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.

DW 1a

In school, you have two different dynamics where you use two different styles of language. One is when you are in classroom among your peers and with your teacher. The other is when you are among your friends. In a classroom you must speak intelligently and with respect. In no way would there be a time where you could say to your teacher "That's a stupid fucking question," or "I think that King Louis the XVI was kind of a pussy." Growing up in school, you acquire an unconscious anxiety towards authority that forces you to try to be respectful in the classroom environment. You use less slang and begin to use more "standard English," because that is the best way to communicate with your teachers in a classroom setting. Once you are with your friends, the slang returns back to your language and you begin to speak freely. You curse, and begin talking less grammatically. You'll use abbreviations instead of saying full words. You use nicknames and insults to refer to your best friends, instead of using the Mr.'s and Mrs.'s that are said in the classroom.

At home, you refer back to the language you were taught by your parents. Generally speaking, your family shapes how you speak and the things you say. As you grow older, you stray away and find your own language, but when you are back home in this environment, you will always refer back to the mother tongue you were taught as a child. You mumble words, and uses expressions that no one else would understand.

"It Bees Dat Way Sometime" - Smitherman

What is invention? (What activities did the writer have to engage in to create the text?)

-Discover the different meanings and tenses behind certain words (ex: be, bees, been)

-How these words are being used

-Deciding on context of dialogue to decipher word meanings

-Comparing Africanized and Americanized dialects

What is being invented? (What ideas, practices, arguments, etc. are created by the text?

-Learning the lingo and grammar rules of other dialects helps understanding

-Allows others to more effectively communicate and understand one another

What is being arranged? (What is being put in relation to what?)

-Africanized to Americanized dialects

-Future, past, and present tenses for certain words and phrases

-Use of words compared to other simliar words (ex: be, bees, been)

What is arrangement? (How are things being put in relation to one another?)

-General comparative examples

-Usage to grammatical rules

What is being revised? (What is the writer trying to change (e.g. what ideas, practices, etc.))

-The perception of other dialects

-How different grammatical rules are not wrong when used in certain dialects

-Racial prejudices

What is revision? (What strategies are engaged specifically to help the writer achieve the revisions?)

-Specific examples that correlate with word usage

-Sites literary sources (Lonne Elder, play)