The Power of Words
I remember one time long ago, Angie had put up a post about Eubonics and the dominant culture and many side issues. I found it facinating because I had not thought of those issues before in the context in which she presented it, and the post has stuck in my mind. I am now contemplating a situation that reminds me of her post except the student in question speaks Redneck, not Eubonics.
I love student E. E shows up to EVERY SINGLE CLASS without fail. He comes through the Writing Center and gets help on ALL pieces of work for the class because he wants an A. He'd probably end up with a C without the help, but he wouldn't fail. He just doesn't have the educational background to get an A without assistance to "catch up." Student E is probably around 40 yrs old. He's a sweetheart of a good ol' boy who loves fishing and hunting and baseball. His process speech was on "How to Make the Worms You Need for Fishing." Gotta love it. He even gave us all sample worms. That totally rocked.
His journal entries he brings into the Writing Center are filled with the common speech patterns of South Carolina: "I was fixin to go there," "I seen it," "It ain't right," etc. I always tell my students there is NO reason to abandon their Southern language as they become more educated. The last thing I want is my kids going back to their friends and family and them accusing them of having too much "educashion" and as Amanda puts it, being an "uppity bitch." There's language that one uses amongst friends and family that may be riddled with grammatical errors and slang, but that's how one communicates in that setting. However, they DO have to learn to communicate both orally and on paper in standard English or they are screwed. Promotions and even jobs themselves would come harder to the Southerner who insists on using Southernisms on all forms of communication. So, I tell them they need to speak standard English at school and write standard English on their papers. I allow nonstandard English in their journals mostly because I WANT them to SEE the difference in presentation from one style to the other. Know your audience, right? I try to remind them that their language is NOT an indication of their intelligence. Nor is their education. However, we live in an appearance based world, and simple things like how we dress, how we speak, and what language we use when we write will send a message to our audience we may not like. If you want to have people think you are intelligent and have something important to say, dress up for your class speeches. Use standard English as you talk and write. It's that simple...
...but it's not that simple, even if you have been told over and over again how to communicate in the culturally acceptable fashion, when your entire life has revolved around certain vocabulary and ways of presenting ideas. It's a hard shift to make.
Yesterday, I had student E come in to the WC and he was panicking. I had given a handout to the students that I had stolen from my boss: "Internal Documentation of Oral Presentations." When I handed it out, I laughed and translated it for them because obviously the title intimidated some of them. I used the examples given in sample speeches, and thoroughly explained that the whole idea of the paper was to instruct them and show them examples of how to cite their sources. After repeating myself from 15 different angles, they seemed to get it and move beyond the wordy title. E was not capable of doing it. He kept asking me with his panicky voice, "But what does it MEAN? WHAT does it MEAN?" When I verbally translated the title for him, he calmed down until he had to read the title once again, and the panic started all over again. I SWEAR that the words themselves intimidated him so much that his brain shut down totally. Even when he looked me in the eyes, I explained the concept again, and he gave me feedback to indicate he understood what I was saying, the second his eyes fell back on the title, the panic started once again.
I've never seen anything like it.
Finally, I just picked up his pencil and crossed out the words "Internal Documentation for Oral Presentation." Then I wrote underneath it, "This paper tells me how to say where I got stuff from." He broke out into a big grin, and looked totally relieved. He thanked me profusely and said that helped a lot, and he had it now. He then left.
The words scared him that much. I can't believe it. Words, mightier than the sword? You betcha. I haven't stopped thinking about it. I know that some of those high falutin' graduate school articles had me snoring or translating in my head as I went along. There are intelligent ways to say things, and there are deliberately obscure ways to say things to MAKE it sound like you have something intelligent to say when you do not. The latter irritates the hell out of me. But it's never intimidated me. I know words. I sleep with words...they are my lovers, my enemies, my friends, my family. Words have been circling my head my entire life, and I know them like a math major understands numbers. There is no fear. But those who did not have my education? Well, there you go. They are sharp swords, poking and stabbing, and they frighten. Facinating. I have no idea how to fix this situation, either.
