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Zach Harris (800820392) Hoffman English 1101 1 December 2013

Inquiry in to Language, Literacy, and Identity (Creative Title Coming Soon)

Both of my parents are from Uniontown, AL. Uniontown was once a thriving rural community in Perry county Alabama, it is now a welfare driven rundown ghost town. My moms side of the family education was highly valued to them; they were all determined to be successful and did everything possible to ensure that they were. My moms parents and older relatives were all teachers, preachers, and important members of the community and were all highly educated. While on my dads side of the family schooling and education wasnt very important to them and speaking correctly wasn't anyone's main concern. He grew up in the stereotypical black family, consisting of nine children and no father, their main focus was trying to make ends meet and survive as best they could. Most of his family communicates though the use of Ebonics, the preferred method of communication in low income areas in Alabama. The way Delpit reacted to her daughter speaking incorrectly reminds me of my mom reacts to my brother or dad speaking with incorrect grammar; she does not accept it and quickly responds to the issue. My dad still uses some of the broken syntax of Ebonics that he grew up with; my brother spends most of his time with my dad causing some of his broken speech to rub off on him. My moms mom was an English teacher and wouldnt tolerate her children going around talking as if no one taught them how to speak correctly. She was programmed to speak correctly, and is determined to do the same to anyone around her who isnt. I try to avoid using Ebonics because most people associate it with ignorance and tend to look down on the people that use it. This is similar to the way that Amy Tans mother didnt want to speak to people on the phone because she knew she

Comment [LH1]: Write out. What can you tell us about Uniontown? Can you give more background on your moms family education/work-life/achievements/values etc.? Same for your dads.

Comment [LH2]: Introduce Delpit and the writing you are referring to.

Comment [LH3]: How do they respond to her corrections?

Comment [LH4]: Okay. Good. This background is helpful. Comment [LH5]: But can you use it if you want to? Can you code switch? Why or why not?

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wouldnt be taken seriously or treated with respect just because her English wasnt the standard English most people are used to.

My brother and I both grew up in Davidson, NC a few miles from Davidson College. Growing up in an area with mostly educated white people has had an impact on the way I speak. In this environment you were pressured to look the way everyone else looks, act the way everyone else acts, and talk the way everyone else talks; if you chose not to conform you would be rejected by society. Most of the people I grew up around spoke proper English andthat contained no traces of Ebonics. My parents began to teach me how to read and write before I started attending school; this was my moms way of making sure I had a good foundation to start with. I was constantly harassed by friends I made at school and family that didnt grow up in t hethe same area as me for talking white. At first I was offended by these comments because it made me feel as if I couldnt speak the way I did and be black at the same time. Though, in a twisted sort of way its almost as if they were complementing me for being more like the superior Caucasian race than like the one to which I truly belonged. Despite not growing up in an area where Ebonics was widely accepted I can still understand it because of its prominence in the media. My younger brother who has been less exposed than me has no understanding of even the most basic Ebonics. Once when we traveled to visit my dads family in Alabama one of my cousins approached him how you is?. The look on his face preceding this inquiry was priceless, because you could tell that he had no clue as to what had just been asked of him. This was a perfect example of how every black person doesnt speak Ebonics; its not something thats just programmed in to our DNA, it comes from exposure.
Comment [LH10]: Great example. Any other stories or anecdotes you can share about language within your family? Comment [LH9]: Do you think they meant it in any way as a compliment? How did they think you would take their comment? Comment [LH8]: When and where did you come into contact with these family members and friends? Comment [LH7]: How was this pressure made known? Comment [LH6]: What made your family leave Alabama, if its appropriate to ask? Why settle in Davidson?

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I feel like many black people have to deal with this same issue of being harassed for speaking correctly, but why? The media plays a major role in how certain races are perceived and helps form stereotypes. The media spends time trying to highlight people like Lil Wayne, NeNe Leakes, Nicki Minaj, and other ratchet (A diva, mostly from urban cities and ghettos) individuals. They have become famous because of the way they speak and communicate with others, primarily through the use of Ebonics. They represent the black community in the media, causing many people to accept in their minds that all black people are supposed to talk and act like the black people they see on TV and heard on the radio. Despite Ebonics having a negative impact on how the black community is viewed, it helps people feel unified and comfortable with each other. The use of Ebonics implies that you grew up in either in a rural or urban area in the south, this helps people identify those who are from a similar area and will understand the experiences theyve had.
Comment [LH11]: Is Ebonics important for building community and a sense of pride among black people? Can you talk more about the complications of speaking/not speaking it among black people?

Zach: you have an interesting background and quite a bit to say on this topic. Please read through my questions and comments and continue to develop this piece. I do think you can elaborate more. Also, since you focus primarily on Ebonics, you could bring in the video from class, or at least review it to give you some ideas on the issues surrounding Ebonics in the black community to help you develop your own piece. Also, consider bringing us into the present: here you are at UNCC, a very diverse environment. Do you think Ebonics is an issue among black students? Why or wjy not? Your cover letter was minimal. Make sure to address and develop all points asked for in the assignment. Also, I dont see much revision here. (What you have highlighted in orange was part of your first draft I believe.) Please see me and/or use the WRC for more ideas and guidance.

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