Dylan Moina
April 8,2024
Language
Although language is important to a person, having a native language and an accent illustrate that it can harm the person. A person with a native language can be discriminated against and lose access to services. Person with a native language that speaks English is unable to be understood well and would be treated differently than the rest. Having an accent leads to low self esteem that can greatly affect the person’s social and professional growth. People with accents can’t communicate very much as they want to, which would hinder their job applications. What’s important to notice here is language is not just a tool of self identity it’s also a pernicious effect of language. In this thesis I hope to communicate that language causes social exclusion, discrimination, and limitations in opportunities.
First half of my essay would be about the fourth different genre sources of “Mother Tongue” by Amy Tan, Why I keep speaking up, even when people mock my accent” by Safwat Saleem a ted talk youtube video, If Black English Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is? by James Baldwin, “Theme for English B” by Langston Hughes,” I will be rhetorically analyzing these fourth sources and connecting each of them to my main argument.
.Amy Ruth Tan is an American author, in her essay, Mother Tongue ,published in The Threepenny Review, addresses the topic of how “broken” language causes harm and argues that language causes discrimination .She supports this claim by using her mother “broken” language as an example, then tells us about the hospital experience of the doctors not treating her just because of her “broken” language, and finally people excluding and ignoring her because of her language.Tan’s purpose is to “broken” language doesn’t mean the person doesn’t know anything order to change society the author wants to achieve. She adopts a(n) intense tone for her audience, the readers of Mother Tongue and others interested in the topic of Language.
In the video, “Why I keep speaking up, even when people mock my accent”(2016), author Safwat Saleem, a animator and a voice actor that gives life to his characters, asserts that you should use your own voice to challenge “normal”and suggests Where having an accent is not allowed to be normal which affects the person’s mental health . 2. He backs up this claim by doing the following: first, he Uses studies, graphs and author research about racism; next,he ; As well as his personal experience of having an accent.Lastly, he declares that we should challenge the idea of “normal”. Saleem appears to write in hopes of trying to persuade people to challenge and break away from this narrative of “normal”. Author gives us two options of ignoring or going against it in order to change the society the author wants to achieve. Because of the author’s humor tone, it seems as if he talks for a young and college students audience. 1. In his essay “If Black English Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?”July 29, 1979,writer and civil right activist James Baldwin
asserts that The main argument is that language is not only for speaking but also to show someone from a different background.
by addressing , “The argument has nothing to do with language itself but with the role of language. Language, incontestably, reveals the speaker. Language, also, far more dubiously, is meant to define the other–and, in this case, the other is refusing to be defined by a language that has never been able to recognize him.”, and “It goes without saying, then, that language is also a political instrument, means, and proof of power. It is the most vivid and crucial key to identify: It reveals the private identity, and connects one with, or divorces one from, the larger, public, or communal identity.”. By supplying the reader with information about language identifies the speaker and language connects with the community Baldwin builds his claims about The main argument is that language is not only for speaking but also show someone from a different background .James Baldwin wishes to convey to readers the importance of Author is trying to inform the reads because the author is telling us that language can change because of it environment.in order to change the reader the author wants to achieve. The author’s audience likely consists of those interested in language as is evident through his references to identity and environment of language ; he addresses readers with a tone that is informed and cultured
American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist, LANGSTON HUGHES, in his poem, Theme for English B, published in 1951, addresses the topic of identity and argues that despite societal differences, there exists a common attachment among people. He supports this claim by “I guess being colored doesn’t make me not like the same things other folks like who are other races. So will my page be colored?”
, then “Well, I like to eat, sleep, drink, and be in love. I like to work, read, learn, and understand life. I like a pipe for a Christmas present, or records—Bessie, bop, or Bach. “, and finally”Being me, it will not be white. But it will be a part of you, instructor. You are white—yet a part of me, as I am a part of you. That’s American.“. 3 Hughes’s purpose is to challenge racial stereotypes and show identity can be different but we all still are the same in order to society the author wants to achieve. He adopts a reflective tone for his audience, the readers of Theme For English B and others interested in the topic of identity. Language can be very different based on the person’s life but in the end where all the same. There’s no difference between a “normal” and an accent language.