**************
My cat has to get his teeth cleaned today. Before you non-pet lovers crack retarded jokes about this, let me inform you that pets in the wild do NOT have their teeth cleaned nor need to because of their diet. Our cats and dogs have overly processed diets that lead to plaque build up that a steady diet of mice and such would not typically do. It's sort of like the price of the American diet is excessive weight gain. Modern times did it. A pet typically needs his teeth cleaned once or twice in his whole life. If he does not, the plaque build up can not only affect the teeth themselves, but it can release dangerous bacteria into an older cat's or dog's bloodstream. Therefore, it's a wise choice to have this proceedure done when needed...even if you are broke. Which I am. But my cat is worth it, so here we are.
I had to stop his food and water at midnight. I received no sleep last night. Instead, I had an agitated cat running up and down me and over the bed meowing, wondering where his food bowl went and wanting his water. He's meowing constantly at my feet right now, but we can't leave for the vet's for another hour. His VOICE is hoarse from all the meowing he's done. I've tried to say, "Dude, you'll get food when the proceedure is done," but he doesn't believe me.
I have dark circles under my eyes. I'm trying to find a happy place where the cat is not meowing and where I'm still sleeping right now. Must remind myself...cat puts up with children like a pro...cat deserves best care...this cat is the best family pet ever...I love him and must not kill...I love him and must not kill...I love him and must not kill...
I love student E. E shows up to EVERY SINGLE CLASS without fail. He comes through the Writing Center and gets help on ALL pieces of work for the class because he wants an A. He'd probably end up with a C without the help, but he wouldn't fail. He just doesn't have the educational background to get an A without assistance to "catch up." Student E is probably around 40 yrs old. He's a sweetheart of a good ol' boy who loves fishing and hunting and baseball. His process speech was on "How to Make the Worms You Need for Fishing." Gotta love it. He even gave us all sample worms. That totally rocked.
His journal entries he brings into the Writing Center are filled with the common speech patterns of South Carolina: "I was fixin to go there," "I seen it," "It ain't right," etc. I always tell my students there is NO reason to abandon their Southern language as they become more educated. The last thing I want is my kids going back to their friends and family and them accusing them of having too much "educashion" and as Amanda puts it, being an "uppity bitch." There's language that one uses amongst friends and family that may be riddled with grammatical errors and slang, but that's how one communicates in that setting. However, they DO have to learn to communicate both orally and on paper in standard English or they are screwed. Promotions and even jobs themselves would come harder to the Southerner who insists on using Southernisms on all forms of communication. So, I tell them they need to speak standard English at school and write standard English on their papers. I allow nonstandard English in their journals mostly because I WANT them to SEE the difference in presentation from one style to the other. Know your audience, right? I try to remind them that their language is NOT an indication of their intelligence. Nor is their education. However, we live in an appearance based world, and simple things like how we dress, how we speak, and what language we use when we write will send a message to our audience we may not like. If you want to have people think you are intelligent and have something important to say, dress up for your class speeches. Use standard English as you talk and write. It's that simple...
...but it's not that simple, even if you have been told over and over again how to communicate in the culturally acceptable fashion, when your entire life has revolved around certain vocabulary and ways of presenting ideas. It's a hard shift to make.
Yesterday, I had student E come in to the WC and he was panicking. I had given a handout to the students that I had stolen from my boss: "Internal Documentation of Oral Presentations." When I handed it out, I laughed and translated it for them because obviously the title intimidated some of them. I used the examples given in sample speeches, and thoroughly explained that the whole idea of the paper was to instruct them and show them examples of how to cite their sources. After repeating myself from 15 different angles, they seemed to get it and move beyond the wordy title. E was not capable of doing it. He kept asking me with his panicky voice, "But what does it MEAN? WHAT does it MEAN?" When I verbally translated the title for him, he calmed down until he had to read the title once again, and the panic started all over again. I SWEAR that the words themselves intimidated him so much that his brain shut down totally. Even when he looked me in the eyes, I explained the concept again, and he gave me feedback to indicate he understood what I was saying, the second his eyes fell back on the title, the panic started once again.
