For project 4, i will pick a theme....
After taking this course in the semester, i have enlightened and gotten a new aspect of language and racial identity. we went through analysis, scholars article, discussion about whether scholars have discussed the usage of AAVE fairly; for my opinion, schools should allow AAVE in some specific course and schools should make a clear acknowledge of usage of AAVE at school, instead of having educators mark down AAVE in paper which a further confusion will arise. schools should train educators to first recognize the diversity in population as well as languages and just force kids to indotrinate to "school languages" without a fully comphrehensions. AAVE in digital spaces, AAVE at work, AAVE in Composition studies field.
i feel like the way people talk is a refleciton of their identity. technically, everyone is identified by one but culturally. so the genres i will choose to explore usage of AAVE being used by people and the way they choose to represent themselve (identities) in various setting.
theme: Identities via usages of AAVE
(print) genere 1: in digital spaces (use resource from project 2, pop, academic, company, to interpret people to represent themselves (identities) in different setting.
i will do: print conversation of these websites i lists above and with my analysis and scholars' statements
genere 2: in written context: personal journalism, individual resume, letters,
i will do: print out hardcopy of these and with my analysis and scholars' statments
I think this would be my two generes. i think the a language is composed of two pars: written and verbal. In written parts: i can break it down into personal journal, diary, a letter to friend, a letter to friend, text message, web categories online. In verbal parts: talking to friends, talking to family members, talking to elderly, talking to professors, talking to co-workers, even talking to international students who only speak SE.
for written context: i will print out hardcopies, for verbal part: i am thinking to videotape. (may i ask my friend for help, have one of my friend and i will follow him wherever he goes and people he meets, videotaping all his converstaion in different setting.
worked cited:
I will use Smitherman's students' right for their languages
Thomas: IQ and Standard English
Lisa: myth educations
Different respectives on teaching AA to write
I will have more researches to add
Videotaping my friend and follow him all day to different scenes and how they talk.----to illustrate their discursive in various verbal setting.
I have a B option----i will do videotape for project 4 including seeing him text message all the written parts i have mention before, and make it like a video in youtube (but i am a savvy tech geek, however, i think it is very creative.) or i can just turn in the tape.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Sunday, November 9, 2008
DW 3b
Oftentimes Educators refer to AAVE as broken English or lazy English as main factor hinges African American students to succeed academically. According to a reading achievement data collect from students in several of urban school districts; African American students score 31.3% in relative to whites score 60.7% in K-6th grade, Blacks score 26.9% compare to 63.4% whites score in 7th-8th grade. This reading assessment data is partial prepresentation of great City School results on standardized, norm-referenced reading achievement tests taken in 1992-1993. the achievement tests are normalized so that 50 percent of the student who take them score above fiftieth percentile (Rickford. Linguistics, Education and the Ebonics firstorm). The reading data indicates that African American students make up most of African American students and have been failing at schools. The findings on student achievement in reading assessment are evident that current education system is not working for most African American students. The reading assessment present by Michael Casserly, Executive Director of the Council of the Great City Schools does not yield accurate assessment of African American students competence on school performance. 90% of African Americans are AAVE speakers. (Smitheman, AAVE). First, this reading assessment does not include math, science which the findings of assessment cannot be inference reasoning. Second, educators cannot assume that all African American students have failing because of they are AAVE speakers.
Academic institutions also link Intelligence with inability of writing/speaking standard English on African American students. Thomas J. Farrell’s study IQ and Standard English indicates that IQ tests pose a disadvantage on African American students who are more orally expressive. He regards that African Americans are much like their African ancestors are essentially oral people and the questions on IQ tests involve on abstract thinking which is a different way for oral expressive AAVE speakers who are more imagistic, visualized and creative thinker. In his text, he also indicates that literate thinking is abstract thinking and the kind of thinking used in both deductive and inferential reasoning the kind of thinking measured by various non-verbal tests of mental ability. Literate thinking is propositional, whereas oral thinking is appositional (Thomas, IQ test and Standard English). African American students make up a big portion in failing test are attributed to their appositional thinking. However, educators measure their students’ performance against this IQ tests to decide whether they are capable of doing well at school. In Thomas research, he does not conduct any case study to exam whether African American students are intelligent; instead, he adopts statistic data from Educational institution to interpret the results of those assessments and combine with psychological knowledge to support his arguments. I think IQ test is one of many factors that educators use to determine African American students’ performance at schools. From an objective point of view, IQ test cannot be attest on either side of perspective. School performance is not only involved with many activities and subjects, each of them involve with different methods of thinking. Likewise, educators cannot judge African American students’ intelligent based on this IQ tests, furthermore, make any associations with AAVE speakers simply because they do not do well on these IQ tests.
