Here is a link to James Baldwin’s essay, “If Black English Isn’t A Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?” as originally published in the New York Times.
“If Black English Isn’t A Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?”
Please note! There are some typos in this version. (Thanks, scanners.) The language of southern France he mentions should be “Provencal,” for instance.
After you read this essay, post a reply using the “terms and ideas” model. Watch the Terms and Ideas” video and read more about that model here.
A reminder on the form:
- Read the article (or essay or poem) first. Take note of things you need to look up. Look them up. Check that you are using a definition that makes sense.
- Mark sections of the text that introduce interesting ideas. This is much easier to do if you are reading on paper! If you are reading on-screen, write notes in a notebook. I know, it’s easier not to, but you will really, really wish you had done this when it is time to write a paper on this topic. Plus it makes you smarter.
- In you reply, list at least 3 terms you looked up. This can mean just looking a word up in the dictionary — such as “tabernacle,” in the James Baldwin — or looking up a broader concept — such as “Congo Square” in wikipedia or similar. (Yes, wikipedia is fine for this purpose.)
- PROVIDE A SOURCE FOR YOUR DEFINITION. If you copy it word for word — which is fine for this assignment — PUT IT IN QUOTATION MARKS. You don’t need to use full MLA format for this assignment, though you are welcome to. A URL in parentheses or a link is fine. But get in the habit of giving credit to your sources.
- Next, write 1-3 paragraphs about an idea in the text you think is worth further examination.
- After making your reply, return to the post and comment on 2-3 of your classmates’ replies. You may learn something! There are a lot of smart people around here.
TERMS
1. “Congo Square” – a place in New Orleans famous for its influence on jazz. Slaves would gather there on Sundays to play music, sing and dance.
(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congo_Square)
(Source: https://gonola.com/things-to-do-in-new-orleans/arts-culture/nola-history-congo-square-and-the-roots-of-new-orleans-music
2. Toni Morrison – She was an award-winning novelist, known for “The Bluest Eye” and “Song of Solomon.”
(Source: https://www.biography.com/writer/toni-morrison)
3. Repudiate (verb)- to refuse to accept
(Source: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/repudiate)
IDEAS
My favorite passage that James Baldwin wrote in this essay was “that language is also a political instrument, means, and proof of power.” He described the “Basque and Welsh determination not to allow their languages to be destroyed,” and it reminded me of the French and their influence in Vietnam. (Source: https://alphahistory.com/vietnamwar/french-colonialism-in-vietnam/) In an effort to “get rid of Chinese influence,” the French imposed a new Latin-based alphabet in place of the “Chinese script traditionally used.” (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_language_in_Vietnam#Influence_on_Vietnamese) Eventually the “French-based system” became standard, making the traditionally written Vietnamese virtually non-existent now. There are claims that French rule improved on the education in Vietnam (Source: https://www.britannica.com/place/Vietnam/Effects-of-French-colonial-rule), but I wonder who really benefits when the agenda of that education is to erase and replace an entire culture’s way of writing.
I like how you not only defined words/phrases but told us who James Baldwin was referring to when he mentioned Toni Morrison.
Terms:
Sock it to me: be honest
https://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/22/messages/968.html
Antecedents: a thing or event that existed before
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/antecedent
Funky: unconventionally stylish
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/funky
Ideas
James Baldwin makes the point that when language is being used we are defined by it as each person will speak the way they grew up and what they know. When we travel around other areas or interact with different people we are then, by just speaking, telling them our education level, where we grew up, and at times our class.
Group 4:
Paragraph 11, Repudiate: To refuse to accept.
What James Baldwin means in the line “is that the child repudiate his experience,
and all that gives him sustenance” is the child refuses to accept his experience being
educated by “the bulk of white people who never had interest in educating black people”.
(Source: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/repudiate)
Paragraph 10, Dialect: a regional variety of language distinguished by features of vocabulary,
grammar, and pronunciation from other regional varieties and constituting together with them a single language.
