Rage, Regret, and Resistance

Status

100

In "Teaching New Worlds/New Words," bell hooks talks about the specific variety of English that many black Americans speak. What is this language called?

African American (Vernacular) English

200

In the excerpt, "I Want to Write an American Poem III," the author states that despite his mother’s efforts to keep her children clean, they were looked upon as dirty and poor. According to diglossia, this would indicate the language he spoke was a ____ variety.

low

300

In “Two Languages in Mind, but Just One in the Heart,” Louise Erdrich writes that in the Ojibwe language “there are now almost no new fluent speakers under thirty.” Identify two ways to raise the status of a language (revitalize it).

Have literacy in that language, increase the number of domains in which their language is used, have a strong presence in the educational system, have a strong sense of ethnic identity, etc.

400

The idea that the English language implies status, power, and wealth could also be described by this word meaning "having a reputation or influence arising from success, rank, and wealth."

Prestige

500

In “Linguistic Terrorism,” Gloria Anzaldúa talks about being ashamed to speak Chicano Spanish. What is it called when there are different dialects, or varieties, of the same language?

Bidialectism

Oppression

100

In the excerpt New Worlds/New Words, this majority language is referred to as the “oppressor's language.”

English

200

In “I Want to Write an American Poem II” Benjamin Alire Sáenz refers to Spanish as a "foreign language." As discussed in class, what does the phrase 'foreign’ infer and how can this term be oppressive?

It infers that the languages and speakers of those languages belong to other countries.

300

Bell hooks, in "New Worlds/New Words" discusses how black people are overcoming years of oppression that began with slavery. What is this type of trauma called?

Historical trauma

400

In "I Want to Write an American Poem III," the author discusses the idea that children don’t necessarily have words for the oppression, cultural dominance, and racism that they see around them every day. These are likely words that students will learn in what portion of The Iceberg Metaphor for Language Skills?

CALP

500

In the excerpt, "I Want to Write an American Poem III," the author discuss the idea of a language of oppression meaning the language everyone must speak to exist in society. This word relates to Ferguson’s idea of a high and low language.

Diglossia

Language

100

In “Mi Problema,” Michele M. Serros discusses her difficulty in speaking Spanish, although it’s her family’s native language. There are four domains of language that one can be fluent in. What are they?

Listening, reading, writing, speaking

200

In the poem “Desmet, Idaho, March 1969,” Janet Campbell Hale tells of going to her father’s funeral, where people spoke their tribal language that she didn’t understand. By what generation is a family’s native language generally no longer needed?

Third generation

300

In “Two Languages in Mind, but Just One in the Heart,” Louise Erdrich writes of trying to learn her family’s native language that is dying out, Ojibwe. What is the name of the Mexican language we discussed in class and on the midterm that is in danger of becoming a threatened language?

Tarahumara

400

Benjamin Alire Sáenz, in “I Want to Write an American Poem,” says that he was pressured to abstain from using Spanish in his poetry, because it “has not traditionally held an esteemed place in American letters.” What are two languages that are held in higher regard in American culture?

English, Greek, Latin, French, etc.

500

In “Speaking Spanglish,” Abby Figueroa expresses her difficulty in speaking both English and Spanish perfectly, especially in writing. What are the two main differences between oral skills and literacy skills?

Every language is oral, but not every language is written. Almost everyone develops oral skills in a language, but not everyone develops literacy skills. Oral skills are developed without explicit instruction, while literacy skills require it. Literacy skills generally take longer to develop than oral skills.

Random

100

In “English con Salsa,” Gina Valdés expresses the hopes that many immigrants in ESL classes have. What is the most effective type of ESL education?

Bilingual education

200

Rosario Morales wrote a short piece called, "I Recognize You” that told of a woman who learned English very well and consequently turned her back on her native language, rarely speaking it and choosing to act like a monolingual instead. What are at least three benefits to being bilingual?

Answers may vary

300

In “Speaking Spanglish,” Abby Figueroa writes that she can understand and speak both English and Spanish perfectly, but when she mixes two languages, she can express herself “twice as well.” What myth about bilingualism does this assertion disprove?

Real bilinguals never mix their languages. Those who do are confused ‘semi-linguals.’”

400

In the readings "Two Languages in Mind, but Just One in the Heart" and "Speaking in Tongues," the authors’ native languages go hand-in-hand with their spirit, in other words, a reflection of who they are. This article about the Navajo language, discussed in class, also describes their language as being a part of who they are.

Reclaiming the Gift

500

In “Two Languages in Mind, but Just One in the Heart,” Louise Erdrich writes that in the Ojibwe language “there are now almost new fluent speakers under thirty.” Give two reasons why languages should be revitalized, no matter what their status or number of speakers.

Diversity is essential for survival. Languages express identity. Languages are repositories of history. Languages contribute to the sum of human knowledge. Languages are interesting in themselves.