codeswitching

http://youtube.com/watch?v=wgWQoZz6nEk

while I was writing my etnography and tried to find more information about codeswitching to employ it to my paper I found very interesting example of code switching on you tube. It is really interesting

Jabari Asim - the N word

I found Jabari Asim’s conferences very interesting. One of the things I found very impressive was when he talked about the cover sheet of his book the N Word. He says that the front page is for those who do not like to use the word “nigger” and therefore the letter N is crossed out, on the other hand, on the side there is letter N that is not crossed out for those who employ “nigger” in their discourse. I think this symbolism shows his standpoint of his whole book. I see importance in using colors for the cover page titles. It seemed to me that the front page RED letter N symbolize non-African-Americans who want to eliminate this word and the crossing BLACK lines stay for the African- American culture who do not like to see the N word coming out of mouth of non-Black society. Moreover, I assume that African American people are trying to say to the people of different color “You are not supposed say this word because if you say that it will mean you discriminate me!” As we can notice lines are not going over the N. That’s what I see as the main point of this that the word “nigger” will never disappear because it has strong roots in our society.
From the side view of the book the letter N is colored in BLACK not crossed out. I assume that this symbolizes that the society is set up as only Black people can use the N word. However, it was interesting when Jabari Asim said that African American should be the last people who should use this word, which has never had any positive connotations. I definitely agree with his idea conveying that this negative and discriminative word will never disappear. It is a vicious circle because if there was not a word “nigger” there would be another word that would harmfully influence our society.

Two Step, Two Step

Extra Blog - The Death of the Letter?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89723829

"The Death of the Letter?
'You get so much human personality on a piece of paper that has writing from a human hand on it — and that may be disappearing," Young says.
Thomas, the former White House bureau chief, wonders whether technology will mean ' the death of the letter."
Can text messages, e-mails and instant messages reflect the times in which they were written — the events, the state of the world — the way letters can? "

I came across this article on NPR's website and it made me think of our class discussions on technology and it's effect on language, specifically when we talked about hand writing and what is happening to it as our technology increases. I like how this article talks about the personality that you get from a hand written letter, the kind of paper, the handwriting, the spelling, and how many of those elements are lost with typing and other new technologies. For me hand writing will always hold it's own place, totally separate and different than typing and all other forms of communication!

Gender and Language

http://www.pbs.org/speak/speech/prejudice/women/
Gender plays in language very important role. It sometimes can be source of prejudice and subject of stereotyping. There is a myth or maybe a stereotyping that says that women talk more than men. However, the truth is that men talk more than women. There have been many studies that have proved the point that male side of society is more talkative than the female side. In Janet Holmes article, there are shown many studies that definitely are a persuasive argument that contradicts the myth. I personally assume that the reason why people think that women talk more is because women’s arguments are really loud and powerful. They might not talk that much however when they say something it has a very prevailing meaning. On the other hand, coming out of the concept that women speak less, I think it is because they are not that confident. I personally have noticed it on myself. I am rather quiet if I am asked a question in class because one, I am scared that nobody will understand me for my accent, and two, because I am not really sure about my answer. I think it is hard for women to just make it up right away. There are two choices for women: they either know the right answer and they are definitely sure about the rightness of the answer, however they are still not confident to speak up, or they just slide down to their chair trying to be invisible. If they are asked for an answer, even though they do not know it they just say “I don’t know” and do not even try to come up with some filling.

British English vs. American English

Before I came to United States I was taught at school British English. Our teacher used to tell us that the only proper English is the British English. She totally refused American English as possible language to learn. She said there is too many slang employed.
When I came to United States with my poor British English speaking knowledge I was lost in a maze of totally different words, different pronunciation as well as different spelling. English placement test at SLCC put me into English 990. When my teacher gave me back my paper back, it looked like a red sea of my teacher’s pen trying to correct all of my misspelled word and also words that she marked with a note “Check the dictionary!” I felt horrible. I thought my English spelling was not that bad, however, she absolutely proved the point that I have to start all over again. My two years here, in the U.S. have taught me a totally different language and the British language I had known before is gone. I have noticed that sometimes when I watch a movie that is produced by the British I cannot understand what they are saying.
I found really interesting article or table that shows some of the differences. How would you feel if you have to le-learn “the same” language?

FOXP2 - a human language gene

The first language gene, FOXP2, was discovered about 5 years ago. The location of the gene on the human genome is on the 7 th chromosome (see below). This gene's significance is thought to be in the control of facial movements (ability to speak clearly). One of the scientists estimates language and speech genes could number as much as some 10 to 1,000 genes.

More Thoughts

Just a side note, not really having to do with language, but definitely a lot to do with diversity and sub-cultures. First, I want to make it clear that I do not support polygamy in any way (my wife would have me killed) however, I do find there is a disparity in the subject.
With all the news swirling around the FLDS in Texas there has been a lot of attention on all polygamist compounds. I agree that if there is child abuse occurring then something should be done, but if there isn't shouldn't we just leave them alone? So many people that I have heard discussing the subject think that polygamy is so disgusting and everyone participating should be arrested, after all it is against the law right? I find the prejudice against these people somewhat unfair, considering that it can be argued that polygamy is just another lifestyle choice, just like homosexuality and co-habitation. Many people think that same sex marriage is only fair since they should be allowed the same rights as heterosexuals. Couldn't it be argued that polygamists should be allowed the same privileges? Why isn't there anybody arguing for the legalization of polygamist marriages? Why is is labeled close minded, prejudice, and homo-phobic, to disagree with homosexuality, but it is the norm to discriminate against polygamists? I just think that it's something to think about.

Extra Blog

Just a short blog about technology and language! I was listening to a tape-recorded conversation that I created while working on my ethnography. A while ago I recorded a group having a conversation over lunch, and was on the recording a few times myself. What hit me while I listened to it was how different I come across from how I think I come across! Hearing my recorded voice, my tone is so much different than I imagine I sound when I'm talking. I sounded so much younger and more soft-spoken than I thought. It cracked me up hearing myself say "oh my gosh" and "ooooh!" and some of the other little phrases I say all the time. It was kind of cool to be more aware of what others hear when I talk!

Extra Thoughts

As I work on my ethnography project I find that not only am I busy and a little stressed/pressed for time, I find that I am actually learning more than I thought I would. I entered this endevor with a lot of pre-concieved notions and I am actually happy to realize that I am wrong in many aspects.
I chose to immerse myself in the homeless culture and had the idea that since many of them are uneducated, their language skills would be very poor. As I spent more and more time with different groups I realized that I was jumping to conclusions both that they were all uneducated and that their language skills would reflect that.
This led me to what I believe is the ultimate lesson to be learned from the project. Which is: Language has the power to teach regaurdless of what language it is or what subculture it comes from. I think that all to often we disregaurd languages and words or styles that we don't understand, instead of taking the time to learn from it. I certainly learned a lot from the languages that I studied and there is, I'm sure, infinite numbers of language groups still to be studied.

its not language that matters so much as communication...

Ok blog #10, here we go!

I agree with Betty Bimer’s point of view: Spanish does not threaten American English. Look at this statement:

“English is in no danger of disappearing any time soon; it is firmly established both in America and in countries throughout the world. In fact, no language has ever held as strong a position in the world as English does today. Some people worry when they see Spanish showing up on billboards and pay phones, but in a neighborhood with a high Spanish- speaking population, it makes perfectly good sense for public information and instructions to be printed in both English and Spanish. This doesn't mean that the English language is in danger.”

In John Miller’s piece, English is Broken Here, the issue I think he should be addressing is not about whether or not we should allow ballots to be printed in other languages, or whether or not ‘English is broken here.’ His only arguments that held any validity for me were about all the money being wasted on printing ballots in other languages. I personally think that printing translated ballots is the right thing to do. No matter how much the cost our government is securing the rights of its people by giving them voting materials in the language they can understand. The real issue (once you get rid of fear, prejudice, and stupid anger that Miller wastes most of his essay on) is money. At the end of his article he does finally bring forth a solution I could stand listening to: he said: “ maybe we should expand the use of ethnic newspapers in preparing for voting season, or maybe we should let them take an English-speaking friend into the voting booth with them (like with blind voters). I would suggest that maybe one solution would be to make the English on the ballot easier to understand. Even I have a hard time understanding the language on the ballot and I was born here!! I believe that this move would make it easier even for those with broken English.

