Carol's Blog 2

Carol

Pinker discussed the many different facts as to how language is used everywhere. Theodore Dalrymple discussed many of the facts about which he did not agree with Dr. Pinker. No matter whether a person is supposed to or not, people will find a way to speak in their own language. In Dr. Pinker’s argument, he says how there are many different ways a person will find ways to communicate.

Two ways people communicate is through spoken language and body language. Although people are not supposed to, they sometimes make gestures to tell another how they feel about that certain person. Dr. Pinker discusses a situation in Nicaragua how at a deaf school, the children were not allowed to sign and had to only read lips. It was frustrating to the children so they decided on the school bus and on the playground they would make up a language of their own so they would not get into trouble.The children would become upset at the fact that they were not allowed to sign, were forced to lip read and master the skill of lip reading. It was completely wrong of the parents and the educators to force them to learn the skill of lip reading because if the children are unable to understand the conversation, they would become frustrated.

Most people would favor on the side of the children because they feel sorry for them. Although the children were frustrated that they were unable to communicate, the teachers and parents were trying to help them in the long run by having them learn how to communicate with hearing and speaking people. The skill of learning how to lip read is one that would help the children so it would be less frustrating in the future. If there was only one deaf person at a school, that one person would want to be able to communicate his or her feelings even though they are unable to speak.

I can relate to Dalrymple

I can relate to Dalrymple’s critique of Pinker’s style of writing in the standard form of English because I was fairly intimidated while reading his philosophy of linguistics. For example, Pinker’s conceptualizing standard English to be on the same level than any other form or style is being hypocritical. I dare say that if he was trying to convey for example that “Ebonics” or “Black English” is no better or worse depending on your plot in life is completely diminished by his “in your face” formality of standard English. Yes, people are the product of the environment that delivered them however, although through education one can learn the standard form of English and use it proficiently given the proper setting and not be “classified” as “ghetto” or from a lower class because they lapse into their native tongue. Pinker’s writing style in fact contradicts his philosophy that all language is equal. However, he provokes the reader, in my case by intimidation because I struggled with his vernacular having to look up much of the vocabulary I did not understand. I admit I am provoked to learn standard English because I want to be able in some form to relate to anyone I will meet, no matter what their position in life. Maybe the reason he writes in this style is his way of compensating for his own “upbringing” and insecurity because he wants to empress his colleagues and professors at Harvard University while being read. Arguably the significance of the example of letting children continue to speak in their native language such as Ebonics and never allowing them to break out of that environment by not correcting them so that they feel “inferior” is clearly not what he portrays in his style of writing in Standard English which is extremely hypocritical.

Question 2

Pinker attempts to support his argument that language is instinct by providing the example of a child (Simon) with ASL who possesses considerably better sign language than both of parents who suffer from the same condition. Pinker suggests that the reason Simon’s parents both have bad sign language is because they did not acquire it until their until the late ages of fifth teen and sixteen, resulting in them acquiring it badly. He goes on to say that even though Simon had the disadvantage of growing up in this environment, he grasped sign language very well, as he was able to understand their sentences, move topic phrases without difficulty and when he was asked to describe complex videotaped events, he used the ASL versions almost perfectly. Pinker’s conclusion is that the child must have somehow instinctly shut out his parents ‘ungrammatical noise’ and latched on to the inflections that his parents used inconsistently, reinterpreting them as mandatory. These ideas promotes the idea of language being a trait of all humans as it suggests that we all have grammatical rules in our brains and are able to make concise language of what we hear.

I agree with Dalrymple in disagreeing with Pinker’s ideas as I believe that it would be ignorant to say that the child has been able to master sign language instinctly. Dalrymple says that, “Everyone ought to have the opportunity to transcend the limitations of his linguistic environment if it is a restricted one, which means that he ought to have a few school arms in his childhood..... It is fatuous to expect that the most complex of human faculties requires no special training to develop to its highest power”. This makes me think that it would be impossible for a young child to master such a complex language without specific training from their parents and teachers. Dalrymple reinforces this idea by saying, “An intelligent man who can make no constructive use of his intelligence is likely to make a destructive and self destructive use of it”. This means that without the nurturing of language from one’s external environment; for example parents, teachers, etc, we would never be able to construct language which is easy to understand and follow. This is why I believe Pinker simply can not be correct in his ideas and views as he is very one minded and is reluctant to believe our language is affected and improved by learning from others.