Academic institutions also link Intelligence with inability of writing/speaking standard English on African American students. Thomas J. Farrell’s study IQ and Standard English indicates that IQ tests pose a disadvantage on African American students who are more orally expressive. He regards that African Americans are much like their African ancestors are essentially oral people and the questions on IQ tests involve on abstract thinking which is a different way for oral expressive AAVE speakers who are more imagistic, visualized and creative thinker. In his text, he also indicates that literate thinking is abstract thinking and the kind of thinking used in both deductive and inferential reasoning the kind of thinking measured by various non-verbal tests of mental ability. Literate thinking is propositional, whereas oral thinking is appositional (Thomas, IQ test and Standard English). African American students make up a big portion in failing test are attributed to their appositional thinking. However, educators measure their students’ performance against this IQ tests to decide whether they are capable of doing well at school. In Thomas research, he does not conduct any case study to exam whether African American students are intelligent; instead, he adopts statistic data from Educational institution to interpret the results of those assessments and combine with psychological knowledge to support his arguments. I think IQ test is one of many factors that educators use to determine African American students’ performance at schools. From an objective point of view, IQ test cannot be attest on either side of perspective. School performance is not only involved with many activities and subjects, each of them involve with different methods of thinking. Likewise, educators cannot judge African American students’ intelligent based on this IQ tests, furthermore, make any associations with AAVE speakers simply because they do not do well on these IQ tests.
annotated bibligrophy
Farrell, Thomas J. IQ and Standard English: What Are They and How Are They Achieve? CCCC: National Council of Teachers of English
Thomas rejects the hypothesis of genetic factor of why black children score lower than white kids. First, he asserts there are two level of thinking: Level I thinking with competence in forward digit span and level II thinking with competence in backward digit span. Second, to become literate has to involves manifold transformation of cognitive control in backward digit span which is what to be expected of the literate mind. Third, he notes IQ tests are tests of reading, proofreading, editing, logic and inferential reasoning. Fourth,he contends that main reason for black children score lower than white kids is because African oral culture. According to Arthur L. Smith’s observation that Afro-American leaders have quite literally been spokesmen and African Americans are quite oral people much like their ancestors, therefore, the IQ paradigms impose an disadvantage on these orally expertise black kids.
Along the way that Thomas gives a clear explanation of why African American children did poorly on IQ tests because of the format of critical thinking the tests convey does not in correspond with orally expertise African American children. His text is imperative to my research topic of African American vernacular English discussion in composition studies. Thomas’ research provides me with more insights of how does society perceive African American children based upon this type of intelligent tests. The IQ tests yield an invalid result which are most likely promote perpetuation of stigmatized language system such as African American English and generate a negative impact on those speakers of stigmatized language based upon the intelligent scores.
I have some difficult time to understand the terminology employed in the text. Some of them I am not very sure if I understand it right and I have to do additional research on his journal in order to fully understand it. But I have some disagree with his hypothesis about whether intelligent is heredity and environment is still an ongoing debate.
Wolfram, Walt. On the Sociolinguistic Significance of Obscure Dialect Structures: The Construction in African-American Vernacular English. American Speech. Vol. 69.
Walt explained the structures of AAVE and explains why these structures were not given adequate attention in the initial flurry of academic institutions and Walt also says the construction of AAVE is typically speak out with statement intonation and stress on call.
This text is very helpful and it happens to be complement of my other two resources I found above. All of them have make one argument saying that AAVE is more stress on speaking or oral language. Yet, Walt’s text give more specific construction of AAVE and further assist me in doing research on AAVE.
