If Black English Isn 't A Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?

George Orwell, in an essay from Shooting an Elephant and Other Essays titled “Politics and the English Language” (1950), argues that the English language, through a cyclical process of sloven language and foolish thought, has become “ugly and inaccurate.” He supports his argument by using expert opinion, metaphors, and historical context. Orwell’s purpose is to demonstrate the debasement of the English language in order to prompt writers to make a conscious change in their writing . He adopts an informal tone (“Look back throughout this essay, and for certain you will find that I have again and again committed the very faults I am protesting against”) for writers in a time of political turnover and rising superpowers.

George Orwell’s essay, Politics and the English Language, first published in 1946, talks about some “bad habits”, which have driven the English language in the wrong direction, that is, away from communicating ideas. In his essay he quotes five passages, each from a different author, which embody the faults he is talking about. He lists dying metaphors, operators, pretentious diction, and meaningless words as things to look out for in your own writing and the writing of others (593-595). He talks about political uses of the English language. Our language has become ugly and the ugliness impedes upon communication. Ugly uses of language have been reinforced and passed down in the population “even among people who should and do know

In his essay, “If Black Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?,” the author, James Baldwin, opens with telling his audience about the problem that America faces involving black English. Baldwin attempts to explain his methodology or theory about language itself but his explanation can be hard to follow. His attempt to tell the audience about the “concerning the use, or the status, or the reality of Black English is rooted in American History has absolutely nothing to do with the question the argument supposes itself to be posing (Practical Argument, pg. 814).” Throughout the beginning of Baldwin’s essay there no goals mentioned, or they’re very hard to find, as well as no specific topic that is mentioned. Baldwin’s essay was not only bad at persuasion it also lacked proper components it needed to thrive. To say the least, Baldwin’s essay was ineffective and unpersuasive. The “logic” he used was unclear and misunderstood. He also lacked significant evidence, as well as lacked many organizational methods used in a good essay.

Burning fossil fuels isn’t the only reason for pollution; likewise, language isn’t the only key to social acceptance and identity. Baldwin’s argument about the importance of language as the "key to identity and social acceptance" is somewhat accurate. Society acceptances us due to our language and provides us with an identity. Social acceptance should be based on how one represents themselves in front of others. Language is of the aspects that determines one’s social acceptance, but it is not the only key to social acceptance. Identity is who you are and something that defines someone; however, language shouldn’t be the only key to one’s identity. Although language plays a significant role in social acceptance and

Authors often use literary devices and writing techniques in their works. During the past block, we studied texts that exemplify the power of discourse. Each text uses the literary device and writing technique of labels. Authors utilize labels to influence their readers’ understanding and to construct reality. Jaswinder Bolina and George Orwell adopt the technique of labels in their stories “Writing like a White Guy,” and “Politics and the English Language”, respectively. Both authors incorporate and discuss this device and its roles in literature and a reader’s perception. Bolina, in his piece, addresses how often times the writing style of an author is wrongly associated with the race of the author, as readers associate incorrect labels about him and his writing. He elaborates on how language, race, and poetry relate to each other in regards to an author and his writing style. Bolina is an English writer who moved to the United States in 2002. A major influence for Bolina was his father. His father originally immigrated to the United Kingdom from India in 1965, more specifically Bolina Doaba, Punjab. His dream was to become a writer and a poet; however, his father warned him that he would not be welcomed into the literary world with the name that he has. On the other hand, Orwell argues that writers take advantage of their audiences and use writing styles to deceive and sway opinions. Orwell highlights the ability of language to impact politics and political beliefs to be

In James Baldwin's “If Black English Isn't a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?” and George Orwell’s “Politics and the English Language” it is evident that both of these authors have their own interpretations, and understanding of language as a political instrument. In spite of their differences they also have a few similarities. For Baldwin language was a powerful tool giving blacks a voice, allowing them to express their uniqueness and empowering them, whereas for Orwell believed that language controlled thinking and writing. Both of these authors had different perspectives towards the topic of language but the same desires when it came to expressing their perspectives. They both believed that the powerful could use language, to control the powerlessness.

In the civilized society that everyone lives in today, all languages and culture should be equal. That is the main idea in both Gloria Anzaldua’s essay, “How to Tame a Wild Tongue”, as well as James Baldwin’s “If Black English Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?”. The authors in both these texts support their argument in various ways, and in doing so, manages to effectively persuade their audience. The ways that each author approaches their argument is different in their appeals, evidence, and styles. Similarities also exist between the texts of the two authors. The rhetorical strategies that Anzaldua uses makes her argument much stronger than Baldwin’s argument.