Language Controversies - Blog 2

I have never known of a hardworking professional who has not taken pride or believed in the work they produced. If they did not believe in the values or principles in which they were demonstrating, why would one waste their time and effort to work hard at expressing their feelings and emotions? To do this would just be meaningless and pointless. Having said this, I disagree with dear Mr. Theodore Dalrymple when he writes "Pinker doesn't really believe anything of what he writes, at least if example is stronger evidence of belief than precept." If this statement were true, then why would Pinker throw away all of his valuable time to research and write on and in a style that evidently meant a lot to him? I know for me personally, I would not take the time research and and write about a subject that didn't have some sort of meaning to me!
The term "standard English" may have a few different meanings to different people. What is standard? If something is considered standard, by whom's definition are we going by? When thinking about this, I think about the term "normal" as well. What is considered normal, and by whom's defintion is it from? There is a difference also between speaking and writing. I do not speak in perfect, "standard English" with my friends or family, but when writing for and important paper assigned that will have great significance and importance, I tend to be more formal and practice a higher level or writing skills and vocabulary. Does this make me a hypocrite too? We sometimes tend to cater to the audience around us, making it easier for others to understand. For instance, the way I speak to my three year old niece is a lot different from the way I speak my eighteen year old friend, and the way I speak to my friend might be slightly different than the way I speak to my mom. When I speak to my niece, I need to stoop down onto her level of understand and her comprehension of vocabulary words. I will be more respectful and a little more proper when talking to my mom or older authority than I will be when communicating with one of my really good friends. Pinker is just trying to write in a way that he feels will be most effective in getting his points and ideas across to his readers.

Jack dowdell blog post 2 topic 1

Dalrymple’s statement that Pinker doesn’t really believe a thing he says is an obviously false one. Pinker would not take the time to conduct the research or write the essay if he did not care. Rather, the statement seems to be made in order to show a hole in Pinker’s logic.

Dalrymple is because Pinker writes in a tone pleasing to schoolmarms.  This is because the basis of this essay is that we all can, without education, speak in elegant complex language within our own dialect. In almost a parallel to what the writing is about, the writing itself is clear, concise, and elegant. The elegancy is what most likely upset Dalrymple.                                                                                             Many reasons have been suggested for why Pinker wrote that piece the way he did however. One thing we mentioned in class and certainly deserves consideration is the audience intended. This essay was meant for people who spoke the standard English dialect. How could we learn about the equality of the dialects and the other important points in his essay if we could not understand him.

Also, Pinker made arguments pointing out the equality of these languages. However, he never made a single point that they were appropriate in todays’ society. His purpose was to express their equality from a technical standpoint and to stop discrimination against these people on the pure basis of their speech patterns. In know way did he state that they should be accepted as a standard.

Another thing to consider is that Dalrymple is a British physician. This means that most likely he speaks near perfect English as many British people do. On top of this he is a physician which means he is highly educated. This is a man who has dedicated quite a bit of time to speaking and writing properly. Any paper that comes straight out and says that these lesser dialects in his mind are now alright is bound to rub him wrong.

Dalrymple and Pinker represent opposite ends of a spectrum. Pinker the more liberal welcoming party and Dalrymple in the conservative preserve the old writing. I believe both are necessary. As the world grows different dialects will spring up and looking down on them is not an option anymore. However abandoning our language is not an option either. Between the two opinions i believe balance can be struck

Blog Prompt 1

Pinker comes across as a hypocrite in several ways. He has no problem saying that all languages are equal because they each have their own set of rules and grammar, but he wastes no time in pointing out the differences in each language he dissects. On page 19, Pinker says that a preschooler has a sophisticated grasp of grammar, but in the same sentence he likens the preschooler to a,”like, you know, inarticulate teenage skateboarder.” He attempts to make the point that a thick usage and style manual is less sophisticated, yet he gives readers the image of a grungy, uneducated teenager and expects them to believe that the teenager has a better usage of language than the style manual. Pinker’s style of writing suggests that he favors the Standard English, so, even though he does insert passages in other dialects or vernaculars, his point that all languages are perfectly equal becomes weaker. One must support Dalrymple’s point that, yes, the language instinct is there from the moment a person is born, but contrary to Pinker’s view, there must be some sort of mimicry involved with the development of the child’s language. This must be true, because otherwise there would be no explanation for the ability of a Chinese baby to speak English when he was born to Chinese speaking parents but raised by English speaking Americans. A child does not have a pre-programmed language in its brain when it is born or else newborn adoptions would never be successful. Obviously, Pinker is writing for an audience who speaks Standard English, so he must write in Standard English. However, his transitions into his examples show such a difference between the Standard English and whichever language he is comparing it to that the reader feels that Pinker feels superior to the language he is writing about.

