak like you, doesnt mean that you are of a higher quality than them. all dialects are equal, it is society that differentiates them.
ReplyDeleteWhat is AAE is an extremely controversial article. In this article Geneva Smitherman explains how African Americans' standard English is different from the rest of the American society.I believe that this article does have just a hint of fact to it, but the logic and research used to back this claim is in some ways biased. Throughout the development of the American society African Americans were deprived of their most important rights i.e. the right to education during the majority of the 20th century,which did and still puts some constriction on how we as a people speak. However this is due to the systematic design that is inept to the failure of an entire race of people. Up until recently many African Americans were not able to receive a "formal" education therefore could not be taught the "formal" way of speaking and writing, but this doesn't mean that all African Americans speak AAE.
ReplyDeleteI think that the dominate white society in this country uses out dated statistics to back prejudice articles such as the one mentioned to further discourage young African Americans, making them believe that because they are from a different ethnic background they are typically unable to fit in to the dominate ideologies. I do not think there is such a thing as"Standard English" because the way that White Americans speak English is viewed as improper in comparison to citizens of the U.k. who speak the language. If African Americans in this country speak English as if it were "different" language so do; Asians, Latinos, Europeans, and members of any other nationality
It is now clear to me why the author is arguing that AAE is a language and not a dialect. Before reading this article I always considered AAE a dialect not really realizing the reason why I thought that. The article clearly explains the difference between dialects and languages. After this explaination, I would be ignorant to think of AAE as a dialect rather than a language. The author made a good point, even when someone is speaking standard english you can tell where someone is from or what ethnicity they are merely from the way the person pronounces a word. You will always be able to tell that someone is from the south is you hear him say y'all.
ReplyDeleteIt is an interesting take the author has on this subject. AAE in my opinion isn't correct language. I am tuaght day in and out what proper grammar is. In my opinion people can deviate off of the English language as much as they want. I know I do not have proper or perfect language, but that doesn't mean I am going to say my language is its "own".
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