Zuidema, Lisa. Myth Education: Rationale and Strategies for Teaching against Linguistic Prejudice. Journal Of Adolescent and Adult Literacy: 668-675
Lisa asserts that linguistic opinions generate a language prejudice in society which she refers to linguicism. In order to teach against linguicism, she lists a series of questions about the myths of language varieties in society and the solutions to teach students against linguistic prejudices. Also, she emphasizes that NCTE and IRA’s statements do not emphasize teacher’s responsibilities and no statements to students to accept linguistic diversity
The text is a very helpful insights to guide me to write the research paper. First, she points out the bias NCTE and IRA affect on English teachers and how does society’s mainstream media influence or prompt discrimination against stigmatized languages, the detrimental portrayals of languages in digital spaces also cultivate linguistic prejudices. Lisa’s text explains the solutions to eradicate linguicism.
I think her methology employ in text greatly help me to narrow my argument and support my thesis from two perspectives; as educators it is not enough to accommodate language varieties but to teach students to accept linguistic diversity; as students it is not enough to only learn academic language but to absorb language varieties use in different communities.
Ball, Arnetha. “Expository Writing Patterns of African American Students.” English Journal. Vol. 85, No. 1,
Ball says that African American students have a strong link between oral and written expression according to the case study. The scholar asks African American students to write online in order to explore how much they written in AAVE then interview them, also the text points out the relation between language and writing contest.
Ball’s point of view on AAVE and Thomas’ argument on “IQ and Standard English” have some similarities on African American students’ expertise on oral and both of them emphasis that academic institutions determine students competence and ability based upon their ability to write in Standard English is unfair for African American Students. Ball’s written in 1996 and Thomas’ written in 1983; I can see how does composition studies has been change between 1996 and 1983.
I think Ball’s sample size is too small and the way to examine how do students write their comments online has some bias. I mean you choose language depend on situations if educator to evaluate their writing skills by analyzing their online conversations which will generate some bias and an invalid result, but Ball also interview the students to see whether they are rhetorically expression. (a good way to minimize variables)
Thomas rejects the hypothesis of genetic factor of why black children score lower than white kids. First, he asserts there are two level of thinking: Level I thinking with competence in forward digit span and level II thinking with competence in backward digit span. Second, to become literate has to involves manifold transformation of cognitive control in backward digit span which is what to be expected of the literate mind. Third, he notes IQ tests are tests of reading, proofreading, editing, logic and inferential reasoning. Fourth,he contends that main reason for black children score lower than white kids is because African oral culture. According to Arthur L. Smith’s observation that Afro-American leaders have quite literally been spokesmen and African Americans are quite oral people much like their ancestors, therefore, the IQ paradigms impose an disadvantage on these orally expertise black kids.
Along the way that Thomas gives a clear explanation of why African American children did poorly on IQ tests because of the format of critical thinking the tests convey does not in correspond with orally expertise African American children. His text is imperative to my research topic of African American vernacular English discussion in composition studies. Thomas’ research provides me with more insights of how does society perceive African American children based upon this type of intelligent tests. The IQ tests yield an invalid result which are most likely promote perpetuation of stigmatized language system such as African American English and generate a negative impact on those speakers of stigmatized language based upon the intelligent scores.
I have some difficult time to understand the terminology employed in the text. Some of them I am not very sure if I understand it right and I have to do additional research on his journal in order to fully understand it. But I have some disagree with his hypothesis about whether intelligent is heredity and environment is still an ongoing debate.
Wolfram, Walt. On the Sociolinguistic Significance of Obscure Dialect Structures: The Construction in African-American Vernacular English. American Speech. Vol. 69.
Walt explained the structures of AAVE and explains why these structures were not given adequate attention in the initial flurry of academic institutions and Walt also says the construction of AAVE is typically speak out with statement intonation and stress on call.
This text is very helpful and it happens to be complement of my other two resources I found above. All of them have make one argument saying that AAVE is more stress on speaking or oral language. Yet, Walt’s text give more specific construction of AAVE and further assist me in doing research on AAVE.
Zuidema, Lisa. Myth Education: Rationale and Strategies for Teaching against Linguistic Prejudice. Journal Of Adolescent and Adult Literacy: 668-675
Lisa asserts that linguistic opinions generate a language prejudice in society which she refers to linguicism. In order to teach against linguicism, she lists a series of questions about the myths of language varieties in society and the solutions to teach students against linguistic prejudices. Also, she emphasizes that NCTE and IRA’s statements do not emphasize teacher’s responsibilities and no statements to students to accept linguistic diversity
The text is a very helpful insights to guide me to write the research paper. First, she points out the bias NCTE and IRA affect on English teachers and how does society’s mainstream media influence or prompt discrimination against stigmatized languages, the detrimental portrayals of languages in digital spaces also cultivate linguistic prejudices. Lisa’s text explains the solutions to eradicate linguicism.
