Language Autobiography - Ahinson
Introduction-
Language Autobiography-
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The purpose of this project was to reveal the connection between language and identity. In our unit we talked about how language is used in various ways with different people such as family, friends, and strangers. We connected the concept to our personal lives. In my paper i discussed how language has effected how I see people. Things like accents and pronunciation of words. I also talked about other concepts like code-switching, changing how you talk while around different people. Code-switching is my most commonly used language concept.
Language Autobiography-
“Language is a central feature of human identity.”-Kari Gibson of University of Hawaii. Language has played a very important role in my life. I have moved a lot in my childhood at a young age. In my elementary school life I attended 4 schools in 5 years in 3 states. At an essential time for my character development. While moving I’ve heard various very unique accents and slang. Each and every single accent, slang word, and language has contributed to my life in a different way. While living in Savannah, Georgia I got more than a taste of every one’s thick accents.
I believe that language can change people’s thoughts of you. Like how when I hear a southern accent I tend to take offense to what ever they say to me. There was a time when I had adopted a few words from the south. I was in the 4th grade in a southern Georgia elementary English class. Ironically the teacher had the most proper pronunciations I have ever heard, even until this day. My English pronunciations were the best in the class, but never the less still only meeting the standards for good English in that town. Standards that were below hers.
It was a Monday morning and the teacher was becoming very frustrated with the class’ skills. We were downgraded to counting to ten. “One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, ate, nine, ten” the class repeated adding emphasis on every E, O and I. I was doing pretty good until it came to “four”. “One, two, three, foe”. I was slipping up & the teacher noticed immediately. “Mr. Moore!” she yelled. “One two three four, four!” she tried to correct me but it was too late. I lost control of part of my tongue to southern slang and there was no going back. When I returned to Philly I could always see a person’s disgust hang from their face when I passed that number.
It showed me that an out of place accent singles someone out. People very often complemented me on my good grammar & when they heard “foe” I could see in their face how they regret past complements. Being that I only had slight slang from the area, I often wondered how people from the south are viewed and judged when they go to other parts of the country with an accent. I believe people do the same thing with race. For example, if you lived in a world were one race discriminated against yours you would most likely grow to not like that race. But if that race was always nice then you would like them. If someone with a certain accent has left a good impression on you you expect people also with that accent to also be kind & nice.
That tells us about how language cant effect identity. I’ve had person experiences with that. When attending my elementary school filled with kids that used bad grammar and slang most of the time I was sometimes shunned for speaking properly and with correct grammar. But in interviews when people heard me talk some would say things like “I bet everyone in your school is such a scholar like you!” I would nod. But the reality was that the school made me shy especially when presenting, when I had to be proper. It was like the girl in “Tongue Tied” how she was always told to speak up from being quiet. I can relate to her quote “What did you say?’ or ‘Speak up’ so I would have to preform again, only weaker the second time.” on page 165. That was a common dilemma in my early school life.
One of the best abilities you can have in this world is to be able to adapt, alter, and control how you say your words. In class we talked about this same concept. “Code-switching” changing the ways you talk for different people. Most people do it between elders and their peers. I am able to do it with individual people. There is a significant difference in the way I talk on one friend as opposed to another. Also the same with adults I am becoming better at this. I could talk to my friends saying things like “Wassup bro, whats poppin’” and have the intellectual capacity to hold a interesting discussion with my teacher, or write an essay.
I believe that language can change people’s thoughts of you. Like how when I hear a southern accent I tend to take offense to what ever they say to me. There was a time when I had adopted a few words from the south. I was in the 4th grade in a southern Georgia elementary English class. Ironically the teacher had the most proper pronunciations I have ever heard, even until this day. My English pronunciations were the best in the class, but never the less still only meeting the standards for good English in that town. Standards that were below hers.
It was a Monday morning and the teacher was becoming very frustrated with the class’ skills. We were downgraded to counting to ten. “One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, ate, nine, ten” the class repeated adding emphasis on every E, O and I. I was doing pretty good until it came to “four”. “One, two, three, foe”. I was slipping up & the teacher noticed immediately. “Mr. Moore!” she yelled. “One two three four, four!” she tried to correct me but it was too late. I lost control of part of my tongue to southern slang and there was no going back. When I returned to Philly I could always see a person’s disgust hang from their face when I passed that number.
It showed me that an out of place accent singles someone out. People very often complemented me on my good grammar & when they heard “foe” I could see in their face how they regret past complements. Being that I only had slight slang from the area, I often wondered how people from the south are viewed and judged when they go to other parts of the country with an accent. I believe people do the same thing with race. For example, if you lived in a world were one race discriminated against yours you would most likely grow to not like that race. But if that race was always nice then you would like them. If someone with a certain accent has left a good impression on you you expect people also with that accent to also be kind & nice.
That tells us about how language cant effect identity. I’ve had person experiences with that. When attending my elementary school filled with kids that used bad grammar and slang most of the time I was sometimes shunned for speaking properly and with correct grammar. But in interviews when people heard me talk some would say things like “I bet everyone in your school is such a scholar like you!” I would nod. But the reality was that the school made me shy especially when presenting, when I had to be proper. It was like the girl in “Tongue Tied” how she was always told to speak up from being quiet. I can relate to her quote “What did you say?’ or ‘Speak up’ so I would have to preform again, only weaker the second time.” on page 165. That was a common dilemma in my early school life.
One of the best abilities you can have in this world is to be able to adapt, alter, and control how you say your words. In class we talked about this same concept. “Code-switching” changing the ways you talk for different people. Most people do it between elders and their peers. I am able to do it with individual people. There is a significant difference in the way I talk on one friend as opposed to another. Also the same with adults I am becoming better at this. I could talk to my friends saying things like “Wassup bro, whats poppin’” and have the intellectual capacity to hold a interesting discussion with my teacher, or write an essay.
Video Here
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