I've never seen anything like it.
Finally, I just picked up his pencil and crossed out the words "Internal Documentation for Oral Presentation." Then I wrote underneath it, "This paper tells me how to say where I got stuff from." He broke out into a big grin, and looked totally relieved. He thanked me profusely and said that helped a lot, and he had it now. He then left.
The words scared him that much. I can't believe it. Words, mightier than the sword? You betcha. I haven't stopped thinking about it. I know that some of those high falutin' graduate school articles had me snoring or translating in my head as I went along. There are intelligent ways to say things, and there are deliberately obscure ways to say things to MAKE it sound like you have something intelligent to say when you do not. The latter irritates the hell out of me. But it's never intimidated me. I know words. I sleep with words...they are my lovers, my enemies, my friends, my family. Words have been circling my head my entire life, and I know them like a math major understands numbers. There is no fear. But those who did not have my education? Well, there you go. They are sharp swords, poking and stabbing, and they frighten. Facinating. I have no idea how to fix this situation, either.
**************
My cat has to get his teeth cleaned today. Before you non-pet lovers crack retarded jokes about this, let me inform you that pets in the wild do NOT have their teeth cleaned nor need to because of their diet. Our cats and dogs have overly processed diets that lead to plaque build up that a steady diet of mice and such would not typically do. It's sort of like the price of the American diet is excessive weight gain. Modern times did it. A pet typically needs his teeth cleaned once or twice in his whole life. If he does not, the plaque build up can not only affect the teeth themselves, but it can release dangerous bacteria into an older cat's or dog's bloodstream. Therefore, it's a wise choice to have this proceedure done when needed...even if you are broke. Which I am. But my cat is worth it, so here we are.
I had to stop his food and water at midnight. I received no sleep last night. Instead, I had an agitated cat running up and down me and over the bed meowing, wondering where his food bowl went and wanting his water. He's meowing constantly at my feet right now, but we can't leave for the vet's for another hour. His VOICE is hoarse from all the meowing he's done. I've tried to say, "Dude, you'll get food when the proceedure is done," but he doesn't believe me.
I have dark circles under my eyes. I'm trying to find a happy place where the cat is not meowing and where I'm still sleeping right now. Must remind myself...cat puts up with children like a pro...cat deserves best care...this cat is the best family pet ever...I love him and must not kill...I love him and must not kill...I love him and must not kill...
posted by Kira | 6:30 AM
8 Comments:
It's all about code switching. My friend Nicole's husband laughs at us because we do unconsciously switch to a very Southern, very redneck dialogue when we talk. However, we can both flip right back into "uppity bitch" mode complete with polysyllabic words. (like that, didn't ya?!) It was hard for my tech students to do that though. Most of their high school teachers spoke (and wrote) in the same redneck way; the students never exposed to a different discourse. Yes, it is necessary for them to be able to communicate outside of the cow pasture we live in, but they also need to retain their local discourse community; otherwise, they will be ostracized by their families and friends.
I have often wondered where and why "Educators" came up with the high-falutin' language that mystifies commoners. Why can't they ALL simplify like you just did? Huh?
I hear ya'! I've got to qualify some kids for speech therapy because they speak in redneckese (they's been hollerin' fer ya over thar at the car stop) or ebonics (I boo booing). I call it "need to improve expressive language by producing targeted objectives such as use and understanding of age appropriate vocabulary, subject verb agreement, irregular past tense blah blah blah".
In my heart, I know that some of these kids are screwed. They don't hear standard English at home and if they began to use it, they'd get ridiculed for it.
You do whatchoo gotta do.