I think her methology employ in text greatly help me to narrow my argument and support my thesis from two perspectives; as educators it is not enough to accommodate language varieties but to teach students to accept linguistic diversity; as students it is not enough to only learn academic language but to absorb language varieties use in different communities.
Ball, Arnetha. “Expository Writing Patterns of African American Students.” English Journal. Vol. 85, No. 1,
Ball says that African American students have a strong link between oral and written expression according to the case study. The scholar asks African American students to write online in order to explore how much they written in AAVE then interview them, also the text points out the relation between language and writing contest.
Ball’s point of view on AAVE and Thomas’ argument on “IQ and Standard English” have some similarities on African American students’ expertise on oral and both of them emphasis that academic institutions determine students competence and ability based upon their ability to write in Standard English is unfair for African American Students. Ball’s written in 1996 and Thomas’ written in 1983; I can see how does composition studies has been change between 1996 and 1983.
I think Ball’s sample size is too small and the way to examine how do students write their comments online has some bias. I mean you choose language depend on situations if educator to evaluate their writing skills by analyzing their online conversations which will generate some bias and an invalid result, but Ball also interview the students to see whether they are rhetorically expression. (a good way to minimize variables)
reading.......
scholars have been using various methologies to explore AAVE, yet, whichever, methologies they use, there is always biases. and sometimes i wonder how can we minimize bias by using multiple researches and narrow on topics. (i probably need study more on the subject of Statistics)
racial discrimination, hate crimes, KKK etc where is these all coming from even after scientis have proved that mankind originated from Africa. why do some people still oppress African Americans, or do racist think what African Americans have today is Caucasuians give to them? or simply they (racist) just ignorant even though scientifically prove that we are same. race and identity is a broad topic and is intriguing, now Obama has elected as next President of United States, I wonder if there is change on perception on race in society. (Honestly, I was quite inspired by Obama and his winning assures me that "you can be anything you want in United States----the dream land"
sometimes i think life is wonderful but it is boring without any obstacles.
racial discrimination, hate crimes, KKK etc where is these all coming from even after scientis have proved that mankind originated from Africa. why do some people still oppress African Americans, or do racist think what African Americans have today is Caucasuians give to them? or simply they (racist) just ignorant even though scientifically prove that we are same. race and identity is a broad topic and is intriguing, now Obama has elected as next President of United States, I wonder if there is change on perception on race in society. (Honestly, I was quite inspired by Obama and his winning assures me that "you can be anything you want in United States----the dream land"
sometimes i think life is wonderful but it is boring without any obstacles.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
safe houses
topic-associted, topic-centered, person-centered styles. all of those coping strategies are employed by minority to cope with majority academic pedagogical concerns. these learning strategies adopted by minorities is a helpful way to learn how minorities to cope with mainstream norm. But the sample size choosen by author is not random sample to present the whole population. first, the student body size of this class: ten were african-american and two were hispanic. two chinese-american (spoke only english), and an anglo-american student to make up for this failing class. The goal of "safe houses" is to study cope strategies of African american in academy but the class size including other minorities and two asian american (only spoke english, which may have other factors contribute to the failure not as it stated as resistance, cope switch). "safe houses" is common in society, some interpret it as confort zone, culturally (international students, or any foreigns visit in a different places). in this case, it is a safe house to escape academic standards impose in academic institution. in order to solve this problem, i think the very first step to teach prospective students or we, as educators or academic institutions should launch a program for everyone to teach everyone the differences between "social literacy and intellectual literacy" ----not making a misconception saying that school emphasis on intellectual literacy and oppress minority's right to speak their own dialect. i think we should make this type of class as mandatory course for everyone enroll in academic instituiton before taking any literature classes. ---having a solid foundation of knowledge is only way to step further in intellectual field.