That website was wacky!! I wasn’t sure if it was joking some of the time. I mean, German almost won becoming the official language of the U.S.??—to me that seemed to say ‘look no need to worry about what the ‘official’ language is , even house of representatives knows that no matter what they say English will still be the one used all over the united states, it won’t change what choices people make.” I guess I just didn’t get it. They were trying to scare people, about how ‘English is threatened’ ooooh! The site also bothered me because I assumed that readers were already, or would soon be on their side of this ‘debate’ (I’m with Ali Mae, this is a debate?? Who cares? Is it a debate?) But on the other hand, it does make itself look very respectable and says over and over that the only effect there would be would be in government dealings. If it’s really not such a big deal then why the website, why the ‘debate’ at all? Why are they arguing? I don’t get it.

Dennis Baron’s article and the comic in the book were the best comic relief, for me! I loved them. This whole issue is just ridiculous, so, Baron went and wrote a ridiculous paper about it. I particularly liked his use of logic: “Chinese is too hard to write” and “In the end, though, it doesn’t matter what replacement language we pick, just so long as we ban English instead of making it official. Prohibiting English will do for the language what Prohibition did for liquor. Those who already use it will continue to do so, and those who don’t will want to try out what has been forbidden. This negative psychology works with children. It works with speed limits. It even worked in the Garden of Eden.”

I guess my main conclusion is who cares? So what if the language changes? As long as we can communicate, does it really matter? I figure that as problems crop up that truly impede communication, we’ll fix it. We’ll find a way through our problems. I would hope that, with language change and transformation we, as a society—as a people, will retain the language we have had, keeping respect for the past but always looking forward to the future.

English in America

I found the articles interesting for this blog. What I believe is that you cannot make English the official language because there are just so many people that speak different languages. We as a country, are very diverse in our language.

The article that we read called, "Do you speak American?" brings up a very good point on the matter. It brings back thoughts to where I work at and how many people come through my line to pay for their things and how many of them are not able to speak english. It seems to me more than half of the people that come through are of other origin. Alot of them don't understand english and have either a child or someone else translate. This brings up the example of children who live in a home that are bilingual and their parents or caretakers speak a totally different language. I believe that we should leave the laws on language the way that they are and focus on different things that are much more important to the counrty's well being. I would love to learn spanish myself to improve the ways that I communicate.

U.S. English

I believe that if your going to live in the United States you need to learn to speak the dominant language. I only speak english and I think it is a good idea to learn a second language but if I go out of the country I don't expect people to accomadate me. Its very frustrating when I go out to eat and I can't understand what the guy at the fast food window is saying to me. I know that english or any language is hard to learn especially if you learn it later in your life but if someone is going to live in a place where english is spoken they need to try very hard to learn that language.

U.S. English

Logically, being that English is the dominant language in the U.S., it should most definitely be the official language of this country. English has been the dominant language for centuries in this country. Don't get me wrong, because I love the fact that the U.S. is such a culturally diverse country and is so welcoming to people of other countries. However, if someone wants to come over and live in this great country, then they should try their very hardest to learn the language that is spoken here. I understand that learning to speak English as a second language is very difficult. I lived in Central America for 2 years and had to learn Spanish. That was quite difficult for me, and I recognize that English is a much more complex language to learn than Spanish. In my mind I thought, I'm going to be living in a country where the dominant language is Spanish, therefore I need to learn to speak Spanish as quickly and as well as I can. That should be the mentality of those that come to the U.S.from other countries!

English

I understand that English is one of the hardest languages to learn. We have so many rules that really don't make sense and when you are switching from another language that can make speaking really hard. I dont think that there would be a problem in making English the national language, after all it is the dominant language. Other countries have picked a dominant language. I dont think that other languages should be banned or anything but we should encourage people from other countries to learn English. If you went to Germany and wanted to get around or do anything you would have to learn German. Same goes for Spain, Argentina, France or any other country. In high school I had to take two years of Spanish. I chose Spanish because I knew that there were a lot of Spanish speaking people in my neighborhood. I believe that schools should encourage students to take another language, but I also think that those who do not learn English should not be catered to.

U.S. English

There are many points of view how to look at impacts on U.S. English. For example, I, as a foreigner, came to United States for only reason to learn proper English language. Everywhere in Europe it is important to know at least two foreign languages in order to keep up with the world development. In my case, when I was deciding where to go to school I was considering two places, schools in Florida and in Utah. Even though Florida is a very nice place to live, I did not hesitate to pick Utah as my future school for only reason: In Utah I will be able to learn better English than in Florida because in Florida there are many Spanish-speaking people who can influence my learning process of this world power language. I simply wanted to understand the language I can use in Britain, and other countries. I did not want to learn Spanish or any other languages that here in the U.S. assimilate into English. This is the only possibility when I would suggest an idea to persuade the immigrants or foreign speaking people to learn English in a proper manner. It definitely opens door to the world’s society. From my standpoint, Spanish or other languages may be a warning for English language nevertheless, this should a concern for people outside of this country, the foreigners that do know the language and come here to learn English. For American people who are raised among American cultures English is not threatened by Spanish.
On the other hand, I have been in United States for 2 years therefore, I can look at process of learning English from other point of view. America-United States- is considered as a melting pot of the world. All races and cultures are mixed up together in one large country. People of different cultures are more than welcome to come to the U.S. to fulfill their American Dream. That’s the U.S main motto. Nevertheless, as I read the article, they are not welcome if they do not speak language!? It is horrifying to read Baron’s text saying people can be actually punished for not speaking English. You cannot force people of different cultures to stop speaking their native language. I have learned at school in Czech Republic that United States is a multicultural powerful country. That means that mix of cultures brings mix of languages.
My experience is that English is and will be a dominant official language in U.S. because of pressure of world society that will push people to know the proper English. Yes, in some parts of this country Spanish or other languages can be more employed because of appearance of many foreigners in that certain area. However, these languages will not overwhelm English in a larger scale.

English only?

As I have looked into both sides of the official English debate over the years I often look at the argument in business terms. To begin with is the money and effort being put in to this worth the effort? It would seem to me that no matter what ends up happening it seems that the end result will likely never pay off for the people trying to make English the official language. After all will people just suddenly stop speaking other languages the day the law passes? Will we have to hire language police to patrol the streets making sure people are no longer making bilingual signs to say there business is open closed? I think we can all agree that most likely all that would happen is that government agencies would not be required to print papers in languages other then English, but after a short period as non-English speakers sue because something happened due to their inability to understand something the entire law would have to be reexamined. It seems to me that in spite of the best efforts of people trying to make English the official language people all over the world are attempting to learn it. I think that rather then making English the official language we should continue to make it a language that people would want to learn by being a successful globally minded country .

Seriously??!

¿Qué? Am I the only baffled one scratching my head tonight? I mean, seriously, did I miss something?!!? I had no idea that there was even a debate about which language I should speak, let alone which language my non-American husband should speak. Even as I type, he is talking on the phone in the living room, in Spanish. I can't think of how many times today I've heard him switch back and forth, nor can I count my own attempts to keep up with his transitions in English and Spanish. While I don't feel threatened in the least by his use of Spanish, I do worry that our future children may feel threatened by their use of it.

I appreciated reading so many views about English as the official language today. Indeed, it is an interesting issue to consider, but I have to say... like so many other issues surrounding immigration, this one hasn't fallen far from the tree. Meaning, I hear the same 'language' surrounding this debate as all other immigration debates; fear, hate, racism, ethnocentrism, pride, ignorance... let's call a spade a spade. What of the growing population of ex-patriots moving from the States to Mexico? I haven't heard any controversy coming from the South about English threatening to overtake Spanish as the official language.