In The second half of my essay I focus on my fourth scholarly sources I found supporting my rhetoric analysis of language. I will be using Harms of language misuse in neurodegeneration research Daly, Timothy,No Mere “Matter of Choice”: The Harm of Accent Preferences and English-Only Rules Beard, Braden, Rereading Langston Hughes: Rhetorical Pedagogy in Theme for English B, or the Harlem Renaissance in the Composition Classroom Perez, Frank E,
Language barriers can create significant challenges in various environments, from everyday interactions, accessing healthcare, and the workplace. These barriers occur when individuals have difficulty communicating effectively due to differences in language proficiency. In healthcare settings, communication is key, leading to misunderstandings about symptoms, discrimination and medical instructions. “Language barriers are often cited as a factor contributing to ethnic inequalities in occupational health” Thus, having problems communicating leads to the person not getting treated and is easy to ignore. As Amy Tan’s mother was ignored in treating her just because her “broken ” language wasn’t clear enough to be treated. In the workplace, language barriers can hinder effective communication among coworkers. This can lead to misunderstandings, errors, and inequality.
While accents can often add diversity to language, they can also become a source of misunderstanding, discrimination, and even low self esteem. Accents, which reflect the person’s identity, can sometimes lead to racism, communication difficulties, and unequal treatment. “Kenji Yoshino argues that much of the discrimination that goes unchecked today involves forcing minorities to hide, or “cover,” traits linked to their minority status, which does serious harm to the identities of members of those groups. By forcing employees to cover their accents and native languages, employers are attacking the national origin identities of those employees.” This highlights, accent has disadvantages in the work settings that makes the person hide their accent. This harms the person’s identity that leads to low self esteem which hinders their work engagement.
Black and white people are being viewed as unequal. People believing in stereotypes causes these harm, which can also create racism in language.“Since the class struggle of whites and blacks exists, the speaker is in a dilemma about his instructor. His tutor, according to the speaker, is a part of white society. Hence for him it will not be so simple and obvious to accept his words which actually counter racial oppression created by whites. Though the speaker acknowledges that what is true for him is not true for others because he is black, and their cultural beliefs, heritage and social background are entirely different from each other. But the speaker continuously expresses his urge for dignity which will be possible only when the whites accept the Blacks as human beings.” A white person sees a black man speaking English, the white person can create an idea that they don’t know as much as they do. This is created because of whites not accepting black people as humans being the same as themselves.
Black language has been targeted for racism because of the society norm of language. Where a certain way of speaking is viewed as incorrect. The norm of one correct language causes harm and we must challenge this idea of “normal”. “By linking the racial classifications Black and white to language, I am challenging you, the reader, to see how linguistic hierarchies and racial hierarchies are interconnected. That is, people ’ s language experiences are not separate from their racial experiences. Indeed, the way a Black child ’ s language is devalued in school reflects how Black lives are devalued in the world. Similarly, the way a white child ’ s language is privileged and deemed the norm in schools is directly connected to the invisible ways that white culture is deemed normal, neutral, and superior in the world.” This justifies, language is devalued in school reflects how Black lives are devalued in the world. Language is a form of discrimination. Language causes racism because of how society sees “normal”.
In conclusion, language is a form of discrimination and marginalization towards the speaker. “Broken”, “normal”, “identity” and lastly “that’s American” all contribute to language being detrimental to society. What’s important to remember here is that language is not just a tool of self identity it’s also a pernicious effect of language. In the end I hope that I communicated that language causes social exclusion, discrimination, and limitations in opportunities in our daily life.
Work Cited
Tan, Amy. Mother Tongue, by Amy Tan, www.umsl.edu/~alexanderjm/Mother Tongue by Tan.pdf. Accessed 15 Apr. 2024.
Saleem, Safwat. “Why I Keep Speaking Up, Even When People Mock My Accent.” Safwat Saleem: Why I Keep Speaking up, Even When People Mock My Accent | TED Talk, www.ted.com/talks/safwat_saleem_why_i_keep_speaking_up_even_when_people_mock_my_accent?language=en. Accessed 14 Apr. 2024.
BALDWIN, JAMES. “If Black English Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?” The New York Times, The New York Times, archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/books/98/03/29/specials/baldwin-english.html?_r=1.
Hughes, Langston. “Theme for English B by Langston Hughes.” Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47880/theme-for-english-b.
Daly, T. (2023). Harms of language misuse in neurodegeneration research. Neurological Sciences, 44(7), 2575–2576. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-023-06728-6
Beard, B. (2013). No Mere “Matter of Choice”: The Harm of Accent Preferences and English-Only Rules. Texas Law Review, 91(6), 1495-.
Vinisha, B. V. (2020). Racial Discrimination and Identity Crisis: Black Americans in Select Poems of Langston Hughes. Language in India, 20(9), 97-.