in addtion, i remember an article i have read on a newspaper asking why is Jesus Christ depicts as white or Caucausians, why is gods or buddist in asia depicts as asian with oriental dress? it seems like our own conception play a huge role in interpretation. still, people pass on these ideas generations and generations without any skeptisms. history is a secondary data and it may have subverting writer's message or incorportate with someone's ideas (those got this original data firsthand and decode it into our languages) -----lost in translation.
in addtion, i remember an article i have read on a newspaper asking why is Jesus Christ depicts as white or Caucausians, why is gods or buddist in asia depicts as asian with oriental dress? it seems like our own conception play a huge role in interpretation. still, people pass on these ideas generations and generations without any skeptisms. history is a secondary data and it may have subverting writer's message or incorportate with someone's ideas (those got this original data firsthand and decode it into our languages) -----lost in translation.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
new understanding of AAVE
I want to talk something different here. I have come along way to understand that identity in society and identity in utopian space is all a form of name. here Myspace, facebook, msn are quite popular with people, i remember how do people went crazy when we first launch this online chatting space. let me give some examples: when people start to use facebook or myspace to chat or hang out with friends, my regular circle (my friends nearly spend all of their leisure time to hang out online or play games online, they turn their completely social life into utopian cyberspace, some of them even develope a cyber affair with their online buddies. as a result, it intrigues me into a research of cyberspace. first of all, i analys how could an identity with absent of body online can become so popuplar and some of them even addict to it. to simplify, all we do is chatting online with an image. language must have something to do with. of course, i agree that people are free to talk online but they do bear certain limitations, as more and more people get access to internet, the website developer has created very creative interface and classified various forums, as people choose to enter a certain forum, their topic or language is limited to certain boundaries. personally, i perceive internet identity is a separate identity from virtual identity, the language they use convey negative or positive perception on people, since you cannot see the person you talk with online, the only way you can see them or understand them or understand their personality is through conversation, they determine your gender, race, personality, social status by the language you choose to use. at some point, new comers will conform themselve to the language practice others use online so it is not accurate to judge by the language they use online. Back to AAVE, why AAVE is not as popular as SE (standard english), i think there are several reasons: first, SE come first, second, AAVE is spoken by AA (whether it is considered as language or dialect, vary on people), third, political issues. i think language is completly a separat entity of identity, it is all up to people to decide whether to speak a certain language or not. the issues concern with underrepresented minority or silence voice or women can be attributed to people's associtaiton with gender, race. If people perceive language is completly an independent element, a way to communicate with people. it won't have that many questions. "we are all the same", in practice, gender, race are factors to judge others.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
updated cyberculture
what is identity? i came up with this question after i finished reading "cybertyping"
when the technology replaces everything in our daily life, the more we use techonology, the more our life is being computeralized. sometimes it makes me wonder do those strangers i chat online possess same personality or identity as they do in real life? or is it cyberculture a seperation of exiting culture in society? or cyberculture is simply a translation of exiting culture, translating our language, our culture into a language of technology into utopian space?
if cyberculture is a seperation, then its boundary would be infinite becasue everyone can make contribution to it as long as they can access to internet. or to furthur define cyberculture, what is "culture" exactly?
when the technology replaces everything in our daily life, the more we use techonology, the more our life is being computeralized. sometimes it makes me wonder do those strangers i chat online possess same personality or identity as they do in real life? or is it cyberculture a seperation of exiting culture in society? or cyberculture is simply a translation of exiting culture, translating our language, our culture into a language of technology into utopian space?
if cyberculture is a seperation, then its boundary would be infinite becasue everyone can make contribution to it as long as they can access to internet. or to furthur define cyberculture, what is "culture" exactly?