For my ethnography, I've been observing how English is used by a group of Hispanics in a sixth-grade classroom. I think people would be surprised by how English here is first, being learned, and second, being used. These kids are taught grammar, vocabulary, spelling, writing, and reading, but those aren't the lessons they're taking home at the end of the day. What they are taking home is a bit shocking... it's a lot sad... and unfortunately, it's how 'American' is spoken and that's what they're paying attention to.

I think before we exhaust ourselves worrying about a linguistic plague, we should consider the underlying elements of "learning English" that are more worrisome, especially where youth are concerned. I don't think that Spanish is about to swallow English whole as the statistics would have me believe, but I am worried about what is being 'taught' when English is the model to follow... at least in the sixth grade.

English

I don't think there is anything wrong with being able to speak other languages, but if it is your main mode of communication it is up to you to adapt and not expect to be linguistically catered (if you live in the country), me and my family weren't and didn't expect it either. Dennis Baron's idea of banning English seems oddballish. He's not serious. If we didn't have an official language, or a language we should all learn, think of how troubling it would be trying to communicate to a person from another country or community who doesn't speak your tongue? It leads to misunderstanding, frustration, error, guilt, anger, etc.

English

I think that there is a whole lot of argument and focus on who and where and how to use English. It's ridiculous. English shouldn't be banned or made an official language for the U.S. It seems to me dominant enough. Those coming to the U.S. should understand they need to learn and use English to be able to communicate more clearly with the majority. Maybe, we should make it a rule to have our children learn a second language. Other countries learn English besides their native tongue, so why not have our kids learn the dominant minority language in the U.S.? I think it would help out communication-wise and make our nation more educated.

English for all!

I really liked the article by Dennis Baron. I don't think it would do good or change anything by making the official language English. It is pretty much a given that it is the predominant language. By outlawing other languages I believe that those that speak that language will due it no matter what. Me, personally, knowing two languages, I think its fun. Yes, it can be considered rude to some or inconsiderate. But if languages weren't outlawed and one was made the official languae nothing would really change. This shows that there is really no need to make that change.

English

I dont have a problem with english being made the official language of the country. On that story of the judge fining the men 700 dollars, I think that is a little much unless there is more to the story then I know. I think that a lot of the support in the legislature and amongst the people for this bill is not that they cannot stand listening to people speak spanish or cannot understand when people speak I think it is because they are pissed off at all the illegal immegrants in the country and the number just keeps growing. I think that is why this bill gets so much support. I think that the people that move to this country ought to be able to speak some english and at least understand english, it will only help them in the long run. I am curious to see where this bill goes and how long it takes to come up with an answer.

It's Official: People aren't all the same

I enjoyed Dennis Baron's article. I felt that his light sarcasm was right to the point. Hit the nail on the head, so to speak. I agree wholeheartedly with the argument I feel he was making; i.e. Who cares!? Is it so necessary to make some language "official"? Will it really change that much? And, hey if we're going to do something so drastic and useless we might as well go all the way and just outlaw English all together. I think that this article also had the ability to make English speakers put themselves in other shoes. How would we feel if our language was outlawed? Maybe this is how some immigrants would feel. It wouldn't be so easy if all of a sudden you were told that you couldn't use the language that you grew up with and felt comfortable with. I found this article amusing as well as eye-opening.
On the other hand I felt like the cartoon was taking it a little too far. When speaking of passing an official language, no one is talking about banning or outlawing any use of other languages. I do not believe that making English our official language means that we are racist or that we forcing anyone to completely abandon their language. On this issue I agree with a previous blogger that said that although nothing would truly be gained from making the language official; nothing would really be lost either. People would still be able to speak their native tongue. It would just mean, as touched on by Miller, that much less Government money would be spent on translating everything into multiple languages. However, communities, individuals and even states could still translate things that they felt were necessary.
Lastly, I just want to shed light on something that I find a little out of place. This nation has an "official beer of the Superbowl", "official airline of the NBA playoffs", "official lender of hockey" etc. but the predominant language isn't yet "official". I don't know if this is a commentary on the pervasive nature of advertising, the lackadaisical attitude toward nationalism held by most people, or on the pros and con's of the specific legislation. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, just something to think about. What is more important? Budweiser or our nation?

Go English, or go home?

Gosh, I always hated talking about this topic of “English is the only right language in America.” It seems like it is premises with no conclusion. No matter what laws are passed or what congress says, a large percentage will never agree with it, or disagree with it fully. So, are people going to get punished for not speaking English in America? $700 fine or something?!? It pretty much is official, just without the title. Do we need that label? Why the hell are we worrying about this when America has so many other issues that need to be addressed?
Ha, on a much lighter note, I think it is the greatest thing when children learn two languages in their childhood. Not only do they get paid more in most occupations, but it is quite a convenient advantage. I like the statement made, “...knowing a second language encourages cross-cultural awareness and understanding.” It is so true. Hmm.. Maybe Americans should be working on another language. Here we are back to that argument. (I didn’t plan on squeezing my opinion in on this post, but I think I will.) I think it is very unethical and selfish when Americans think or say that if someone cannot speak English than they should go back to their own country. Come on America, don’t be jerks. Thinking that they want to come HERE for opportunity, to come here where ignorance and inconsiderateness is a reoccurrence in our personal (and political) life, and it being a PRIVLEGE. Put yourself in that situation. Atrocious! Then again it IS really frustrating when you cannot do your job because of a language barrier, and it’s frustrating to know that someone is asking or your help and you cannot even understand what their asking. My conclusion is, the minority should be trying because yes, they are coming to a country that can help them if the effort is put forth on both sides. But if someone is from Guatemala and they have been here for 6 years and they haven’t even bothered trying to learn any English; that creates a problem. And that goes for Americans going to other countries; anyone going anywhere. Being civilized is the purpose of humanity, so how about we all try. 

The state of English

I think that making English the official language of the U.S. is such a silly idea.  As Baron points out: whose English do we make official?  Even once that's decided, the English language goes through so many transitions over short periods of time that it would be impossible to keep it in check.  Aside from this, what threat is English under to start with?!  

As far as the tax dollars for legislation and voting go, the federal government can't even account for FAR more money than goes into these things.  The argument here is not that it's moot, rather that there are bigger issues to be dealt with if you're concerned with what the government is spending money on!

I don't think the main issue for most Americans is that they have some sort of undying love for American English.  They probably don't even think that it's on the demise.  I truly think that the majority of Americans who want English to be the official language feel that way because of anti-immigration sentiment and/or because of racism.  If English is made the official language, there'd be a chance that fewer people will come to the US because it could be that much harder to get by.  To be clear, this is not my opinion, but the impression I get from others.

I can't understand leaving my homeland without knowing the language of the country I'm going to.  But I also can't understand the need to leave my country so much that language is my last concern.  Nothing is to be gained or lost by making English the official language of the US. 

If English does manage to go by the wayside, though.  I really hope that Latin is resurrected in it's stead.

English and America

I was with a friend last night and we were listening to the radio when a commercial came on that was in rapid Spanish for about 30 seconds. After the commercial, my friend groaned and said, "I hate that! I have no idea what they just said. This is an English radio station in an English speaking country. Learn the language!" The atmosphere was such that I just chuckled and didn't think much about it. The attitude my friend expressed tends to leave a bad taste in my mouth, but I'm not sure exactly why.

I can definitely see the good side of this "English only" attitude. I thought this quote from the U.S. English website was good, that they want to "preserv[e] the unifying role of the English language in the United States". When I think of people who don't speak English well in the country, or state, city, or even the neighborhood in which I live, I don't tend to think of their problems as my problems (although that's probably not at all true). This feeling is compounded by the obvious language barrier, so the circumstances would be quite incredible for "us" (by "us", I mean the average American and a non-English-speaking American) to unify on anything. Speaking the same language is vital for unity and organization.

