Standard English
Definition of Standard English
What is a social construct that suggests "formality", education, intelligence, and "properness" based on inconsistent grammatical structures and dominant-class dialect?
Definition of Academic English
What is written English that follows "conventions" of Standard English, but for study purposes?
**Should Writers Use They Own Language?
___ "is the driving force behind their rejection of linguistic evidence"
What is racism?
Groups oppressed or privileged by Standard English
What is Standard English oppresses minorities and lower classes, but privileges the white dominant class?
Standard English is viewed as superior and therefore, reflects the racist belief that white people are superior.
Role of Standard English in Writing Centers
What is Standard English was emphasized through grammar corrections on personal dialects?
Reason Standard English is not real
What is "Living languages cannot be standardized?"
Only dead languages, who have finite boundaries are standard. English is ever-changing.
What is defined as grammatical rules, aren't always exemplified by Standard English. Ex.: You can't have redundancy with negation (You can't tell me nothing), but "She has five daughters" is accepted despite emphasizing plurality twice.
(Greenfield, 39, 44)
Responsibility for enforcing Standard English falls on
What is institutions?
Standard English provides privilege outside of the educational field by
What is making those who don't communicate with Standard English seem incomprehensible?
In Kellam Barta's Ted talk, he mentions how Trayvon Martin's mom was ridiculed for not speaking "white" while in court.
Reactions someone who "doesn't look American" will deal with when speaking "Standard English"
What is they will be belittled?
People may inquire where they're from, how they learned English, or make back-handed compliments such as, "You're so articulate for a ___ person" or "You sound white".
Relationship with student and peer tutor
What is tutor and student collaboration?
"the reader is always right; the writer is always right"
"the writer must be in charge; the writer must sit back quietly too"
(Elbow, Belanoff, 1)
Purpose that Standard English serves
What is to exclude groups by means of written language?
To "succeed" in higher education or careers.
Attempt to create uniformity among diverse and complex individuals.
Influence of Standard English on a student's motivation
What is to discourage students?
As we saw with Donny, if a student doesn't have previous experience with reading or writing then they will fall behind because schools are writing students off before giving them background knowledge of the subject matter.
Ways that Standard English denies cultural background
What is forces individuals to assimilate to the white normative?
Based on the white experience and culture.
The way we speak is influenced by
What is our surroundings?
No two individuals will speak the same, because we've all been exposed to hearing different people speak, different languages, and to different pronunciations.
Perspectives you can use to give feedback
What is asking yourself (tutor) the questions that the writer would normally ask the tutor?
When thinking of which commentary to give to a student, we can use the packet of responses to come up with what to look for.
Standard English Myth
What is speaking enforced "imagined dialect of prestige is the ticket" to a better living and if you can't move up then the individual is lazy, incapable of communication, or not dedicated (Greenfield, 50)?
View of teachers on students of color or minorities v. white students when they turn in high or low-quality writing
What is racism or discrimination?
If a white student turns in a paper with "low quality", the teacher believes they have the potential to grow. If it's a student of color, the teacher will believe they are incompetent or incapable of learning. (Greenfield, 47)
If a white student turns in a "high" quality paper, the teacher will accept it without questions. If a student of color does the same, then the teacher will question authenticity. (Greenfield, 53)
Power outside of Standard English
What is "languages operate with significant personal, psychological, social, cultural, historical, symbolic, and even visceral value" (Greenfield, 38)?
Language varieties such as those known as slang, Street English, Cajun, or Gullah have a strong history of being used by oppressed people to produce powerful effects in society.
Ebonics: goes back to the translatlantic slave trade
Hawaiian Creole English: Also used by racially oppressed groups. Known for conveying deep meaning in diverse contexts.
African American dialects: The habitual "be". Ex: He always be complaining. Depicts ongoing behavior or habitual behavior (Kellam Barta)
Way language has or is being used to empower oppressed groups
What is self-expression?
As a way to communicate within a community with exclusive meanings/words that belong to that community.
Engaging in linguistic justice
What is using a content-based approach?
I assume that I would want to focus more on the meaning a peer is wanting to convey in their writing instead of focusing on grammar rules that tailor to Standard English.
Accept their language and writer's will write to fit in the social context they expect.
Personal experience with Standard English- how it was introduced in your life, damage you've seen it create, etc.
What is I was taught by my older sister how to read in English before 1st grade, so I had an advantage to learning it?
My educational career was always in diverse settings, I remember how my teachers would have me help my friend by correcting her grammar (despite her message being clear).
Relationship of society, educational systems, and Standard English
What is educational systems select students by favoring those who have background/ experience with reading and writing in English and consequently, some students are more likely to stay in school than others?
U.S. society expects us to go to k-12 school, college, then have a career. There are advantages given at birth that affect how much a student will succeed (Can their parents read? Is the language spoken at home the same as the one used in school? Will the student be targeted or privileged because of the color of their skin?)
Through the educational system, class membership is dependent on language used by the dominant class.
Why is Standard English racist even if it also denies impoverished groups that are white
What is POC students are judged by skin tone and not just literacy skills?
Not only do POC have to keep up with Standard English for passing grade, but their race is also a part of their identity and how others perceive them.
Intersection of power, language, and race.
Language is stigmatized because of the group of people who speak it, not because of the language itself
Ex.: Gay Lynn mentioned she has a Southern dialect and can be seen as uneducated because of that, but she still focuses on Black Linguistic Justice because she is still privileged by being white. Linguistic racism is tied with race issues as well.
The power of language
What is our words are unique because of our social location and diverse experiences?
Standard English doesn't allow for individuality, but when conventional rules and English myths are broken, different voices are heard.
Standard English rids individuals of linguistic features unique to their communities.
Ex.: Donny and his mother had never seen their dialect written and didn't believe it was possible.
What is it promotes social justice?