Sunday, September 28, 2008
cyber culture
I have chosen several websites to do my Ebonics research activities, well, the reason is I would like to make some comparisons and figure out why some websites contain more Ebonis or AAVE and some has more standard English written in it. The website I have chosen is Eonline (www.eonline.com) which is pop culture website , New York Times newspaper (www.nytimes.com) and hip hop culture (www.hiphopculture.tv) . all three of them has one thing in common which is they do have some AAVE on the website but the quantity is varied. If there is a numeric rate from 1 to 3 (contains the most AAVE), then hip hop culture is a ethnic website, needless to say it has a lot AAVE and people featured in this website are Africa-Americans; eonline is a pop culture website which contains a medium number AAVE, most of them are written in standard English, the interesting is most of AAVE is used in an article reporting some Africa-American celebrities such as Peekaboo, Rihanna or some articles that is mainly target for youth market. New York Times newspaper website has the least volume of AAVE usage unless there is something to do with Africa-American culture or Presidential Candidate Obama and debates or articles about race issues. After comparing these web sites, it makes me wonder why do some web sites contain a high volume of AAVE usages. And I have come up with some conclusions. First, the target market or audience is a prime reason: AAVE is a postmodern neologism (Nakamura Lisa) and as people become more interactive with others via technology, more and more people prone to chat in or type in abbreviated English such as “yo, wht up” some constants or verbs is missing (although it is not fully comply with AAVE grammar but it is definetly not standard English) instead of Standard English, as cyber users proliferate, more and more people will adopt these cyber English or terminology in order to chat with others. However, the website such as eonline is not merely a blog or chatting room, they publish entertainments which has a target market of multiculture audiences, but their reporters have to write their reports in a standard form of English because all the written statements have to comply with written English rules, although it published online where is considered as a part of cyber culture but eonline has another identities, in order to functions in accordiance with its various identities either in reality realm or cyberspace, formal written English is best option to be written online. Second, it has to do with the context a website or blog published, if a topic is concerned with Africa-American culture or anything relates with it, the article prone to have more AAVE written in that article such as hip hop culture website in which is talking all about Africa-American cultures, hence, it has the most volume of AAVE. At the last, it also has to do with the purpose of a website. (as we have discussed in class) If the website is merely created for socialized among youth, there will have more AAVE such as myspace which is mainly a socialized blog or website (chatting room, gossip, blog, interface is mainly for socialization) people wouldn’t expect any academic articles or context on it. Whereas, nytimes.com has more creative interface and links to assist users to access to other protocoral such as traveling, hotel, vacation places, reservation on airline tickets etc. The audience, function and context of a website determine what language is written on a website.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Dw 1b +learning new language is like building a house?
"any intellectual, not just the black intellectual-is not just to understand the world but to change it. because he well understood the far-reaching ramifications of the production of knowledge."
In the world of literacy, there is no absolute answer, because literacy is a way to express your own thought, your feelings and your opinions. regardless of people from various ethnic groups speaking their own dialect or languages, even though people come from same ethnic group has language barriers, because everyone is unique so does the way of expression. thus, we have to set up a "formal language or standard English in this case" to communicate with outsiders. I personally think going to school is to learn the "formal language" in order to learn communicate with others, that is what i refer to school language or the way we talk to people as formal language. of course, it will adjust as people grow closer to each other. i like the idea that Dubois said "is not just to understand the world but to change it." which reminds me of the movie "Lost in translations". I think language is a very interesting nature, because i can speak two languages plus several dialects, i figure all of them is same but grammar. and it makes me wonder why some can speak more than one languages, is it because they figure out the key factor is grammar, once people acquaint grammar of the new languages learning new language is as simple as builing a house which has a blueprint and build a house base on it. in this case, putting vacabulary into sentence regualated by the grammar.
".......well understood the ramification of production of knowledge" the "formal language" we practice at school is a tool for us to intercommunicate with individul one to exchange ideas or knowledge. If knowledge is said to be the key to a gate of treasure, then the "formal language" is the doornob connecting them.
In the world of literacy, there is no absolute answer, because literacy is a way to express your own thought, your feelings and your opinions. regardless of people from various ethnic groups speaking their own dialect or languages, even though people come from same ethnic group has language barriers, because everyone is unique so does the way of expression. thus, we have to set up a "formal language or standard English in this case" to communicate with outsiders. I personally think going to school is to learn the "formal language" in order to learn communicate with others, that is what i refer to school language or the way we talk to people as formal language. of course, it will adjust as people grow closer to each other. i like the idea that Dubois said "is not just to understand the world but to change it." which reminds me of the movie "Lost in translations". I think language is a very interesting nature, because i can speak two languages plus several dialects, i figure all of them is same but grammar. and it makes me wonder why some can speak more than one languages, is it because they figure out the key factor is grammar, once people acquaint grammar of the new languages learning new language is as simple as builing a house which has a blueprint and build a house base on it. in this case, putting vacabulary into sentence regualated by the grammar.