Merry Bridgeman
English 1101 – “Language Controversies”
Dr. Hughes
Blog 2

What is Standard English? Does it depend on where one is living? The question Pinker is answering is that there really is not a standard way to speak. Webster’s Dictionary defines Standard English as, “The English that with respect to spelling, grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary is substantially uniform though not devoid of regional differences, that is well established by usage in the formal and informal speech and writing of the educated and that is widely recognized as acceptable wherever English is spoken and understood.” This form of English makes people seem educated and can be intimidating. Pinker believes that there is no “right” way to speak. Everyone has their own dialect and there is no need to change. No one dialect is grammatically wrong; they just have different words and rules. An example Pinker uses is, “…people in some regions of the United States refer to a certain insect as a dragonfly and people in other regions refer to it as a darning needle…”(pg.28) Dragonfly would be what the majority of the population would say was correct, but could darning needle not be correct as well? Another example is when he is talking to Larry, a man who spoke American Black English, and we see that the only difference is the means by which contractions are used. People tend to judge when they hear someone different from them speak. They automatically jump to conclusions and view their dialect better than others.
Even though Pinker’s articles were written in proper, grammatically correct English, one should not be so quick to call him a hypocrite. Just because he chooses to use this so called Standard English in his writings does not mean that he believes all other modes of speaking are wrong. His argument throughout the article is not that Standard English is wrong but that it’s not the only “right” way to speak. Pinker is writing in this form because he is gearing it toward an audience that would be more accepting of this dialect rather that one written in Black English or slang. He also might have been raised to speak this certain type of English while others might have been taught differently, but he is open and accepting to how language constantly changes. Where as Dalrymple seem to laugh at other dialects in his article, "The Gift of Language."

devin oesterle blog #2

In "The Language Instinct", Pinker uses the example of a young boy who is born without the ability to hear. He mentions that the boy, Simon, was not only born deaf, but he was born into a family with two deaf parents. Simon's parents', however, abilities to express themselves through ASL(American Sign Language) is not as fluent or understandable as one who is mute should be. Simon's ability to use ASL, on the other hand, is quite remarkable. The boy, only nine years of age, is far more advanced that the abilities of his mothers and fathers. "Simon must somehow have shut out his parents' ungrammatical 'noise.' He must have latched on to the inflections that his parents used inconsistently, and reinterpreted them as mandatory. And he must have seen the logic that was implicit, though never realized it, in his parent' use of two kinds of verb inflection, and reinvented the ASL system of superimposing both of them onto a single verb in a specific order." After reading this i asked myself this question: Is Steven Pinker really going to imply that this nine year old child mastered the use of ASL on his own with no outside help? Does he really think this is possible? I cannot distinguish between this mad man maybe, actually, believing this or just "blowing smoke" to try and create an uproar from opposing writers. I do know, however, that he is certainly succeeding in the second choice. A nine year old mastering the ASL, or any other language for that matter, without the guidance of an overseer or other form of an educated being is impossible. Claiming that this nine year old child could distinguish right or wrong in his parents' using of ASL without educated help is not only wrong, it is ridiculous! In conclusion, it is obvious that I strongly disagree with Steven Pinker when he implies that young Simon used his instincts to learn the correct use of ASL all by himself. I assure you that this is unobtainable, even by this "remarkable" young lad. Simon obviously had some kind of unknown, or untold, outside source to guide him in the right direction.

Cameron Medina Blog 2

Pinker is clearly a very educated man to be discussing the topic of language; not only is he discussing it though, Pinker is giving explanations of how speech is originated in each individual person. Pinker does use correct speech, as most call it, but Pinker is not an exception from his observations. He is a man who has from birth possessed the knowledge and instinct of how to talk. The way he speaks and writes is completely refined by the education he has completed, though. Pinker never criticizes any person for the ways they speak, so he should not be criticized either. The argument Pinker presents is a very valid point because he presents it in a simple and clear form. Pinker does write in very grammatically correct language, though, not because he necessarily talks in that way, but because to be taken seriously by reviewers and criticizers he must show he is an educated man. If Pinker were to write his book again and write in the speech he uses in common conversation, the book would not be read deep enough to accomplish its purpose. He is no exception; all people speak in less strict form than the way they write. If the way he writes affects his argument in any way, it will make it more valid. People on all levels of education can understand his speech as a result of his grammar and vocbulary, and this ability will affect their perception of what view Pinker is writing from, also. If Pinker wrote on a level on which only the highly educated could understand, then his argument could be considered discredited. Pinker is a great example, just as well as any other human, of his own point that people are born with a basic knowledge of how to speak. The beginnings of speech may not be exactly correct, but the refining of speech is learned through observation and listening to the speech around you. Pinker is not a hypocrite, he is a human who has, by his choice, refined his speech and language to a level acceptable for writing at the level he writes.

