Chapter 6
Please note that the labels on each recording (for example, "Chicago English" or "Black English") were provided by the person who made the recording available for you to listen to. Other linguists or individuals may not agree on the description as it stands. The best example of this: you'll note that some recordings are marked "general" American, which is problematic for the same reasons the term "standard" English is problematic.
Audio Examples
Audio
Accent |
Chapter |
Page # |
Online Example Title |
URL |
SAE |
6 |
123 |
International Dialects of English Archive: General American |
|
Appalachian English |
6 |
124 |
International Dialects of English Archive: Alabama Three (white female, born 1950, farm in NE Alabama) |
http://www.dialectsarchive.com/alabama-3 |
British West Indian |
6 |
124 |
International Dialects of English Archive: Dialects and Accents of Trinidad |
|
Sea Islands Creole |
6 |
124 |
NPR story 'New Testament' Translated into Gullah |
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5283230 |
Gullah |
6 |
124 |
NPR story 'New Testament' Translated into Gullah |
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5283230 |
Mexicano English |
6 |
124 |
International Dialects of English Archive: Arizona One (Mexican-American male, age 25, Whittman, AZ, student) |
http://www.dialectsarchive.com/arizona-1 |
Hawai'i Creole English |
6 |
124 |
Language Varieties: Kent Sakoda speaks Hawai'i Creole English |
http://www.hawaii.edu/satocenter/langnet/sounds/hcesound.html |
Hawai'i Creole English |
6 |
127 & 128 |
Language Varieties: Kent Sakoda speaks Hawai'i Creole English |
http://www.hawaii.edu/satocenter/langnet/sounds/hcesound.html |
AAVE |
6 |
128 |
International Dialects of English Archive: Alabama Four (African-American female, born 1928, Chambers County, AL) |
http://www.dialectsarchive.com/alabama-4 |
Hawai'an Creole English |
6 |
132 |
Language Varieties: Kent Sakoda speaks Hawai'i Creole English |
http://www.hawaii.edu/satocenter/langnet/sounds/hcesound.html |
South Carolina |
6 |
133 |
International Dialects of English Archive: Dialects of South Carolina |
|
Spanish accent |
6 |
133 |
The Speech Accent Archive: Spanish 1-88 |
http://accent.gmu.edu/browse_language.php?function=find&language=spanish |
Native American |
6 |
136 |
International Dialects of English Archive: Alaska One (Tlingit female, Juneau, AK, age 66, artist) |
http://www.dialectsarchive.com/alaska-1 |
Chicano English |
6 |
138 |
International Dialects of English Archive: Arizona One (Mexican-American male, age 25, Whittman, AZ, student) |
http://www.dialectsarchive.com/arizona-1 |
African American accent |
6 |
139 |
International Dialects of English Archive: Alabama Four (African-American female, born 1928, Chambers County, AL) |
http://www.dialectsarchive.com/alabama-4 |
Greek accent |
6 |
140 |
International Dialects of English Archive: Dialects and Accents of Greece |
|
Boston |
6 |
140 |
The Speech Accent Archive: English 21 |
http://accent.gmu.edu/searchsaa.php?function=detail&speakerid=79 |
Alabama |
6 |
140 |
International Dialects of English Archive: Dialects of Alabama |
|
Japanese accent |
6 |
144 |
The Speech Accent Archive: Japanese 1-14 |
http://accent.gmu.edu/browse_language.php?function=find&language=japanese |
Cantonese accent |
6 |
144 |
The Speech Accent Archive: Cantonese 1-19 |
http://accent.gmu.edu/browse_language.php?function=find&language=cantonese |
Asian accent |
6 |
145 |
International Dialects of English Archive: Dialects and Accents of Asia |
Discussion questions
1. Listen to the samples of Appalachian English*, British West Indian English*, Sea Islands Creole*, Gullah*, Mexicano English*, and Hawai’i Creole English*. What kind of experiences do you imagine speakers of these varieties would have in a classroom that focused on *SAE?
2. Listen to the samples of Hawai’ian Creole English* and AAVE*. Do you think it would be inappropriate for a law student to ask a question in class using these language varieties? Why or why not?
3. Listen to the samples of South Carolinian English* and Spanish-accented English*. Revisit the quotes from actual speakers of these varieties on page 91. How do these speakers’ comments fit in with this chapter’s discussion of language subordination and the appropriacy argument?
4. Listen to the samples of speakers with Greek*, Bostonian*, Alabaman*, Japanese*, Cantonese*, and other Asian accents. These accents were all relevant to the discussions of whether teachers with foreign accents or devalued L1 accents should be allowed to teach children as well as the reactions that college students have to instructors and teaching assistants with accents. Do you think people with these accents should be allowed to teach young children? Do you think people with these accents should be allowed to teach at the university level? Explain why you feel the way you do. Can you back up your opinions with research that supports your position?
Videos
“Fox News and Black English – Ebonics”
From Fox News Chicago, posted on Garrard McClendon’s website:
http://web.mac.com/igarrard/Black_English/Ax_or_Ask.html
This video clip provides material for discussion of the educational system as a major force in the language subordination system.
Discussion questions
1. How does the content of this video illustrate the language subordination process?
2. Chapter 6 discusses two main reasons to justify teaching *SAE to schoolchildren. What are those two arguments, and which one does Garrard McClendon support?
Further Resources
Cope, B. and Kalantzis, M. (Eds.) (2000) Multiliteracies: Literacy Learning and the Design of Social Futures. London: Routledge.
Delpit, L. and Dowdy, J. (2008) The Skin That We Speak: Thoughts on Language and Culture in the Classroom. New York: The New Press.
Links
Language Variation in the Classroom: A Guide for Teachers
http://www.languageintheclassroom.org/
“Educator pushes for proper English in schools”
By Philip Hamilton, Dec 9, 2010
Jamaica Gleaner
http://mobile.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20101209/news/news6.php
“Teach ‘proper’ English in schools”
Letter to the Editor, Dec 17, 2010
Jamaica Gleaner
http://mobile.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20101217/letters/letters5.php
RSS & Blogs
LeadCast Blog: http://www.niusileadscape.org/bl/