Understanding is not Speaking

In David Sedaris’ essay Me Talk Pretty One Day he talks about his struggle going to school in Paris. Although he writes satirically this story is very real for anyone learning to speak a new language. In our AP Language class we have read many stories about the suppression of non-English speaking immigrants in America. It is clear that, while they may be highly intelligent, because they cannot express their thoughts with proper and elegant language they are seen as inferior to those English speakers who use such sophisticated language, of which they are not even aware of the true meaning.

Taking a class in a language cannot really teach you how to communicate with it’s speakers. Sedaris had taken a French class in New York but once he got to France he realized how little of the language he knew. When Sedaris could not understand all the words his teacher said he could understand the nature of it but her tone of voice and body language.

Over time Sedaris learned to understand the French language. He was able to know what was being said to him but he could not “talk pretty”.  He could not carry himself with confidence in what he was saying. He did not know all the slang and figures of speech. There is a lot more to understand in a language than just it’s words. Its about understanding the culture and the people. Its about knowing what to say when and how. To truly be able to speak French Sedaris would need to learn to become French.

American School System

The school system of America is no doubt flawed. In Leon Botstein's article Let Teenagers Try Adulthood he proposes the fact that children are reaching adolescence at an earlier age. The culture of our society has become increasingly sexualized and children are reaching physical maturity at an earlier age. These two facts are what Botstein uses to support his argument that the school system should start at an earlier age (4) and end earlier as well (16).
While I completely agree with Botstein that the school system needs some major renovations I think his support for his argument is weak. There are millions of reasons that the school system is messed up but his argument does not make sense to me. He says that the school system needs to end when students are 16 because that is when they are ready to "enter the real world" since they are physically and sexually mature. So by this argument reaching puberty and losing your virginity make you an adult and no longer need school. A 16 year old may or may not know what they want to do with their lives. Even if they have an idea of what they'd like to do they do not have enough knowledge and experience to be able to work in that career. Whether or not you are a virgin has nothing to do with it.
The school system does need to be changed. I agree with Botstein that middle school should be eliminated. I think that up until our current 8th grade students should learn a basis of many different subjects as they do now. Then high school should be structured more like an undergraduate school. There some core classes will be required but students will also have an ability to choose classes. This was students who know what they want to do can focus there classes into a specific field while students who are unsure can study many different things until they find something they enjoy. The school system also needs to be unified so that it is ensured you can get the same education everywhere. Botstein's idea of changing the school system is great but I do not agree with his reasoning for it. Whatever the reason is we can all agree that the school system needs some modifications.

Slang in America

1. Slang particularly American because America is so diverse that slang has been developed from many different cultures and regions. This is still the case in twenty-first-century America. Most other languages have their own slang but it is not quite as common and quickly developing. Due to social media slang has had a major growth in recent years. There are so many new words that are created via social media and have become an important element in our culture. Older generations see modern slang as sounding uneducated but the word "hip" is just as grammatically incorrect as the word "lit".

2. Whitman's opening paragraph lays the foundation for his ideas on slang because he says that language is universal. Language has no time, no race, no true origin and no possible limits. Slang is the constant new development of the limitless language. It is the creation of easier, convenient, and more modern ways of communication.

3. Whitman defines slang as “the lawless germinal element" because it is a language an it language has no limits but slang is an undeveloped, raw, and simple.  Since slang is so raw it is below "all words and sentences". Once slang is developed and made more complex it can form words, sentences, and even poetry. This is why it "proves a certain perennial rankness" because it is the foundation of all other language. However it is still not considered grammatically incorrect there for is in a sense "protestantism in speech." A great example of this is the internet language because it is basic and simple but also boundless and broad. It has created new dialect that is used in everyday conversation but it is still not proper speech. 

4. In paragraph two Whitman uses two metaphors. The first is saying that Language is a powerful monarch and slang is one of Shakespeare's clowns. Shakespeare's clowns use wit to out do the monarchs. Slang uses simplicity and modernity which make them more appealing word choices in conversation. The other metaphor is that of slang as fermentation or eructation. Slang is created suddenly and becomes popular and common very quickly. However some slang dies out but other slang will have permanent meaning.

5. In the third paragraph Whitman "makes it plainer" by using direct examples of slang rather than complicated metaphors he used in paragraph two. 

6. The relationship between slang and mythology is that slang is created because a word with a certain meaning does not yet exist. These words are often needed to describe a specific image or inspiration of mythology.

7. The evidence Whitman presents illustrates the single point that slang often comes in the form of nicknames. It gives a sense of familiarity toward the thing that is being nicknamed. It also gives the sense of identity to specific regions that each have different slang for the same thing. 

8. Whitman implies the opinion that American humorists are boring. This strengthens his essay because he says that the wit of humor, genius, and poetry used by laborers is more fun than that of the  American humorists. This supports the idea that simple slang is an essential part of language and communication in America.

9. The overall tone of the essay is defense, positive, and logical. The final paragraph contributes to the tone because he continues to defend the importance of slang. He does this through metaphors evolution and the human body, which apply to his tone of logic.

10. This essay reflects Whitman's poetry because a major accept of his style is his slang. He uses slang to relate to his readers and to speak in the familiar language they use. 

11. An example of slang as “an attempt of common humanity to escape from bald literalism, and express itself illimitably, which in highest walks produces poets and poems . . .” is in Langston Hughes' poem "Mother to Son". The use of slang is effective because it makes the words seem like they are really being said. Using everyday language makes it more relatable and it gives it simplicity so that it can be understood. 

