After viewing the two videos - "Linguistic Justice" and "Students Speak Different Arabic

Dialects," post a 100-200 word response that reflects on whether or not watching these videos
has changed what you think this course is about, and whether or not these videos changed (a
little bit/a lot) how you think about your language(s). Think!

‘Linguistic Justice’ introduced me to the world of ‘Ebonics’ (more commonly known as the ‘Black
Language’) and gave me an insight to the stereotypes associated with it whereby those using it may be
labeled ‘uneducated’ as a result of the ‘White Priveledge’ to oppress those they see as ‘inferior’. The
origin of Ebonics is particularly fascinating due to its creation by the fusion of Western African languages
with English, embodying the representation of culture and identity of the Black Community within them.
I think the debate about Ebonics being a dialect (by definition ‘a particular form of a language which is
peculiar to a specific region or social group’(www.dictionary.com, n.d.)) or a language is particularly
interesting.

Similarly, ‘Students Speak Different Arabic Dialects’ raised my awareness of the ways people express
themselves based on their native language- a crucial part of their unique culture. While the idea being
expressed may be exactly the same, the exact words or pronunciation may differ slightly for similar
languages. For example, while Arabic is widely spoken in the Middle East and parts of Africa by people
collectively known as ‘Arabs’, the slight differences in language between communities contributes
towards diversity amongst cultures that may otherwise seem to be quite similar.

I think, after watching these videos, I could reflect on the way that different languages influence one
another which may be why sometimes the same words are used to express an idea even though the
languages are separate. For instance, my first language is Urdu- one highly influenced by other languages
like Persian and Arabic so several words are similar, if not the same, in them despite being very diverse
from each other. Additionally, I developed an awareness of how some words may have no literal
translation into another language due to having a meaning that is unique a particular culture or language.

Coming into ENGL104, I thought of language as little other than just a means of communication. I now
realize that it is so much more than that- an identity and form of expression of one’s self and culture. It
definitely has given me an understanding of the way that different communities and languages shape
culture as a whole and I look forward to seeing what more this course will bring!