James Baldwin author of “If Black English Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?” believed that though “white Americans” were adopting bits and pieces of Black English and using it as their own, they would never be able to understand the true meaning behind the language. Baldwin argues that Black English is a Languages and not just a dialect or form of slang, and he believes that because Black English was used as a way for slaves to evolve into their own culture. Baldwin has a very powerful section in his piece that talks about how even if white Americans attempted to look inside themselves and challenge their inner-bias, motives, actions, and character they wouldn’t be able to handle what they were seeing. ““He cannot afford to understand it. This understanding would reveal to him too much about himself, and smash that mirror before which he has been frozen for so long”(264). Baldwin believed that the white Americans will never be able to understand Black English because they will never be able to look inside themselves and challenge their opinions long enough to realize that the problem lies with. James Baldwin also brings up how the lack of Self-Reflection among the adults back then wasn't going to help future generations prosper and build a mutual understanding for each others cultures. “The brutal

In James Baldwin's essay "If Black English Isn't a Language, Then Tell Me, What is?" (1979) he focuses on language and the history behind it. Baldwin wants you to recognize not only the relationship between language and identity, but also the language between language and power. One important detail to remember when reading this essay is the time era it was written in. During this era, he faced obstacles not only for being black but because he was smart. Other text written by Baldwin include: "Go Tell It on the Mountain," "Giovanni's Room," and "I Am Not Your Negro." As if being black and intelligent was not enough, Baldwin was also bisexual. He never failed to voice his pain and struggle though out his works. " The argument has nothing to do with language itself, but with the role of language. Language, incontestably, reveals the speaker." The intended audience of this essay is white people who deny Black English as a language.

Using the English language effectively can be difficult at times. You must consider many factors: who your audience is, what kind of tone you wish to convey, the message you are attempting to get across, and any kind of lasting effect wished upon a reader’s mind. After reading through two essays, Orwell’s “Politics and the English Language” and Brockenbrough’s “Does IM Make U Dum?” each reveals different mindsets about the advancement and usage of the English language. On one hand, Orwell seems to advocate the simplification of speech and writing. Rather than seemingly sagacious phrases, useless terms, and

James Baldwin, in his essay, "If Black English Isn't a Language, Then Tell Me What Is?", wants to send and confirm to everybody that: Black English is a legitimate language. Several things he expressed in his essay demonstrated that is true and Black English need to be more accredited than it is. Firstly, this is the language stepped on from Black's slavery in the past many years ago, they came from many trials and that time, they met together, they were disposed and they underwent some racism. Thus, they form a language to connect each other, this language has rules, it can convey similar things with the others different language in the world. Secondly, the language of White American now would have gone on different way, if there was not

Since the beginning of time man has discovered communication through language to be a vital way to exist in a civilized world. Over the centuries, man has overcome many barriers to find ways to effectively communicate amongst each other through language. Cultural differences, religious beliefs, languages dialects, and societal influences have all contributed to the “common” language used today. “Each has paid, and is paying a different price for this “common” language, in which, as it turns out, they are not saying, and cannot be saying, the same thing.” (Baldwin) In the following essays; “If Black English Isn’t A Language, Then Tell Me What Is?” and “Learning To Read and Write” mirrors the cultural feelings of education and learning dilemmas,

George Orwell, the writer of many highly regarded literary works, is extremely interested in the power of language, mainly how it is abused. By analyzing two of his works, 1984 and Politics and The English Language, it is clear that Orwell is using his writing to bring awareness to the dangers of the manipulation, misuse, and decline of language. In 1984 he demonstrates how language can be used to control thought and manipulate the past. This is proven throughout the novel by examining the language of Newspeak and how it is key to controlling the totalitarian state, and how using language to alter and manipulate history can shape reality. In his essay Politics and the English Language Orwell

George Orwell’s compelling, dystopian novel, 1984, shows a world in which everything is controlled by the dominant Party and the watchful Big Brother. This control spreads to even control the thoughts of the citizens. Winston, the protagonist, has an internal conflict with these thoughts and desperately looks for a way to control his own mind. In Winston’s desperation, Orwell asks the question, “does changing a language change how a community thinks?” Through the rigid properties of Newspeak, the Party’s new and limiting language, and Winston’s internal struggle and thoughts, Orwell shows how language influences people’s reality of the world.

In the totalitarian world, which Orwell describes, language is the most significant and effective approach to maintain the rule. From Orwell’s perspective, everything including language, which is particularly powerful, belongs to political measure. In fact, language is the fundamental motivation of creating a nation or a tribe. It is also the foundation of thought because Human’s thought must rely on the language expressing. Then it could be deduced by analogy that controlling human’s language equal controlling human’s thought. Except expressing, it has the ability to build facts. The Party controls citizens’ thinking through controlling the language so that the Party applies euphemistic words to mislead public and prettify its policy. It is unimaginable that language contributes to the rule. The totalitarian utilize every language method to hold the dominant position.