However, the website goes a step further, that our society is in danger because of this disunity. It puts a lot of stock on the term "low expectations," as in immigrants who don't speak English are coming here expecting us to cater to them, so they can be lazy and don't really need to learn the language. To me, this seems really preposterous. I'd be terrified to even take a trip to somewhere that I don't speak the native language, let alone live there. Also, there definitely is an attitude among Americans, as expressed by my friend, that immigrants should learn the language, which leads me to believe that if you walk out into society without knowing English, you'll be scoffed at by these proud Americans. These are powerful incentives to learn the language, and as the Baron and Bimer articles show, they seem to be quite effective.

All in all, I agree with Bimer that non-English-speaking immigrants are hardly tearing us apart, and that encouraging bilingualism/multilingualism is a good thing. However, I definitely fit in with the portion of Americans who grew up not feeling inclined to really learn a foreign language other than it would be kind of cool to learn some weird, remote language hardly anyone speaks. I really understand the apathetic side: what's the point of learning another language if everyone you know speaks English? A bit harder to figure out is the slightly hostile attitude portrayed by the US English website and my friend. Whereas I just totally tuned out the radio when it began speaking in Spanish, my friend paid attention and got kind of angry. I assume it's just sort of a pride thing, that when another language occurs in social discourse, that it seems to threaten their dominance as an English speaker. Or maybe it's just that people are so used to hearing English, that when they're forced to hear another language and not understand what's happening for a bit, they get irritated with not knowing what's going on.

“I am a jelly donut"

(Click for larger version of the strip, Tom's latest)
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I had no idea the same “Tom Tomorrow” I had been enjoying in our own City Weekly was such a national recognized and syndicated cartoonist. His strips have always been a highlight, and usually the first thing I turn to when I get a new issue. Both he and Dennis Baron (clearly a linguistic authority, or at least a favored son, or both, judging by his multiple appearances this semester) do a great job of tearing down the great silliness that is the movement for nationalizing English here in America, but the issue does goes much deeper. Xenophobia and racism are at its core, not saving pennies on translating signs or tax forms. It’s an unfortunate truth. Many hide behind banners of patriotism merely to obscure their true intent, “keeping America for Americans.” What does that even mean?

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“[English] must be the lingua franca of civic life”

Miller makes a compelling case for making English the official language of the ballot box. But beyond his implied call to end bilingual ballots and voting materials, he does nothing to back the broader claim that English “must be the lingua franca of civic life.” The only thing his article does persuade me to support is more intelligent, calculated use of government funding to support those to whom English is a second language in the task of understanding and navigating the political process. To me, that is money well spent.

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“No language has ever held as strong a position in the world today” (as English does)

As I read the article “Habla Español? Does Spanish Threaten American English?” I couldn’t help but wonder what intelligent, reasonable person could even begin to oppose or decry the proliferation of bilingual Americans? On the contrary, we should be proud, and encouraging of all Americans--our youth in particular--in learning and using multiple languages. America is the “melting pot”, remember? America is the strongest and most powerful nation on the planet. Don’t we want to stay that way? Don’t we remember how we got here?

America was forged and founded on diversity. It is our greatest strength, and we cannot allow xenophobia or racism to dilute that. English is the international language of business, and I am proud (and fortunate) to speak it. But countries such as India, China, and the ever growing and solidifying European Union are starting to show America that its long run at the top may be over. We truly are in a “global economy” now; it’s not just a marketing buzzword anymore. The future of our country rests in working with these countries (and others) for mutual benefit. The key to this happening is open acceptance of the different strengths and insight each country brings to the table. To leverage those strengths, we will need to communicate. We will need a generation of young, agile minds who are bilingual, or even multilingual. It’s just that simple.

Why would we ever close our minds and our schools to the world? We don’t live here by ourselves, and we never could anyway. America is dependent on the production, and peoples of other countries. Let’s keep talking to them, in English, in Spanish, in Chinese, in “human”.

US English

Reading the article about the US English being banned, I find that like the first reading to be on the extreme side though I can see the possibilities in banning it. I have a hard time digesting that fact to on the bias of it would be no fairer to those how live here then out of the country. In the cartoon it shows the idea of several languages and how if you speak one then someone is going to speak the one you don’t speak. That to me is almost as true as you can get its hard to imagine that but I feel that way when I go to certain jobs or fast food places. When in the article is the Spanish hurting society I feel like the article had good points but I personally feel that it has done no harm now nor is it I mean if it does become the only language then I would supposes that means English was no longer adaptive to the societies needs of it. Though the article made a good point on the immigration to the USA its not that they don’t want to learn it’s just that it’s harder for them to learn. I know some people who have tried and tried to speak are language how I notice every now and then want me to help them in there learning process. My nephews how ever were taught to speak Dutch and English when they were young so now they speak it all the time. In the reading I chose to look at on the web should the more of congress side of the language being the only English on the documents excepted where is required by federal law this to me is fair but unfair. Unfair because some companies won’t do it just so they don’t have to, and others will do it because they do. Though it’s see everywhere in the US the states make rules that the federal government don’t make so in the article about Pennsylvania printing in another language that’s a little ridicules. Because people who are legal to vote though come from another country should have the opportunity to vote correctly instead of trying to understand. The English classes instead of jail to me is fair because those who have now been charged with a crime should have the opportunity to learn are language and really understand what there charged with. Also gives them some skills to help get a better foot in the doors of the work places.

U.S. English

I think it is interesting that Miller points out in his article "English is Broken Here" the use of a Latin term in his writing (Pluribus unim; meaning "from the many, one") and how he contends that "not everyone need speak English all of the time, but it must be the lingua franca of civic life" (Miller, 2005, pp.471). This was one of the topics of discussion in class. It seems like he contradicts himself when he says this because "lingua franca" is in another language and therefore has almost nothing to do with the English Language. Another point of his that I liked was when he speaks of the ballots and how "Hispanic organizations argued that English-language ballots were the equivalent of literacy tests" (Miller, 2005, pp.471). This to me means that he is breaking down the Hispanic community in order to make his next claim that there was low turnout among the Hispanics and compares these "literacy tests" to those in the South that were given to Blacks in order to keep them away from the elections. In other words, Miller seems to imply the connotation that there is some discrimination among communities other than those that are white. However, Miller then continues to point out and seemingly changes his view by stating that "Low Hispanic turnout was mainly due to the fact that so many Hispanics were not citizens and therefore ineligible to vote" (Miller, 2005, 471). In this statement it's as if he corrects his way of thinking in order to satisfy his audiences appetite for cultural refuge. In other words, people reading his article might wonder what he is really trying to get across to them, but he seems to stay neutral throughout the reading. This allows his readers to utilize their own belief system while allowing them to also form new understanding or interpretations of his thoughts.

The fact that congress pretty much has the power to do anything they want, specifically with our language, makes me nervous. Simply because those of us who do not speak English and want to or already live in the United States may find themselves back in their native land. In other words, if they struggle with the English language and/or do not have any desire to learn it than they might end up forced to leave (worst case scenario). Whereas this Nation, the United States, thrives on hard working people, specifically those who immigrate here from other countries. Without them this country would have gone limp years ago, without a backbone of immigrants to support it. However, I agree that if "Non-English speaking Immigrants" decided to learn the English language so that they can better their lives and if that is the goal, than there is nothing wrong with the idea of making the English language legislation.

WOW!! This cartoon was an eye opener for me, "This Modern World." Tomorrow really gets to the issue at hand and the use of language within the genre of cartooning. I though it was interesting when J.F.K went to Germany in hopes of identifying with the people in his speech when he says, "as a free man, I take pride in the words 'Ich bin ein Berliner.'" Which could either mean "I am a citizen of Berlin" or "I am a jelly donut." Hence April's title, "I am a jelly donut." I think that Tomorrows point of view is a bit extreme, but it still illustrates his point very clearly that if we were to make the use of English in this Nation as a law then we would live in a world that would be on the brink of disaster.

