Hi everyone,
Thanks for a good class today. I'm sorry that I lectured too long and we didn't get to talk much as a group. I'm sure it will be better in the future.
For this first blog 'assignment' can you please respond to one of the questions below OR if you have something else you'd like to write about regarding today's readings, that would be fine too.
1. Have you ever been in a situation when you really identify with a language? Maybe it is your native language, or perhaps a language that you have learned to speak? What was that like? What aspects of the language connected with your 'doing' of identity?
2. Everyone switches among language varieties depending on the context/situation they are in. Have you ever consciously noticed yourself doing this switching? In what circumstances have you done this and what did you have to do?
3. What does it mean to "talk wrong"? Do you ever feel like you talk wrong? Heard anyone do it? Do people have a responsibility to "talk right"?
4. Why does it matter what a certain socioeconomic (ethnic, class, gender, sexuality, etc.) group is named?
Thanks, and I look forward to reading your posts.
Tiffany
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3 comments:
1. While living in Brasil as a religious missionary, it was a goal of mine to develop a more cultural accent, and in doing so, enable me to be more easily assimilated amongst the people I would work with. Although I was unfortunately only there for 6 months due to illness, the greatest compliment paid to me was when I was talking to a woman at the hospital, and she asked me where I was from. I reported that I was from the U.S., and she responded with surprise, telling me that I had so little accent when speaking portuguese that she thought I was from one of the southern states of Brasil. I could feel my cheeks turn a shade of red as I became elated, understanding that, if only in a very small way, my identity had been expanded to now include that of a native-speaking Brasilian.
2. I have noticed myself attempting to employ an air of academic presence, even superiority at times, when in the company of certain, more intellectual friends, as opposed to attempting to utilize a more common variety when surrounded by less educated friends and family.
3. To "talk wrong", as I understand the term, is to attempt to communicate an idea through oral language which, due to a lack of precision or standard application, sounds foreign to the individual receiving or listening to the spoken message. In essence, the only way to talk wrong is to speak in a fashion that fails to communicate your desired idea.
4. Names and other labels are as important as the role they play in executing power over the signified group; by identifying a group by a name they find derisive, or at the lease inadequate, you have established a means of framing the group according to your own purposes. Additionally, you have created a means to marginalize not only those who will not adopt the title, but others who may not so readily identify with the label from the beginning.
i notice that i will switch language varieties depending on who i am with at the time. in the army, i am mostly around males, and so i change from my normal "girl" talk and discuss subjects that they talk about more often. Also, when talking to a superior of mine, i must talk more informative of whatever the situation i am currently in. If i need a more serious language, i will do so, or change and talk more casually and like myself with officers who i am more comfortable being around informally. A lot of the times now i don't notice the change, but when I first got into the military, i was very aware of how different i was supposed to be. Evenutally, you learn to change to each environment you come into contact with.
This is for question #4. I think its very important that different sexes, races etc have there own names to set them apart from one another. Imagine if everyone had been considered one name what that would do to history as we know it. When we study ancient civilizations they would be referred to as ancient people not as the Mayans, or ancient egyptians or greeks. Their individual cultures and diversity is what has made the world such an interesting place for later generations to learn and grow from. These aspects of diversity and culture need to continue throughout the existence of man kind.
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