inferior/superior dichotomy
Ebonics, which comes from the words "ebony" and "phonics" is a term that Linguistics use to describe Black Dialect or Black English. The debate over Ebonics has several sides. Almost everyone has an opinion. Rachel Jones and Sonja Lanehart are two authors who stand on opposing sides of this argument. In her article, "What's Wrong with Black English," Jones defends the mainstream language ideology while Lanehart defends the alternative language ideology in her article "African American Vernacular English, Identity, and Education." Their views differ completely and not much common ground is shared between the two. In her article, Rachel Jones examines what it means and how it feels to be told she "sounds white" because she uses standard English. She notes that "for many blacks, standard English is not only unfamiliar, it is socially unacceptable." Of Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Jr., Toni Morrison, Alice Walker and James Baldwin she writes, "They all have full command of standard English, and I don't think that knowledge takes away from their blackness or commitment to black people." She concludes, "My goal is...to one day see more
black people less dependent on a dialect that excludes them from full participation in the world we live in. Acquiring the ability to function in this type of society does not mean that one has to reject ones home identity and values. Sonja Lanehart discusses the dynamics of ideology and identity in regards to AAVE in her article. I agree with Sonja Lanehart who defends the alternative language ideology. In fact she states that "the ideology of SE is really not the ideology: it is hegemonism rooted in fear that is based on racial, ethnic. " She remarks that "ain't" and "he be" are a part of her vocabulary, but only around friends and family. " Jones insists that her use of standard English has propelled her from a life of poverty, and it seems that she believes that the use of Ebonics by people today is equivalent to succumbing to a form of self-delusion that rejects success as a "white thing. " The two authors have two opposing arguments and do not share much common ground. I think Jones feels this divided sense of self because she tries to keep an allegiance to the valued world of her family, but also looks at herself and her world through the eyes of the dominant culture. " She believes that a line can be drawn from protecting one's heritage and assimilating sufficiently to gain admittance to a society, but she believes that one can both assimilate and preserve and I cannot agree with that statement. She suggests that the ideology of standard English sets up an immediate inferior/superior dichotomy, that puts the nonstandard varieties at an instant disadvantage.
Common topics in this essay:
Sonja Lanehart,
James Baldwin,
Rachel Jones,
DuBois Lanehart,
Jekyll Hyde-ish,
English Jones,
Dichotomy Ebonics,
Identity Education,
standard english,
Black English,
Ebonics Jones,
language ideology,
sonja lanehart,
rachel jones,
defends mainstream language,
defends alternative,
jones defends,
defends mainstream,
mainstream language,
push-pull syndrome,
dominant culture,
jones defends mainstream,
mainstream language ideology,
lanehart defends alternative,
defends alternative language,
|
Acceptance Essays