This entire idea about speaking English as a law seems to be going forward apparently. What's the deal, no offense, but what if fast food restaurants like McDonald's, for example, wanted to make English speaking people speak Spanish, French, Chinese, or Creole? How would the world react and would McDonald's be able to survive? Likewise, how will the United states be able to survive without diversity in language? Without an ability to communicate to other nations and countries this Nation would most certainly collapse. Although, I could understand how other countries have declared their own language and how it would make sense for them to do that. But because they are not a melting pot like the United States they can declare their own language with ease. So, if I wanted to go to France and suddenly had a craving for a McDonald's Cheeseburger, would I get arrested if I didn't order it in french? What's wrong with being able to speak your own language and possibly learn a new one? If I was a threat to the United states because I speak three different languages, I think that I would be at the bottom of their fugitive list.

I have to say that I love languages and that being multilingual has helped me to learn about new aspects of cultures, language, and myself. When I was a little boy in the second and third grades we would have to go to a language class. I chose to learn Spanish because their was a really cute Hispanic girl that I liked in my class and I wanted to impress her. However, I found that I did not do very well, at all. My teacher would yell at me for not knowing what to say. By the way, she was Cuban and they can be very mean too. Since I didn't do very well in Spanish class I still felt a connection to the language and also to my friends, who were mostly Hispanic. I think it also taught me how to appreciate others that weren't like me. As I got older I tried other languages throughout my education, like Italian, but still no success. When the time came for me to serve an LDS mission, I was glad to have had some exposure to language because I was sent to Italy. After living in the country for one year and learning the Italian language I was "transferred" to another, smaller country called Malta. Man, I thought Italian was hard, forget that! The people there speak Maltese which is a combination of French, Italian, and yep, Arabic. It is a language that is 90 percent Semitic. I spent the next year learning how to speak Maltese and it was tough. Today, I still have that connection with many different groups of people and sometimes if I hear a language being spoken by someone I can pick up on some of the things they are saying. It's amazing stuff.

Hope that helps.
Dan

I didn't say it as well as I should

Have you ever been speaking to someone and your sentences are coming out, then one just pops out and it sounded right in your head but when it came out it didn't make sense or it was offensive to others? Personally this happens alot to me, that is why I usually weigh the sentence in my head and read over it before it exits my mouth. But I am glad I am not the only one with this problem as Senator Barrack Obama has found. It must be hard though having many people tell you how to say things or what to say and then to mess it all up when you accidentally slip. This may be related to a Freudian slip, I can't be sure as it has been so long since my Psychology class. Below is the article if you would like to read it, the basis is that Obama says, "some small-town Pennsylvanians are "bitter" people who "cling to guns and religion" now he is trying to elaborate and dig himself out of a hole.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/04/13/obama.clinton/index.html

Prima Limba a Tarii!

I can see where America is coming with the language of the state mentality. Although, I do disagree a little forcing each person to know English, first off some of the residents speak horrible English. But, my main example comes from a person I used to work with a 57 year old man from Peru, this man spoke broken English, he was able to put words together as best he can. He had been trying to learn English for all 10 years he had been in the states, still he hasn't been able to master it, he does understand it, but can't speak it fluently. I believe because of this America should also give the option of a person being able to use a proxy or someone that already speaks English as well as having English classes. This would be at their own expense of course, I am not the only one that pays taxes =D

It was interesting to see that they have actually introduced the legislation that will start its way through the process of becoming a law. This is ok as long as we don't discourage people from speaking foreign languages or from enriching our lives by teaching us of other cultures. By the way, this post is entitled Language of the Land.

I am a jelly Donut

I get pretty fired up when talking or even thinking about the subject of English being the official language in America, and today is a day where I'm not particularly fond of the people and behaviors of the people in our nation. First off, America is THE melting pot. How and why would we choose an official language? But at the same time there are potential benefits that would come from having and official language. Secondly, Yeah learning another language is hard and maybe people immigrating to this country should be more fluent in American English, but would it kill us to learn another language? Most other countries do, why can't we? Oh that's right, it would take effort. God forbid we do something that would not only make our lives easier, but the lives of others easier as well.Then we start straying away from the issue of language and into the issue of immigration, legal and illegal, should people have to learn English in order to be a citizen? This is definitely not an issue that will be resolved over night, and its not an issue that threatens our way of life in any large aspect, but it is an issue, and in the end we will find a way to communicate.

US English Blog

For those who are worried that English is going away I recommend reading Dennis Baron's article "Don't Make English Official - Ban It Instead"! Baron wrote the article with humor, but still demonstrating how unrealistic it is to worry that English in the U.S. could really go away!
I recognize that the languages spoken in the U.S. are becoming more diverse, but I don't see it as a threat, I see it as an opportunity to expand our knowledge and understanding.
I don't think those who immigrate to the U.S. should have everything in the U.S. translated to thier native language, this would be way too expensive and wouldn't make sense. My husband immigrated to the U.S. several years ago and understood that he needed to learn English because it's the language of his new country, he didn't expect his new country to cater to his native language. However, he hasn't abandoned his native language, and now I'm also learning it! We can now use both languages, and have each gained a new language and lost nothing!
While I support those immigrating to the U.S. learning English, I don't think we need a law to make that happen. As Betty Bimer said in her article "Habla Español?" even those who immigrate here and don't learn English will have children who will learn English as well as retain thier native language, then the next generation (their grandchildren) learn English but not necessarily their grandparents' language. So based on history, even immigrant families end up speaking more English than their native language within just a couple of generations.
Add to this the prominence of English (and the preference that many countries have to learn English as their second language) and how much English is used to conduct business in many different countries throughout the world and it doesn't look like English in the U.S. is going anywhere!

Symbols help you understand -- its true!

Interesting side note:

After the readings about 'banning' English, I happened to google Pluribus Unum, and I found some pretty cool sites. I got lost exploring this one, its all about the original symbols used and experimented with and eventually decided on during our nation's formation. Then I got to thinking about symbols and how they are like the ultimate example of the power of images combined with words, especially since the symbols are meant to represent the core values and beliefs of an organization. The authors/choosers of these symbols must have spent long hours defining themselves and what they really stand for.

Also, maybe I'm just a religious kind of a gal, but my thoughts commonly turn to religious topics when doing the work for this class. I can't help but think about how important a thing symbolism is in religion. All religions. I did an ethnography on Hinduism last semester, and at first NOTHING made sense to me at all, but since I couldn't and wouldn't believe that Hindu's are just wierdos I had to look closer and the final argument I eventually made was about symbolism, and how important the use of symbols are for Hindus in understanding and performing their religion.

I would argue that its the same for all religions. So, those of you who are focusing on religious groups, take a look at what symbols are used and what they mean. Symbols mean a lot! Not that I have any authority to tell you what to do, I'm just hoping my suggestion will be helpful to those who need it. :) I'll do the same for my community if any symbols crop up.

Extra 1:Technology and Language

Everybody has probably heard of websites like Myspace and Facebook. These websites enable people to share their life profiles with other people all around the world. By displaying personal photos, videos, and many other applications people present their daily life experience. Motto of Facebook is: "Facebook is a social utility that connects you with the people around you." This website forms a community of its users who inevitably enrich their vocabulary. People now use phrases like "tagging people", "adding friends", “poking friends”, "writing on the wall", and many others.
These kinds of website totally destroy an idea of a personal contact while making new friends. In past, there was not any "adding friends" but "making friends", in addition, nobody wrote on anybody's house wall in order to leave him or her a note. And the most typical example is phrase “poking friends”. Poking in real life is a physical action; however, in Facebook field it means send a hug, a kiss, or just simply a little notice to a friend.
Another influence of Facebook is that gossips that go around friends are now based on updating of Facebook profiles.
Facebook definitelly creates a new language that remarkably has influenced my life. Now, I employ more words like “status”, “tagging”, and “poking” among my friends who mostly use Facebook. This website is addictive. Why wouldn’t be? Once I post my pictures, I open access to other people to see my profile. Hence, I want to make sure that I know all the news and updates in regards to my profile and additionally profiles of my friends.