".......well understood the ramification of production of knowledge" the "formal language" we practice at school is a tool for us to intercommunicate with individul one to exchange ideas or knowledge. If knowledge is said to be the key to a gate of treasure, then the "formal language" is the doornob connecting them.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
DW 1a +"formal language" vs. "informal language"
"informal language" and "formal language." I have been talking to my parents in a form of "informal languages" which often ends up an earful of lectures. According to my parents, we as the younger generation has always talked to elders in a "formal languages." They so-called "formal languages" is another form of "standard languages" school has taught us.
I have been arguing with them a lot on the definition of whether they so-called "formal language" is the very definition of academically formal languages.
I remember one time i was sitting in front of dining table when my dad was watching Tv on sofa. "dad, do you that sister Lu has a lot of friends." "how did you know that, did you talk a lot with her on the phone, why don't you folks spend more time on school instead of playing around." Dad scoded. "you two shouldn't date anyone in college, otherwise, you won't have a promising future, you look up your cousin Qing who never date anyone in college." Dad emphasised.
"no, dad, the friends i refer to is merely a friendship not a relationship, what a nonsense are you talking about, sister Lu is not dating anyone, you misunderstood me." I explained. "in that case, you shouldn't say "friends", "friends" refer to either boyfriend or girlfriend, instead, you should say "colleague" she has a lot of colleagues. If you say "friends" then people will refer it to your sister' boyfriend. Doesn't school teach you about the definition of "friends" and "colleague". how come you still make such silly mistake." Dad scoded. "excuse me, that was your "old definition" now friends in present meaning is colleagues, excuse me, your old man." I talked back.
ever since this incident, i have been caustion about the vocabulary i used with my dad, because we are obviously have a big gap.
In my culture, Respect to elders is a must but somehow it doesn't appeal to me. I mean i respect the concept of taking good care of elders in family and respect them when they are talking, however, the elders do not did so to the youngers' generation ( it is my own perspective, my parents thought they did as well as everyone in the family but i don't think so)
"Ivy, you must major in pre-law or medicine, being in college you shouldn't work that much during school time." Mom commanded. "no mom, i don't like medicine, i took anatomy at school and it was difficult without passion." I said. "nonsense, you must slack off, I told you to study medicine, it is good for your future, how come you reject my idean and you are even skeptical about my ideas, how rude you are, i am your mom and i know you better than anyone." Mom shouted. " mom, please show some respects, i din't say that you weren't wrong and i really appreciate your suggestion but i said no, i don't like it, please respect me and i am not child anymore." I said. "how dare you are, ok, fine, you said you are an adult ha, in other word, you mean you don't have to listen to me right, ok, i have raised you up and now you ditched me and you even think that i am annoying. doesn't school teach you that way, showing no respect to elders and being so cocky about yourself, don't you know to be humble, be humble. you, being in school for years are in vain, zip up." Mom scoded.
see, there are obvious gap between us, what is "formal language" and "informal languages." i think the perspective is depend upon people and I hate to say but have to admit there are no uniform defintion of "standard language" which means it needs more time to study.
the most significant one is the first time i stepped in the territory of United States and i have prepared myself for all the "formal languages" i will be encountered in U.S.A. To my surprise, I ain't understand any of them. I was first landing in El Paso, Tx. School placed me in a ESL classes, instead of having students from Asian countries, they are all from Mexico and to a girl like me who couldn'tdistinguish physical differences between Americans and Mexicans, I ended up thinking what my presumptive formal languages that shcool has taught me in China is a completely version here. I don't understand a single word of it. ".dljoejoadjojeojfodjf" a distant conversation. "dljfoeiojelkdjfpw" I was shocked. then, i met these African American people on the bus. " hey, u what up, i ain't done nothing, Fuck, hey u dude, hao thi going," "shit, ...." What was that, i was so lost.
as i walked into classroom, my new teacher greet me with a warmly smile " hello, i am Miss Rose, welcome to our class, what is your name?" she asked. "My name is Ivy, nice to meet you." I responded. "You speaks very good english, did you learn it in China?" she inquired.
"did i really speak a good english, if so, why i didn't understand any of them except Miss Rose?" I pondered.
I have been trying to adopt all forms of language use in United States in order to communicate to various ethnic people. Meanwhile, i ditched my "standard english" i have learned in the past and adopt/perceive oral english as "formal language"
my cousin love AAVE and have been listening hiphop music a lot. whenever he talks i can distinguish his AAE accent.