Baldwin is referring to the atmosphere of the western world, and its effect on Black people living as apart of it.
He uses dialect i believe, to show how the black experience is viewed by this type of society, and how blacks are seen or
choose to articulate themselves.
(Source: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dialect)
Paragraph 10, inarticulate: lacking the ability to express oneself, especially in clear and
effective speech.
What James Baldwin means when he says “We, the blacks, are in trouble, certainly, but we are not doomed,
and we are not inarticulate because we are not compelled to defend a morality that we know to be a lie.”
Is that there is nothing wrong with there speech and they have no problems expressing themselves clearly.
“The brutal truth is that the bulk of white people in American never had any interest in educating black people,
except as this could serve white purposes.”
The idea behind this sentence is the fact that white people educated black people not because they deserved
a proper education, but at the white peoples convenience. This stuck out most to our group because prior knowledge in history indicated
that black people didn’t have access to proper education regardless. If the “bulk” of white people saw fit to educate a group or singular black
person it was extremely rare. Our group found this interesting, yet unfortunate.
Eliana, John, Sarah, Darren
Group 3: Ailin Wu, Ryan Smith, Nazan Ferdous, Mamoudou Conde, Viktoria Borosan
Terms:
Tabernacle: A house of worship
Source: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tabernacle
Explanation: “Subsequently, the slave was given, under the eye, and the gun, of his master, Congo Square, and the Bible–or in other words, and under these conditions, the slave began the formation of the black church, and it is within this unprecedented tabernacle that black English began to be formed.” When black people were slaves, they had a place of worship which was the black church, where black English was formed.
Black Diaspora: is a voluntary and involuntary movement of Africans and their descendants to various parts of the world during the modern and pre-modern periods.
Source: https://las.depaul.edu/centers-and-institutes/center-for-black-diaspora/about/Pages/defining-diaspora.aspx
Explanation: “Black English is the creation of the black diaspora.” During this movement, black English was developed.
Unassailable: not liable to doubt, attack, or question; in a strong position that you cannot be defeated
Source: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unassailable#examples
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/unassailable
Explanation: “Now, if this passion, this skill, this (to quote Toni Morrison) “sheer intelligence,” this incredible music, the mighty achievement of having brought a people utterly unknown to, or despised by “history”–to have brought these people to their present, troubled, troubling, and unassailable and unanswerable place–if this absolutely unprecedented journey does not indicate that black English is a language, I am curious to know what definition of language is to be trusted.” Black people weren’t in a position where they were able to change the way things were and weren’t unable to have a say in anything.
Group 3: Ailin Wu, Ryan Smith, Nazan Ferdous, Mamoudou Conde, Viktoria Borosan
Terms:
Tabernacle: A house of worship
Source: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tabernacle
Explanation: “Subsequently, the slave was given, under the eye, and the gun, of his master, Congo Square, and the Bible–or in other words, and under these conditions, the slave began the formation of the black church, and it is within this unprecedented tabernacle that black English began to be formed.” When black people were slaves, they had a place of worship which was the black church, where black English was formed.
Black Diaspora: is a voluntary and involuntary movement of Africans and their descendants to various parts of the world during the modern and pre-modern periods.
Source: https://las.depaul.edu/centers-and-institutes/center-for-black-diaspora/about/Pages/defining-diaspora.aspx
Explanation: “Black English is the creation of the black diaspora.” During this movement, black English was developed.
Unassailable: not liable to doubt, attack, or question; in a strong position that you cannot be defeated
Source: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unassailable#examples https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/unassailable
Explanation: “Now, if this passion, this skill, this (to quote Toni Morrison) “sheer intelligence,” this incredible music, the mighty achievement of having brought a people utterly unknown to, or despised by “history”–to have brought these people to their present, troubled, troubling, and unassailable and unanswerable place–if this absolutely unprecedented journey does not indicate that black English is a language, I am curious to know what definition of language is to be trusted.” Black people weren’t in a position where they were able to change the way things were and weren’t unable to have a say in anything.