Jabari Asim at the City Library Dewey Lecture Series

• For those of you who missed Jabri Asim's appearances these past few days, here is a link to a short write up and podcast from KCPW, who simulcast his lecture last Saturday evening. I was in attendance, and was impressed by what he had to say. Even if you have read and studied his book, The N Word, there was much to learn and experience about the man and the story of its creation. If you missed it, or the similar lecture at SLCC on the following Monday, I highly recommend you listen to the full presentation and the subsequent Q&A.
  

Recognition

Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

I saw this optical illusion while surfing the web one day and decided it really is true. Despite the minor spelling or grammar mistakes we make it is fairly easy to interpret what something truly means. The only problem with this is we may misinterpret or read to far into what this truly means, ie oh the person must be foreign, the person must be ill educated. This can be a problem in and of itself because we will instantly judge on something so minor and yet does it matter we still understand, we can still communicate. Just a thought I had when I saw this

Watch this. You will need sound.

Immigration a few hundred years ago...

While researching online for my ethnography tonight, I found a funny video about what immigration might have looked like a while back... plus, finally an explanation about the origin of the racial term 'cracker'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhEl6HdfqWM&feature=related

Enjoy!

Happy 3.2 Day!

75 years ago today, 20 states decided to legalize 3.2 beer, so have a crappy "Utah" beer to celebrate!*

Then, mark your calendar for Dec 5, 2008 which marks the 75th anniversary of repealing the 21st amendment, which ended Prohibition (except for those crazy "dry counties.")

*Always remember to celebrate responsibly and designate a driver!!!!

Extra blogging

I really thought that last Monday's class was very good. When Eric came to give a presentation to us it was very informative and I really learned a lot about different uses of language. It caused me to rethink everything I thought I knew about language and look at it from Eric's perspective. For instance, when he gave the story about his early childhood and how his parents didn't know he was deaf until he was about 2 years old it made me realize that there is so much in life that we take for granted. Being able to speak ASL might be considered a good thing for someone who isn't deaf but might be considered an even greater gift for someone who is deaf. In other words, those who are deaf and learn ASL have a way of being recognized in the community. That's not to say that they are underprivileged, but rather as Eric says he had a really hard time with math and it wasn't until he began to learn how to read lips and sign that he really started to feel better about who he was and progress. Luckily, for him, his parents were very encouraging and supportive. For me, and maybe everyone else, I think that his story is capable of relating to our outlook on life. I can't help but think of the film "Mr. Hollands Opus," where there is a music teacher who has a son and wants nothing more than for his son to love music and learn its language. He soon finds out that his son is deaf. He then begins an emotional dismemberment between him and his son because he doesn't care to learn about or get to know his son, he just sees him as being deaf. It's sad to think that people do this but it's true in most cases, in my opinion. Later in the movie Father and son have an argument where Mr. Holland realizes that his son can do more than he thinks and they begin to become better friends. Another interesting example Eric gave was when his parents discussed sending him to the residential school for the deaf, at ST. Josephs school for the Deaf and Dumb Boys. The term Dumb was shocking to Eric witnessed by his remark to his mother, "Mom, Mom, I'm not dumb I promise!" She explained to him "that dumb meant the inability to speak." Interesting how important it is not to judge someone or something based on a first impression, but that is not always easy for people to do, is it?

Specifically, I really liked how he gave examples between ASL and Irish Sign Language. I guess that makes him Bilingual. There are a lot of similar instances in other languages where there is a proper way of speaking and there is a totally off the wall dialect. For example, in Italian the proper way of saying "How are you: Come Stai?" in Siciliano (Dialect, H is silent): "Chi Stu' Ca?" So as we can see there are many different ways of saying the same thing. COOL!!!!

Blog 9

I think that the word "girl" can be offensive if used in a way that would make someone feel like an outsider. I hate it when my guys friends would say "What do you know, you're just a girl." What does that mean? That sentence comes across very offensive, whereas another sentence, "You are a very pretty girl" uses the same word but is completely different. I think the same thing goes for the N word. I agree with Asim that when it comes to scholarly work, or art, that word could be used, but I dont think that it has a place in todays society.
I think that it is so interesting that some simple words can change meaning over time and be turned into a hurtful word. My grandmother told me that I looked very gay the other day. At first I was confused as to why she would say that to me. Then I realized when she was younger they used that word all the time to describe someone looking happy or excited. I just got back from Las Vegas and it is amazing how even though most Americans speak English, words here mean something so different someplace else.

Blog #9

Goodness, I know that my blog is pretty late. But in response to the reading I believe that the use of the word girl is depedant on the situation someone might be in and where they are. It also might have to do with where you are at and what type of people you are with. I think that if it is used in a positive sense that it is just fine.

I as a girl. ( yes I am calling myself a girl because I am one) am fine with being called this because I have been called one all my life. My friends call me "girly", "girl" and the occasional "girly girl". Now this does not bother me most of the time. But when it comes to being called a girly girl because I am not much like a tom boy like some of the friends, being called, "Ewww... shes being girly again!" that is when it gets to me. That is why I believe that it is important to be in the right settings to call someone girl.

check out 'semantic antics' on KUER this morning...

I was busy with my usual glorious Saturday morning routine, sweeping up dust balls from under the couch, when this guest on NPR caught my attention. He is Sol Steinmetz, author of Semantic Antics: How and Why Words Change Meaning. Check out the site:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89195654
for the full story. (I'm not sure why these links aren't posting correctly, sorry!)
Interestingly, he discusses the evolution of 'girl' right off the bat!

Also, check out this interesting story about a linguist's work with the last known woman fluent in the Mutsun language, a now extinct dialect. Now her oral history is being transformed into an "ethno-historical cantata"!
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88781704

BLOG #9

The term girl: this is what I think. If you don't have a lot of gray hair and a lot of wrinkles in your face I will probably use the term girl, if you are in your teens or under 25s even in your 30s I will probably use the term girl. If you are over 40 married and with kids I will use the term "lady". For me girl means looking young. When I read the line "he sat next to a woman in the plane" I picture and old lady in my head, I don't know why. I rarely use the term "woman" because to me is disrespectful most of the time, and I would think the female is married and sometimes that she is sexually experienced. Almost every time I hear somebody say the word woman is to say something negative. The time I use the line "come here woman" I got the a really bad-dirty look, but when used the term "come here girl" no dirty look. If I was a doctor most of the time I would say, " talk to the lady up front" depending on the age. For me woman is ok for when discussing history or science. To me the term “guy” can be used for any age. Sometimes woman to me also means lack of fun or boring. If I heard the phrase on the radio “two women” have been suspended" that would sound kind of weird.I also think that the door sign in the bathroom door should read "ladies room". One more thing Females "girl" is a nice term, it keeps you feeling young.

A little too extreme for me

I think that the discussion of whether or not it's acceptable to call a female a "girl" is absolutely absurd!  At 28 years old, I could not care less whether I'm called a girl, a woman, or a lady.  There have been so many advances in women's rights, and sure, there's always room for improvement... but debating this issue is really the last thing I ever thought I'd read about in a college class.  I don't think that being called a girl is a subtle dig at the fact that I'm any less worthy of respect than a man (or shall I say boy?).  

I may just not be enough of a feminist, which I'm okay with since I don't consider myself a feminist at all.  I may have looser rules on language than others; when I'm talking to a small group (even at work) I'll say "Hey kids," but it's not to get away from the word "guys."  To me, when someone says "hey guys," it's not any different than saying "hey everyone."  

Who knows, maybe I'm selling myself short on this one... I prefer to think that I'm picking better battles than this, though.