To label Pinker a hypocrite for using the "standard English" in his writings presents itself as an unfair accusation. Although the fact that "intelligence does not correlate with language" seems to contradict itself in any way, shape or form, different perspectives always lead to differentiating opinions. To clearly label Pinker as a hypocrite of his own works, one would have to know his past. One would have to know where he spent his childhood, how his parents raised him, and who taught him the native language that he speaks today? Pinker says that "...children learn to talk from role models and caregivers." He also writes "[l]anguage is a complex, specialized skill, which develops in the child spontaneously, without conscious effort or formal instruction....", depicting the idea that language comes naturally and instinctively to every person. (Pinker, pg.18)Therefore, language always presents itself as an "instinct" so that children learn to feed the want to know and communicate with the people who surround them.(Pinker,18) This leads to the fact that intelligence does not comply with language. To further this statement, in the definition of intelligence, it clearly states that intelligence consists of the "capacity for learning."(Dictionary.com) The "capacity for learning" solely involves a childs capability to concieve and retain knowledge, leading further away from the fact that intelligence correlates with language. All of this information in turn goes to show that only can one judge Pinker to be hypocritical, if they know his formal surroundings. As far as readers know, Pinker's parents taught him his native lanquage. Did they speak in the specific form of correct "standard English"? Could the ways of "standard English" abide as the only form of English he has ever known? The knowing of standard English and the use of it lies not as a higher point of intelligence. However, Pinker's readers can only assume one thing about his writings. He clearly writes to attract specific audiences with a higher scholarly tone than one normally speaks, but he distinctly appeals to the higher levels of knowlege who continue to use the art of"standard English." Still the argument stands....Does Pinker's use of "standard English" discredit his argument, or do most people have the wrong definition of true intelligence?

As most proficient writers do, Pinker writes the book "The Language Instinct" in what can be called standard English. This version of English can be found throughout literature as it is sometimes considered the "grammatically correct" version of our English language. In his book "The Language Instinct", Pinker discusses the fact that learning language is an innate behavior that all human beings are able to perform regardless of what cultural background they come from. In the contrary, Dalrymple says not only is this theory false but he also accuses Pinker of being a hypocrite based on the fact that because Pinker writes in standard English but also believes that all versions of English are capable of performing the same tasks. In my opinion, this is not hypocritical, but only the truth. There are many different versions of the English language with no particular one being "right" or "wrong". A good example of this is Black English Vernacular and Standard English. Though the two languages may be completely different to the human ear, the two languages successfully perform the task of communication.

Though Dalrymple's theory of language being a learned skill opposed to a natural skill is partially true in my opinion, he is incorrect in stating that “Pinker does not really believe anything of what he writes, at least if example is stronger evidence of belief than precept.” It is very apparent in this statement that Dalrymple believes that Pinker does not truly support his own theory because he writes in standard English. As I mentioned earlier, most proficient writers write in this version of English because it is the most "grammatically correct". This particular way Pinker writes has no effect on his argument as he successfully proves his point that language is a natural instinct.

With both of these arguments being very logical, it is difficult to defend one writers opinion while being in support of both writers. However when it comes to reading a piece of literature, there is a very good chance that it will be written in standard English, just as Pinker's book was. Pinker wrote in standard English for a reason. Not just because it is the most grammatically correct, but because it is "standard". Standard is considered the norm in the majority of peoples minds, which in my opinion is why Pinker wrote his book the way he did.

