DW2b

The difference between AAVE on websites and in the readings for class is that in the readings in class, AAVE is presented and discussed as a form of dialect. It is presented in a form in which you can read and understand what is being said with interpretations. As well, the readings in class teach about the use of AAVE. In the Knadler piece, he gives examples from the blogs of his students. Online and from the websites I've analyzed, AAVE is not discussed or analyzed, it is just used. The websites use AAVE in their normal dialect. It is not used to help explain the language, but instead is used because it IS the dialect. Knadler uses AAVE in the examples he gives of his students, such as,"Frequently, she and several other students had created sub-conferences within our larger class chat in which they volleyed back and forth rappers’ misogynistic insults at each other, calling each other 'bitches' and 'ho’s' and saying what they were going to 'play' them." On websits that have AAVE on them, generally speaking it's actual use of the language. On Kanye West's blog, he comments on rumors about him. "Do y'all remember when people said my fiancee was pregnant???? ... I had my own family asking me about that. Now the media is saying I'm going to anger management something or 'nother." The largest difference between the is that the readings we look at explain AAVE, while the websites use AAVE.

DW2a

I chose to analyze Ebonyjet.com, which is the website for Ebony the Magazine. This website includes a lot of different subjects that you can look at. It's subjects include: Politics and Perspectives, Art and Culture, Entertainment, Multimedia, Tech, Blog, Living, Magazine, and Shop. Each subject has sub-categories that apply to each. This website includes articles about African American living and news, as well as general global news. The website focuses on the lives of African Americans. The magazine includes articles like, "What does black sound like?" which discussed the sound of the current African American music. In an interview with the rapper Lupe Fiasco about what black music sounds like, he said, "Black music is the Black experience in America"(Ebony Magazine). In another issue of the magazine, they have an article which discusses the aftermath of Don Imus' comments about the University of Rutgers' Woman's basketball team, when he called them "Nappy-Headed Hos." They discussed the changes in language in the current media era. Referring to Imus' use of "Nappy-Headed Hos," Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest stated, "You have to get to the root of the problem and eradicate it"(Ebony Magazine). The website has a lot of great commentary of the African American language and culture.

DW 1b

In Geneva Smitherman's article, "From Ghetto Lady to Critical Linguist," she discusses the language barriers between her native dialect and Standard English. She explains that though those who spoke Standard English could understand her regional dialect, "The problem was that there existed a bias against this different-sounding American English emanating from the margins"(Smitherman, p.54). What Smitherman is saying that though communication could be made between different dialects, there was still bias and prejudice towards those who are different then you. Smitherman spoke her regional southern slang and jargon, and historical prejudices compared such dialects to underprivileged and struggling African American race. Racism towards blacks was not yet something of the past, as it is not a thing of the past today, and the simple use of regional dialect could easily bring back racial animosity. Similarly, as a young adult, there is a certain bias that you elders have about you.

It's very easy for parents, elders, and other adults to look down upon your dialect. They do not use the same slang as I do. I use words that elders and adults couldn't even imagine what the meanings were. I could not walk into my house as say to my father, "What's good, Pops?" And I certain could not tell my mother, "My buddy in Brody caught a case because he got caught with a dimebag on him." They would not understand me, and I probably wouldn't want them to understand. But because of this use of slang and jargon, prejudices towards a younger generation and changing times become more severe. I'll tell a joke to my grandparents, or say something sarcastically, and follow it up with, "JK, grandpa!" and they won't understand what I'm talking about. Many times, elders will take the lack of understanding complete understanding as disrespect. It's hard to accept that your current ways are in the past. Prejudices stem of things that are different from your own. What makes the difference is whether or not you are willing to accept these other things.