Feminism

One of the things that scares me the most about people is how easy it is to offend them-- how everything can be taken out of context and taken very personally. Extremest feminism can be a form of pregudice in and of itself simply by saying this is how men are-- they're all this way-- and because of that, they're pigs and we're better than they are.
My friend is a hard-core feminist... and likes to go on rampages if you set her off. One time she began preaching to me on the trax train. She was venting very loudly, and you could see how uncomfortable everybody else was on the train-- especially the men who were upset by the things she was saying about them. I'll bet next to none of them there felt about women the way that she said that they did, and I bet it upset them a lot.
A similar thing happened to my sister in seminary. A girl went on a heated rampage there too, embarassing all of the guys there-- until one finally lept to his feet and said, "I respect you!"... fortunately that shut her up quick. She couldn't deny that he wasn't the sexist pig she was saying that men were.
There is still certainly pregudice against women today-- and there is nothing wrong with diligently seeking equality... but seeking superiority-- as is hinted with extreme feminism-- is taking it a little off the deep end. That's why a lot of women cringe when they hear the word 'feminism'.
I know that things were pretty bad once, especially in the South-- but things are different today. Not 100% better, but quite different.

In My Wife's Opinion

As I was pondering this issue I thought to myself, "I don't have any authority on the subject of how the female population should feel when addressed by certain terms, or what term is best when refering to one of said females." (I have to say, this is only one of the many topics pertaining to the female gender that I claim no understanding.) So I talked it over with my wife and was surprised to realize how much a title can mean. Apparently it can mean more than just that to which it is refering. I also has connotations that can offend, commpliment, imply or describe the subject. My wife told me the story of the first time she was refered to as a "woman" by a stranger, and how old it made her feel. She felt like she should still be a "girl". I was surprised, although she didn't seem to be, that a title of respect and curtesy could be taken as practically an insult. I can only assume that it goes both ways; a woman might feel disrespected if refered to as a girl in a professional setting.It goes to show, just like we've been studying all semester, that words carry power and language is more than just words. I read a previous blog wherein a student said that this issue is basically irrelevent and a waste of time, I beg to differ. The debate of "woman" v. "girl" and how females feel about the use of these words is just a smaller version of the "N"-word debate. Granted these words don't have near the history of violence or offense, but it nontheless is an illustration of how words evoke emotion whether positive or negative and we should all be aware of the things we say even when we don't say them.

Girlie?

Unfortunately, it all comes down to context on whether girl or woman is proper to be used. I can see parents or adults moving from calling a girl, girl to woman as being a confidence and attitude booster. This can hold true for a boy as well, the use of man or boy can be either demeaning or building depending on the context. The one thing I thought was interesting in the article was the talk about calling things girlie if they relate to girls or women. I don't think we can start calling things womanly it just doesn't sound right. Maybe, this is because of the laziness of the English language, or our constant use of the easier terms. I haven't been able to think of any times that I have been apart of using girl instead of woman. I just remember that the use of girlie was an insult, it used to be big in some movies, Arnold Schwarzenegger said it in some of his films. It is almost as if our society has created a picture of what a man or woman should be and anything that goes against that image is demeaning or insulting. Which is wierd because some women use it amongst them selves as a term of endearment, you, go girl! Girl Power! Valley Girl!

Blog #9

One of the amazing things about language, is that it carries power; Power to communicate, discriminate, grant access, and deny it. Although we study language and have gotten some clues as to how it works and made some guesses about where its power comes from, we still don't know jack!

I would argue that what we have learned in this course is that there are no formulas, or magic magnifying glasses which will completely unlock the nuances of language. The tools we have been taught encourage us to look at the speaker and their context in order to understand the message. The power of language is embedded not only in the history and dictionary definition of words, but also in the attitude, opinions and background of the speaker.

How this applies to the gender issues (especially the 'girl' wars) is thus: There is no solution! We can't draw out the rules to what particular words mean, or how they ought and ought not to be used. Words will be used differently by each person who uses them. And they will make their choices of use based on their own experiences, their communicative situation, and so forth.

All that's left for us to do is take this knowledge and make communicative choices responsibly. We can do this by getting to know the people with whom we are communicating, their attitudes and opinions, and making sure that in using language we are being respectful to the other person acknowledging the fact that they are different and have their own unique background.

Blog #9

I love this class and have really loved the subjects/units that we have discussed over the semester. However, I feel that the "Gender" unit that we are covering is not near as interesting as all the other units we have covered. To me, this is a matter that is so minute and trivial it's not even worth the time to study it. I feel that there are so many other problems to worry about in this chaotic world that if a female becomes upset when she is referred to a "girl" when she perceives herself as a "woman" that she has other problems to deal with. I am almost 24 years old. Many would say that I have arrived at an age where I would be referred to as a "man." If someone called me a boy or referred to me as a boy it wouldn't bother me in the slightest. I can guarantee you that if I were 50 years old and someone called me a "boy" it wouldn't phase me a bit!

I also want to echo the claim made in a post that I read which states that woman are spending insane amounts of money on trying to maintain a youthful appearance, but when they are referred to as a "girl" instead of a "woman" they make a big fuss. That just goes to show that we live in a time where can't stand it if there's nothing to complain about. Therefore, we feel the need to have to create stupid complaints that don't even make any sense at all!

boy, man...

I find this topic somewhat confusing. I see how saying "men and girls" is derogatory, but what about guys and girls? Is it ok because it brings everybody down to the same level, infantilizing women as well as men? I actually see it more of an amiable address, more so than "men and women".

I think formality has a lot to do with this. It doesn't sound quite right to address somebody as "woman", whereas saying "hey man" sounds fine. It seems like the term "woman" has become more formal than "man." This is possibly a result of the feminist movement. However, it doesn't sound right to say "hello man" because that's making man too formal, which is probably where "sir" and "ma'am/madam" come in (however, I don't think I've ever even said "madam" before)

What about guy vs. girl? "Hey girl" sounds ok, but "hey guy" sounds a little strange. Also, "hello girl" sounds demeaning unless you're actually addressing a little girl, whereas "hey girl" seems fit for women of all ages (when used in the right context). However, I suppose that the opposite of girl isn't guy, but boy, which seems to be a rung lower than guy. If that's the case, would gal be a rung higher than girl? And what about the terms son and daughter? "Listen, son" sounds ok between unrelated people if the person speaking is old enough, but you don't hear old ladies say "listen, daughter." Anyway, that's why I find this topic somewhat confusing.

I believe I have become more gender neutral over the years, preferring to use "everybody/everyone", "people", and "buddy" to address people, or using their name, or just saying "hey" (although I'll sometimes refer to my mom as "lady"...is that offensive?). I prefer these terms because they seem to be the most accurate and encompassing.

BLOG #9: Gender

The article Return of Girl by Darryl McGrath was very interesting to read. I personally think that calling females "girls" or "women" depends on the age of each individual and the situation in which this addressing is used. Calling a 50-year-old woman "a girl" may sound ridiculously and therefore can be easily understood as gender discrimination. Most of older women want to be respected; calling them “girls” totally lower their standards. On the other hand, from my mom's experience, she looks so happy when my dad calls her "a girl" in a romantic way, for instance "Come on my girl, let's go eat!" It recalls her remembrances of when she was a young girl who was freshly in love with my father.
From my point of view, as a young female, I don't really care if people call me a girl or a woman. "What's up, girl!” is a very usual salutation I use among my friends and in this situation nobody gets offended. Also, my dad still calls me “you are my little girl” and I think it is a warm expression of our relationship. I cannot imagine him telling me “you are my little woman.” Being called "a woman" might make me feel a little older but respected as an adult.
People, men especially, usually do not think that this simple expression can be understood in a negative way. They don’t see the power of word woman vs. girl.
I think men should be calling females “women” in a professional environment to show the respect and “girls” in a personal environment as long as it is understood in a nice way; it depends how relationships are set up among families.