I love this post (and not just because I'm mentioned in it, lol). I love where you talk about your relationship with words. It's very similar to my own. The thing is - even if you can jump from one discoure community to the next, even if the accent and words and all those other things can SOUND the same, there's still a difference. Once you become educated, there is a sense of alientation from one's family. No matter how hard you try to say the words the same way, something in your mind let's you know there are other words - and society tells you they're better words... And somehow, it just makes everything different...
How was the deer tenderloin?
[Quote: I try to remind them that their language is NOT an indication of their intelligence. Nor is their education.]
If this was France, it is in a certain manner. Words and how you use them determine how people consider you.
The French love words, they love debates, they love obscure words and sentences that have next to no meaning.
I read a news article about the riots in France: the socialist party was insulting the Prime minister using words that have no meaning.
Our president is the best: he can answer questions one after the other and speak for hours and you won't have had a single answer...
We are all snobs and crooks ;)
Interestingly enough, the people who are rioting have their own words and accent; kinda like black or Hispanic slang in the US. They are very likely discriminated because the words and their accents = low education. At least that is how people think in general in France...
We are such snobs...
SC--did I turn you on with my big...phraseology...baby? Want me to say it again? "Internal Documentation for Oral Presentations," baby ;)
Amanda--I didn't think of it like that...meaning, I didn't realize that the teachers were speaking in the same way so they had no real exposure to the "other" language even in school. But, you are probably right. That is likely what makes code switching difficult! I have an advantage over you and Angie around here because I can speak as I speak and it is not seen as an uppity bitch thing because I'm not FROM here. Hmmm although maybe it's more like a "damn Yankee!" type of thing? Haha!
Hoss--there's a difference between using different vocabulary because the words you've chosen to use add depth and meaning to what you are trying to say...and using big words to impress others on the size of your vocabulary, or using big words to deliberately obscure meaning, or using big words to sound more intelligent than the work you are writing actually IS. I'm ALL for expressive vocabulary and language. I'm also ALL for clarity and simplicity in approach. Otherwise, all you're doing is confusing the reader/student for no damn reason!
Laura--yeah, that's the issue. I WANT my kids here to succeed so I make them do the standard English in the papers and such, and point out to them their Southernisms that creep into their writings, but I don't want to EVER tell them to learn it this way and abandon their old ways of expressing themselves. They won't have friends and family will hate them if they become "an outsider" like that!
Angie--I'm waiting to do the deer tenderloin with Alex. It's too much to eat on my own, and Ariana would never, ever eat Bambi (so it'd just be me and the four year old eating it). And yes, I can see how that would be an actual issue: you CAN switch your code back, but your approach to certain words/expressions/etc shift in your mind, so there's still this gap that appears. You and Amanda have mentioned that problem a fair bit. Since it's not an issue I have to face in my overly intellectual family, I am often mystified by this attitude even though I can logically sit down and analyze why it happens. I think it's the fear of the words as the ideal weapons again. It's kind of like even though you love your family and would never hurt them, you're constantly carrying around a loaded revolver and all they've got is a penknife (otherwise known as "damn your truck is huge compared to my truck" syndrome). It feels threatening. To me, logically, it should NOT feel threatening, but when does the human brain use logic when the emotions are going full blast?
Alex--LOL! Yes, the French are in a separate category, dear :) It's one of the reasons why I'm afraid to speak French. I won't be able to "reflect" my knowledge through language like I can in English. I'm THRILLED to speak in English to your English-speaking friends and know I can wield the language in such a way that they are all stunned and impressed (since few things impress Frenchmen more than a brilliant turn of the phrase, rhetoric, and stellar argumentation). But I'm TERRIFIED to start up in French and talk to them in French because I'd not be able to keep up. It will not deter me from trying, but it WILL intimidate me into slowing down my progress.
but kira, i thought youd be quite good with french letters? ;)
I don't need to be good at french letters. I'm on the pill *coughs* :)
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