Amber Allen

English 1101: “Language Controversies”

Dr. Hughes

Blog #2

Pinker gives and example of a preschooler named Sarah, whose parents only had a high school education. Obviously, their lack of education limits them. Through this example he suggests that with uneducated parents it was only possible for the young girl to say grammatically complex sentences because she just “created” these forms herself through instinct. Pinker even goes as far to state, “ …sentences like these show clearly that language acquisition cannot be explained as a kind of imitation.” How is it possible for Pinker to ignore the fact that her parents were not very educated and had her environment not changed then she may have never spoken a different and more complex language than her parents? This child should have the chance and ability to go beyond the limitations of her uneducated parents. If she is restricted from doing so, then for the remaining of this child’s life there will be a lack of expression. The child’s instinct to use the –s agreement suffix may begin to be used in their language, but it is not by coincidence. Pinker also suggests that the child suddenly realizes it should be used to make sentences fluent. The idea of that simply as an “instinct” for the child is quite absurd. Children will use imitation of language they have previously heard. It is obvious that a child will imitate the language of others, and more than likely the language others speak has derived from speaking a language that has had more construction and education than they were instinctually born with in their natural language. According to Pinker though, children do no need correction to clarify the language they speak. Children will automatically advance linguistically and become a linguistic genius as they become older.  How can Pinker use all of his evidence to suggest that language does not correlate with intelligence? As I have seen in many of my patients throughout my career I feel very confident in the forming the opinion that linguistic abilities will not suddenly develop with age. Without any effort or revision to an individual’s language, I conclude that the person will never acquire the greatest power of their linguistic ability to express themselves. 

Pinker a Hypocrite?

I do not believe that I would consider Pinker a hypocrite. Although some of his writings and actions would make one think so. I would consider him as a man who likes to play with the minds of his readers and ultimately prove his point. We have discussed in class that he may have written this specifically because he wanted doctors and professors to read the article.I believe he had a greater purpose for his writing. I believe that Pinker did this on purpose, but not with the intention for just professors or doctors to read. I believe he wanted everyone who is capable to read to indulge in his article. I think this way because of how he supports other dialects and languages and discredits standard English. I believe he wrote in standard English to prove himself wrong. As funny as that sounds, he tries to show that standard English is just as proper as any other language like Ebonics. If you think well English is defiantly more proper,you are wrong. The truth of the matter is that all languages are proper. I also believe he wrote like this to show that even though he is criticizing standard English, that he himself is using it to write. I think he is trying to show that there are certain circumstances that you have to know about of how to approach the different kinds of dialects. It would be foolish to use Ebonics in a paper, even though he argues that no two languages are better then the other. There is a certain time to use it and when not to use it though. The funny thing about writing is that no matter what kind of dialect you speak, it is hard to tell how you sound in writing. The rules of writing are that you specifically use standard English in formal articles and papers. I think that Pinker was just following the rules of writing. If he were to tell you in person about this article he would use a much different language.

Blog Prompt 2

ENG 1101 (2): "Language Controversies"
Blog 2
Dr. Jennifer A. Hughes

This week you may choose between two prompts. This essay will be more formal. That is, you should strive for clarity and careful grammar (the prescriptive kind!). Consider especially things that we have talked about in class: avoiding ending sentences with prepositions, avoiding contractions, using active verbs. The essay should be between 300 and 600 words, but again, feel free to write more if necessary.

1. Theodore Dalrymple writes that “Pinker doesn’t really believe anything of what he writes, at least if example is stronger evidence of belief than precept.” That is, Dalrymple accuses Pinker of being a hypocrite because Pinker himself clearly values standard English since he writes in it. Is Pinker a hypocrite? Does it discredit his argument? Why do you think that he writes as he does?

2. Choose an example from our readings in Pinker that Dalrymple does not really discuss (Simon the user of ASL whose parents are not fluent ASL users, the British woman with Chatterbox syndrome, etc.) and try to argue the Dalrymple side. That is, imagine yourself to be Dalrymple and argue against Pinker over the significance of this example.

Week 1 Day 3

My high school was very diverse with people coming from Sweden, Germany, and many other places. We had many foreign exchange students who had accents that I had never heard before. I thought it was interesting because I never heard such thick German or Swedish accents.
In high school I took two years of Spanish. My teachers were not very good so I ended up not learning that much Spanish. This kind of gave me a bad impression of the language which probably isn’t fair but it is the only real experience that I have with the language. Although I can still speak some basic Spanish if I were to have to talk to someone who doesn’t speak any English. My grandparents are both Italian so I have learned a few phrases here and there but I can’t speak or understand it. It is the second biggest language in my life because it runs in the family. I wish I could speak more Italian because it would be a way for me to relate to my grandparents better and it is a very romantic language. It still makes me feel as if I am connected to another culture which is really cool. I like to hear other people speak Italian because it reminds me of the holidays when I eat dinner with my family and reminisce about the past.
School has affected my language because I talk a lot like the other people at my school. When you are around certain people for long periods of time you begin to say the same things they do, whether they are good or bad. School has also helped because teachers make you speak proper English which eventually wears on you and makes you speak proper. It happens whether or not you want it to!