Gender

As I was reading the "girl" article I could not help but to wonder about the irony that the debate creates. On the one hand certain people are demanding that society not use the term "girl" because it implies youth and possibly immaturity. Yet at the same time women are spending literally millions of dollars on surgery and various products to make themselves feel and look younger. I realize that immaturity and looking younger are not the same thing but this concept of youth is one thing that many companies use to appeal to women as they attempt to lure them into buying their product. I think the examples that were referred to in the article from the J. Crew clothing company are a good example of this. On the one hand it would seem that women want to be perceived as younger yet some are hung up on this term that they claim does just that.
As we look at this concept in a broader perspective what are the implications or lack there of when using the male equivalents? For men does it not matter if you use terms like "boys" or "guys" because men are less worried about saving their youth? It would seem that perhaps the women that are having the issue are the ones that feel they have a score to settle. For instance although gradually things are changing in the world of medicine it is still a predominately masculine profession. If you look at the surgeons the numbers are even more lopsided. It has been my experience that some of the female surgeons are so accustomed to having to defend their abilities in this male dominated world that they tend have a defensive attitude from the start. They tend to have a need to establish their authority and often times come across as "(insert your chosen expletives here)." Are the women who are having a problem with the term "girls" part of this same cycle? Have they fought so hard to be what they are that they feel like they have to defend their hard won identity no matter how irrational the argument? In my experience it seems that the younger generations are having less of a hard time with the terms then middle-aged women. I guess all we can do is hold on until those ladies get old enough that the term can once again be seen as a compliment.

Woman vs. Girl

I personally have no probs with the use of the word "girl". When I hear it most it is used for endearment, a hello gesture as such. I do though understand that in some ways it can be defensive if some fella said in an angry tone "Now look here, girl..." or something. But I feel since the whole discrimination movement on the proper way to speak to a woman the old ways of using girl has died down a bit.

Blog #9

I think it's much ado about nothing. From the readings, a sociologist asserts "'Girl' is an infantilizing term for women". It isn't that objective, as the Times spokeswoman notes that girl is a purely subjective style choice.

Unless the sociologist was being redundant, the connotation that the sociologist implies is "it's degrading". That is an opinion because I could say girl and mean it in a positive or endearing sense. And that is how also alot of men use it, where Jackson Katz is bothered by the "use of the word by men" - something she has little idea of overall. But her opinion is influenced by positional faculty of being an author and expert on the prevention of gender-based violence. What bearing does that have in reality overall? For example, when a male friend says to another male friend, "Did you see those hot girls?". That's a good thing!

Hey Girl

After reading the few pages about the girl vs. woman controversy it made me think about it in my own personal way. I personally am not offended by the term girl. I don't know if it is because I am still fairly young, and am used to being referred to as a girl or maybe just because I was not around in the time when woman were making the change from girl to woman. But as for me, I am not offended or think in any way that it is demeaning or insulting to be called a girl because that is what I am!

Also, in my own family I have noticed that when my step-dad calls my mom girl, like "Hey girl, whats up?" she HATES it. I have heard her numerous times tell him she does not want to hear him say that to her. Since then, he has learned not to call her that. But recently he said that to me, and my mom hated that he said that to me too. I was of course not offended but she still didn't like the idea of that phrase. It might be that she is in that age group where they think it is offensive, but I just don't understand what it is so bad....

Woman or Girl

If calling a woman a girl is demeaning don't you get the same effect if you call a man a boy. If an older successful man was called a boy, he too would be offended. I personally wouldn't mind being called a girl even if I was 40 years old. It would probably even make me feel younger. The lines for calling someone a boy, girl, guys, even the N word have gotten way too vague. When is it right to say, or not right. Who can say that word and who can't. Woman call their friends girls all the time and I'm sure that some men even call each other boys. Every word can be taken a different way when used in many different contexts. My friends like to joke about the "woman of the house". Saying a womans job is to clean and cook. They will sometimes jokingly say to me "Hey woman go make me a sandwich." So in that context woman is more offensive. If they said "hey girl..." it probably wouldn't hold the same weight.

Return or re-run?

I find myself siding with Katz on this one, that we may be doing little more than commenting on "...how things have not changed". Let's see, how does that quote go... "the more things change the more they stay the same"? An unforunate but fitting commentary on feminism, methinks. So what has changed? Over the years, the antagonist has. During Susan B. Anthony's day, it was government and politics that wore the black hat in the showdown for suffrage. Then (skipping forward a decade or few) it was the "man" we fought to claim a place in the working world. Yes, we proved we could do more than wear short skirts, sharpen pencils and make coffee. Later, it was Jean Kilbourne and her team of crusaders, fighting against media's demeaning depictions of women. (Editor's note: If you don't know who Jean Kilbourne is, she's worth discovering. She's a "reformed" fashion model turned activist. Try finding the DVD 'Killing Us Softly'.) Now in 2008, the antagonist we fight is the hideous beast Vocabulary. What hasn't changed? That we're still fighting. We, like every other minority group and human being impacted by the use and power of language, are always... fighting... something. Granted, we've "come a long way, baby" (I sure hope it was a woman who first spoke those legendary words), but will the fight ever be over? Can it be won? I may speak for some percentage of grrrls when I declare to the world, "Call me Girl or call me Woman, but don't you dare call me the wrong one." Until we can collectively figure out which term's right and which one's wrong in which context on which day and in which of the four seasons written by which author implying which nuance, well... we'd best just keep fighting.

The Return of Girl

It's all about context! Girl is not a bad or demeaning word unless you use it in a way or within a context that belittles someone. My girlfriends and I use it with one another all the time and it's not a big deal because we're all "girls" and we're not making anyone feel bad by using it! However, I would be offended if a guy at work referred to me as "girl" because it's not really his place. I think in public or professional places men should never use the word girl to refer to a woman because in that context it's inappropriate. For that matter, neither should women, unless they're good friends with the woman and know it wouldn't bother her. It's basically a matter of common sense and respect, unless you absolutely know that a woman doesn't mind being called girl, don't say it, and if you are in doubt, don't say it!

#9 "Girl or women"

I find that after reading the pages assigned to us i think i would feel that it change my view on how people might see the term "girl" being used. i have my opinion that i really don’t care if people say "girl" i think it is better then the boss always coming in calling you pet names example darling or sweets or something more derogative, in my view. i have had problems accepting people calling me kid or woman this to me is telling me I’m to old or to young though i feel that people use the term "girl" to put down a woman because you can easily take it to mean young. i looked up and article that i think really helps in describing what girl means and how it can have affects on some parts of cultures. This article is called "I hate that word, girl".http://www.xanga.com/Viper3017/506842967/i-hate-that-word-girl.html

Extra blog

Over spring break I went to Las Vegas. While I was there I realized how visuals and language was used to appeal to the masses that are down there. The billboards were large and appealing. Marquees were huge and flashed memorable clips and phrases. It's amazing what a few seconds glancing at these can remain in the memory. Even the sales people in the malls had their own language to persuade you to buy things. I don't think I've ever been so convinced. I wish I could find the words to explain how they were convincing. All I know is that they just were. One place inparticular, I don't even know what it was advertising but it kept playing booming loud songs over and over again. Even though I don't remember what it was appealing to, they at least got me to remember it and place the building's architecture and location in memory. I realized too, that the names of Casinos perk up the senses. The Mirage, The Pillazzio, Treasure Island, Ceasar's Palace, The Billagio. Just these few each have a different feel to them. I make an assumption in my mind of what they'd be like or what kind of people I'd find in them.

Blog #9

I think the issue of "Girl" and "men vs. women" (notice how it's usually a male who comes before the female) is something that pops up in everyday conversation and in the media a lot. Yet, I don't think it really bothers me. I don't think it's really hurting anyone. I think people just bring these issues up too much and make a big deal out of it. Unless someone keeps bringing the issue up, things won't get resolved and progress in a new direction. But does anything every really get taken care of and healed? I like to see men and women as equals, although, I understand many don't see the same as me. I believe we each have our own roles in life equally important and different. Our personalities and mannerisms are also different but unique. Men and women like what Tannen presents in the article differ in how they view communication and thinking, I believe that's what unites both sexes. Yet, many find these differences difficult to deal with.

In regards to the term "girl," I think as long as it's referred to women in a way that's not intentionally demeaning or "girly" than it's fine with me. If people do use it to intentionally define a power position than yes, I don't like it all. It's not easy to get out of the habit of using it for women or for using the word guy to refer to both men and women. If people could try to stop using the term, at least in the work setting than maybe such a touchy subject would erase some stereotypes and bad feelings. Who knows when that would ever occur. Plus, I use it a lot around my friends. Maybe that's because I still am young.