I have been arguing with them a lot on the definition of whether they so-called "formal language" is the very definition of academically formal languages.
I remember one time i was sitting in front of dining table when my dad was watching Tv on sofa. "dad, do you that sister Lu has a lot of friends." "how did you know that, did you talk a lot with her on the phone, why don't you folks spend more time on school instead of playing around." Dad scoded. "you two shouldn't date anyone in college, otherwise, you won't have a promising future, you look up your cousin Qing who never date anyone in college." Dad emphasised.
"no, dad, the friends i refer to is merely a friendship not a relationship, what a nonsense are you talking about, sister Lu is not dating anyone, you misunderstood me." I explained. "in that case, you shouldn't say "friends", "friends" refer to either boyfriend or girlfriend, instead, you should say "colleague" she has a lot of colleagues. If you say "friends" then people will refer it to your sister' boyfriend. Doesn't school teach you about the definition of "friends" and "colleague". how come you still make such silly mistake." Dad scoded. "excuse me, that was your "old definition" now friends in present meaning is colleagues, excuse me, your old man." I talked back.
ever since this incident, i have been caustion about the vocabulary i used with my dad, because we are obviously have a big gap.
In my culture, Respect to elders is a must but somehow it doesn't appeal to me. I mean i respect the concept of taking good care of elders in family and respect them when they are talking, however, the elders do not did so to the youngers' generation ( it is my own perspective, my parents thought they did as well as everyone in the family but i don't think so)
"Ivy, you must major in pre-law or medicine, being in college you shouldn't work that much during school time." Mom commanded. "no mom, i don't like medicine, i took anatomy at school and it was difficult without passion." I said. "nonsense, you must slack off, I told you to study medicine, it is good for your future, how come you reject my idean and you are even skeptical about my ideas, how rude you are, i am your mom and i know you better than anyone." Mom shouted. " mom, please show some respects, i din't say that you weren't wrong and i really appreciate your suggestion but i said no, i don't like it, please respect me and i am not child anymore." I said. "how dare you are, ok, fine, you said you are an adult ha, in other word, you mean you don't have to listen to me right, ok, i have raised you up and now you ditched me and you even think that i am annoying. doesn't school teach you that way, showing no respect to elders and being so cocky about yourself, don't you know to be humble, be humble. you, being in school for years are in vain, zip up." Mom scoded.
see, there are obvious gap between us, what is "formal language" and "informal languages." i think the perspective is depend upon people and I hate to say but have to admit there are no uniform defintion of "standard language" which means it needs more time to study.
the most significant one is the first time i stepped in the territory of United States and i have prepared myself for all the "formal languages" i will be encountered in U.S.A. To my surprise, I ain't understand any of them. I was first landing in El Paso, Tx. School placed me in a ESL classes, instead of having students from Asian countries, they are all from Mexico and to a girl like me who couldn'tdistinguish physical differences between Americans and Mexicans, I ended up thinking what my presumptive formal languages that shcool has taught me in China is a completely version here. I don't understand a single word of it. ".dljoejoadjojeojfodjf" a distant conversation. "dljfoeiojelkdjfpw" I was shocked. then, i met these African American people on the bus. " hey, u what up, i ain't done nothing, Fuck, hey u dude, hao thi going," "shit, ...." What was that, i was so lost.
as i walked into classroom, my new teacher greet me with a warmly smile " hello, i am Miss Rose, welcome to our class, what is your name?" she asked. "My name is Ivy, nice to meet you." I responded. "You speaks very good english, did you learn it in China?" she inquired.
"did i really speak a good english, if so, why i didn't understand any of them except Miss Rose?" I pondered.
I have been trying to adopt all forms of language use in United States in order to communicate to various ethnic people. Meanwhile, i ditched my "standard english" i have learned in the past and adopt/perceive oral english as "formal language"
my cousin love AAVE and have been listening hiphop music a lot. whenever he talks i can distinguish his AAE accent.
Monday, September 8, 2008
IAR with One reading
the authors have used the quantitative method to collect data to support the arguments.
author explains why AAE is not a broken English by giving several example from other academic institutions and scholars.
author explains why AAE is not a broken English by giving several example from other academic institutions and scholars.
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