Language Controversies

Being born and raised in Conyers, Georgia, I have always been surrounded by the southern English language. My mom is from Tennessee and my dad is from Texas. I don't think I have a heavy southern accent, but I do catch myself sometimes drawing out my vowels and I do say y'all a lot. All of my family speak English and have lived in the south all of their lives. I am accustomed to and have grown comfortable around the southern English.
Three or four years ago, my family moved off of our fifty acre farm in Conyers and into a subdivision. It was strange getting used to only living on 2 acres and having neighbors. As time went on, I began to recognize the different cultural backgrounds of the families living in my neighborhood. We have Asian, French, Brazilian, and Indian. My neighborhood only consists of about five streets, so I was surprised to discover this many nationalities in such a small area. My immediate next door neighbor is from Brazil and speaks Portuguese. They have five year old triplets and they love to come over and watch our dog play in our background. While they are visiting, I have noticed that whenever the mom is getting onto one or all of the triplets, she speaks their native tongue of Portuguese, but whenever we are casually talking with them, she speaks in English to them. It's made me realize how they are only five, yet they already know two different languages. Sure, they don't know perfect English yet or how to spell things or the rules of grammar, but from being surrounded by both Portuguese and English speaking people, they have picked up on both languages. My three year old niece is taught Spanish on a weekly basis by someone who comes into her daycare center in Alpharetta and speaks Spanish to them. It hit me while I was having dinner with her one time, that she knew probably more Spanish than I did since she just started randomly spitting out Spanish words and broke out into song about the different colors in Spanish. This is something that I wish I had taken advantage of when I was younger, and even in high school. I wish I had been taught at a younger age the difference between languages. I feel like if you start off with learning these things at a younger age then you will remember them better. Some people can just pick up different languages easily. My oldest sister know Pharsee, Spanish, some french and Italian, and of course English. For her, picking up different languages is a hobby that she enjoys. I on the other hand, have trouble speaking perfect English and the little Spanish that I remember from the three years I took it in high school. I enjoy listening to other languages and accents and wish that learning different languages came easier to me. With all the different languages though, it just goes to show that no matter where you are from or how you speak, there is still a great need for communication between individuals.

Language controversies

From the moment I was born I was exposed to a tongue different to my own. With my mother’s parents both originating from Poland, I have been able to witness first hand the differences between languages. One of my biggest regrets so far in life was not to learn Polish at a decent level; my grandparents and mother have all taught me some basics of the language but I never really took too much interest in pursuing a higher understanding. I just wish that I’d made the effort so that I could have talked to my grandmother in her native tongue before she passed away because I knew of the difficulties she had with grasping English when she immigrated to England in 1957. If I go with my granddad to see his friends I also have regret as I would love to join in with their conversations and hear their tales. I also believe my granddad would be even prouder of me if I could talk to him in Polish. Writing this essay gives me added determination to learn more of the language so I can learn more about their culture.
In the two weeks I have lived in the USA I have already experienced the differences between our English languages. Confusion has arisen from even the simplest of words or phrases. For example during soccer practice, when we first got told to bring our cleats and pinnies with us, the European section of the squad did not understand what we were being asked of. After some discussion between the squad, we realized that we were being asked to bring our soccer boots and bibs. This shows that even though we both talk English, there is a world of difference between ‘British English’ and ‘American English’.
My English accent has also attracted much interest, as people on campus seem to take more notice or an interest in me when they hear me talk. This has probably given me an advantage in making friends with people as classmates seem more eager to make conversation with me, leading to friendships being made easier.

Language Controversies

Blog Post One

Matthew Peeler

Over the entire course of my life I have been exposed to the language that most of us grew up speaking, the language that goes by the name of English. English is typically a very elegantly and fluently spoken language that many people in our nation speak. In my family however, it is not necessarily the most elegant or fluent of languages. It all starts for me with my parents who naturally learned "our language" from their parents. With this being the case, I would say it is logical to call this language a family tradition. With my mother growing up in a rural farm town in southeast Georgia and my father growing up in the rural area of Henry County, it makes sense to assume I get my southern slur from my beloved family. From my family I get words and phrases that would be considered by most English teachers horrendous and completely unacceptable in the English language such as "ya'll", "whatcha need", "be there in a sec", and many others that are truly part of the "Southern English" language. Though these phrases are not always the most logical sounding words to say, they are and always will be a part of the language I am proud to speak.

Having a southern draw has its advantages along with its disadvantages with both circumstances being a part of my schooling experience. I have been sitting in many English classes when some of my "Southern English" has been spoken and needless to say, there were many times where I was too scared to repeat what I said. There has also been a number of situations where I would be in the middle of an English assignment and catch myself writing down one of these "Southern English" phrases. As any good student would do, I quickly erased this very illogical sounding mistake with the fears of what my English teacher may have to say about this particular choice of words. Even though it sounds like there is nothing good about speaking "Southern English", there are some advantages to speaking this unique language. One being the fact that you get noticed because of your slur when you visit a new place. This first week at Young Harris has been one of those types of experiences. With the "language" I speak, I have been given the nickname of "Big Country" by many of my fellow classmates. This has been quite a funny experience as many people do not even know my birth name but know me simply as "Big Country".

This week has been a very interesting experience from the aspect of learning other "languages" as well. Just in this first week I have had the pleasure of speaking with people from Germany, England, Portugal, and the African Coast. This college, not to even mention this world, is a truly diverse place where everyone is different. Though many of us share the common language of English, we all speak our "own language" and that is what makes this world the great place that it is.

In high school I studied both English and Spanish. Since English is my primary language, I took speaking fluent English for granted; however studying deeper into the English dialect gave me a new respect for my complex language. From the new complexity of English I learned the basics of Spanish. In today's society it is necessary for us U.S. citizens to learn Spanish because so many hispanic immigrants are flooding into the United States. School has taught me many different ways to approach the English language. My array of teachers each expanded my knowledge and terminology. For example, my tenth grade Literature teacher was a very intelligent young man. He would make us do weekly activities that would help further our vocabulary. Whenever we would read was when his teachings helped me most because of all the practice he made us repeat every week. Then my eleventh grade year I had a different teacher by the name of Mr. Stevens who was a very ingenious man. Every day it was a ritual for his vernacular to be very advanced if you will. He would try and further our vocabulary by making himself say big words every time he spoke. Even now when I see his blogs on facebook I am astonished by the way he uses words and what words he uses. Of coarse he was a professor at University of Georgia so that explains why. He alone broadened my mind and vocabulary just because it seemed natural to me every day when I was in school. As natural as it is for us to use simple non-complex words, we should try and use more advanced words because maybe it will help one day with whatever occupation we have. The teachers I have had not have only educated me with words but also taught me how to use them and use them correctly. It just showed me how much we really should appreciate our language and not take it for granted.

Carol Raterman
English 1101: “Language Controversies”
Dr. Hughes
Week 1, Day 3 Blog
I have been exposed to a little bit of many different languages. English is my main language and is the language my family speaks in our house. Although English is my main language, my dad has traveled around the world with his job and teaches us a little bit of what he learns from every place that he has been. It is very important to my family to try to learn and understand person’s language because that is way to get to know a person better. As I learned a little bit of each language from my dad’s trips, it would allow me to be able to say thank you at a Chinese restaurant in Chinese and the people working there would think it was impressive I knew how to say thank you in Chinese.
Twice every week in class at my elementary and middle school, we would have Spanish class to help us learn Spanish and more about the Spanish language. In high school, I had a Spanish class everyday. In elementary school, we learned everything from the letters, numbers and food to how to have a conversation with someone. If someone wanted to have a conversation with me in Spanish, I would be able to start a conversation by asking them how they are doing, but not very much more. When I was taking classes everyday I was able to have a longer conversation with a person.
Although English is not my best subject because I do not like the grammar and everything, I do enjoy writing stories. I like just making up random stories or stories inspired by my life or what I see in everyday life.
Both, my mom and dad, a majority of their family live up in Ohio. I have noticed over the past 18 years that we people from Georgia and people from Ohio have different accents and say words differently. In the south, I have always called any carbonated beverage a “Coke”. In the north, any carbonated beverage is a “pop”. When we are all hanging out together, we have come to an agreement to call the carbonated beverage a “soda”.

As the daughter of two service technicians, those are the people that come to your house when you have a problem with your phone or Internet, for Bell South, now AT&T, language, communication, and any problems that arise with those have always been a huge part of my life. My parents lived and worked in Miami for over 15 years, and they were exposed to just about every different accent, dialect, and language while there. They always brought home stories about who they met, and then they attempted to mimic that person's way of talking. My mother now claims to be an expert on knowing where a person is from after just hearing them speak. My parents' interest, and amusement, in different languages has given me the foundations to really admire all sorts of accents and have respect for people who don't speak the same as me.

Due to the fact that Miami has a large Cuban population my dad picked up some basic words and taught them to me and my sister as we were growing up. This piqued my interest for the Spanish language, and once I started high school, I knew I wanted to take Spanish classes. I started my freshman year with Spanish 1, then continued to Spanish 2, 3, and then senior year I took AP Spanish. What a delight that was! Taking those Spanish courses gave me an appreciation for people who speak multiple languages and it also let me know that English is one of the hardest languages to learn, which makes me feel lucky that it is my first language. In addition to taking the AP Spanish language course my senior year, I took Advanced Composition. I had no idea that I would stand so much writing. I'm glad that I took it last year because it really helped me get past any big problems I had with writing about many different subjects and in many different formats. Advanced Composition showed me how to enjoy writing, even if I don't enjoy what I'm writing about. School has definitely shaped the way I feel about languages in all forms.

When preparing to start this chapter of my life at YHC, I realized that I would probably come in contact with quite a few people with heavy southern accents. What I didn't realize was how quickly I would pick those accents up. I already find myself putting a twang on my vowels. The best part of the language in this part of the world is talking with someone who has lived here their whole life. On Monday, two service men came into my dorm room to fix the bathroom door. When they were done, one of the men asked to borrow my broom, but it sounded like he asked if he could borrow my brain! That was probably the funniest experience I have ever had with misunderstanding someone's accent, but I look forward to having many more of those experiences throughout my life.

Over the course of my life I have experienced and been part of many languages. Although I consider myself bilingual, I have tried to speak Spanish. Growing up in Athens, Georgia I was presented with many opportunities to distinguish and determine different dialects. As you may know Athens is in fact a college town. Which in turn brings in students and athletes with many different cultural as well as economic backgrounds. Some of Students that arrive at the University of Georgia speak differently to what the average American is accustomed to, or speak a different language. Students come from the north,midwest, west you name it.I have been to exposed to this sort of life throughout my high school career. I remember overhearing different accents at stores, bowling alleys and various sporting events. I have also been exposed to African Swahili, Spanish and Portuguese. I have come to respect these different languages because of the uniqueness each one possesses. For example, In my old high school we had a decent sized Hispanic population. When I would walk through the halls I would overhear some of my Hispanic friends speaking Spanish. I was amused and overwhelmed by the flow and quickness of their language. I was so interested that I decided to enroll in a Spanish class to earn credits for both high school and college. This class was very interesting even though I didn't become very fluent in the Spanish language. An interesting fact about this decision was that I was the first one on my family to take a foreign language.

My family is all from the south, more specifically Georgia. My family along with my mother and father, I have one brother who is like the rest of my family have pretty deep rooted southern accents. We say words like " Y'all" and " I'm fixin to" in which I know is not proper grammar. As I recently said I was indeed the first person in my family to take a foreign language class. My dad was so intrigued by my enthusiasm for the class that he tried to speak Spanish himself. He always talked about getting post- it notes and putting the Spanish words for the object he would put them on. But he never did it, instead we went on a five day cruise to the Cayman Islands and Cozumel. While on this trip we heard different accents that at these point because of my vague memory I can't put in words. On the trip we went to various beaches, we snorkeled with a guy with a Jamaican accent and went to a turtle farm. This trip really made me appreciate our language and others as well.

Prompts for Blog 1

ENG 1101: “Language Controversies”
Week 1, Day 3
Blog Prompt 1
Blog 1

Your first blog assignment is a personal essay. It should be between 300-600 words, but feel free to write more if you get inspired! You may write using the first person (I) and describe one or several aspects of your linguistic history. Some topics you might wish to cover include:

• The languages you have been exposed to over the course of your life, and how important they are to who you are. Is English your native language? Are you bilingual or multilingual? Did you learn other languages as a child and then forget them? Have you taken courses in other languages?
• The relationship between family and language. Do any members of your family speak other languages and dialects than you do? Does that make you feel connected to another culture, or make you feel estranged?
• How has school has affected your language? Have teachers made you try to speak differently (or write differently) than you would otherwise? Do you admire academic standards of language, resent them, or do you care?
• Any stories about yourself and your language that you think are funny, interesting, or say a lot about who you are. Have you ever gone abroad and come back speaking with a different accent just for fun? Have people from other regions or countries commented a lot upon your accent?

Welcome!

Dear All,

Welcome to the blogging site for ENG 1101: Language Controversies, section 2. This is where you'll be posting your Friday responses each week before class. It's a "greener" and tech-savvy way for you to practice your writing.

Best,

Dr. Jennifer A. Hughes