12. I both agree and disagree with Dalzell's argument. I agree that slang is an emblem of identity. Each generation has its own type of slang and it is their own unifying language. I disagree with his statements about slang being a "defiant gesture of resistance" and about the regulation and restriction of slang. Slang is a means of expression and it is an identifying quality of each generation. I think that it is unnecessary for slang to be restricted because each young generation has its own slang including the generation of the oppressors. The words will come and go but it does not need to be limited. It is a unifying part the generations of our society. 

Mother Tongue

Amy Tan wrote an essay called Mother Tongue to tell about her and her mother’s experiences with English language. In this essay she chooses to include quotation from her mother rather than paraphrasing her words. This choice was very effective because it leaves her mother’s speech untainted. Tan talks about there being different Englishes. She uses one in her writing and another with her family. These quotations allows you to hear her mother’s English.

“Du Yusong having business like fruit stand. Like off the street kind. He is Du like Du Zong — but not Tsung- ming Island people. The local people call putong, the river east side, he belong to that side local people. That man want to ask Du Zong father take him in like become own family. Du Zong father wasn’t look down on him, but didn’t take seriously, until that man big like become a mafia. Now important person, very hard to inviting him. Chinese way, came only to show respect, don’t stay for dinner. Respect for making big celebration, he shows up. Mean gives lots of respect. Chinese custom. Chinese social life that way. If too important won’t have to stay too long. He come to my wedding. I didn’t see, I heard it. I gone to boy’s side, they have YMCA dinner. Chinese age I was nineteen.”

In great contrast to her mother’s English, Tan’s English when writing is very complex and grammatical. She says that she uses “nominalized forms, past perfect tenses, and conditional phrases”. None of which can be found in her mothers English and none of which she would use in front of her mother. In one of the drafts of her book she wrote, “That was my mental quandary in its nascent state”. She criticized herself for this statement because it was not her true language. She grew up with her mothers English and most likely spoke it at one time. It is her roots and she feels wrong saying these complicated statements that she can barely say. Speaking her mother’s English will make English speakers think she is inferior but that is her language that is her English. It does not make her any less intelligent than any proliferate English writer. When language is so complex that you cannot understand it there is no point. It is more important for your words to be meaningful even if it is simple.

The F Word

Firoozeh Dumas wrote an article called The F Word talking about her experience having an Iranian name in America. She used humor in her writing to convey her message but I do not think that it was exactly humor. She uses brutal honesty that to us may come off as comical. We laugh because we know its true but we do not really plan to do anything to fix it. In her essay Dumas mentions how in America the name Richard is some how shorted to Dick. It does not make any sense. Most American people have no idea how Richard evolved into Dick and she calls us out on this foolishness. We laugh because she is right but no one cares to find out why. I looked up how we get Dick from Richard and I found in the 12^th and 13^th century rhyming names became popular. Dick rhymes with Rick and it became very popular over time. Dick is an awfully unfortunate name because of its modern day connotations but in America it is still not as bad as Firoozeh.
Dumas later talks about how her brothers did not agree with her choice to change her name to Julie but they later became Fred and Sean. We laugh because its funny that they so drastically changed their minds about her decision that they did it themselves. But what made them change their names too. They were probably made fun of for their names as well. They saw how much easier life had become for ‘Julie’ than it was for Firoozeh. They wanted the same opportunity, acceptance, and respect as everyone else. Julie taught them that to do that all they needed was to change their names.I think that Dumas’ choice to use this brutal honesty that would seem to be comedy is extremely effective. She makes you laugh at a matter than is not funny but a sad reality in our country. We find it funny that she was called "f word" but it is extremely rude and disrespectful. It is a sad reality that ones name can take away so many opportunities. Dumas could not get a job when she used her real name but as Julie she was open to many more opportunities. It reminds me of my mother who's name is Juvenilia will use my name or my dads when ordering food and other things to avoid having to spell and pronounce it. It is sad to realize how unaccepting Americans are to anything that is foreign. This is so ironic because everyone in is an immigrant to America. America is an immensely diverse country where everyone is expected to be exactly the same.  

This I Believe

A true friend will not try to change you because they accept who you already are.  I believe that true friends allow you to discover who you are as a person. When you are surrounded by people who truly care about and accept you then you can accept yourself.  Friends allow you to thrive in you strengths and improve upon your weaknesses. These people allow you to find a safe place to be yourself.

            In middle school I surrounded myself with people who were not the best of friends. At the time I knew I was unhappy but I though that was just how it was.  I thought that no ones friends completely accepted them. I thought that no one ever felt absolutely comfortable with their friends. I did not believe it was possible for anyone to feel loved by their friends. I was confused and I had no idea what I wanted for myself. I did not know where I wanted to go to high school or what I wanted to do after. I did not know who I was or at least I could not admit it.

            Once I got to high school I meet new people. I learned that these new friends had a lot more in common with me than I realized when I had first met them. I think I sort of found part of myself in them. They were accepting, loving, and they made me feel comfortable to be myself. These people supported me and brought out the best in me.

            I am so grateful to have such amazing people in my life. My friends make me feel like I have somewhere to belong. They give me a home where I can laugh or cry. I know that they will not leave me if I am having a bad day. They let me express how I am feeling me and they always encourage me to do what makes me happy. I try my best to do the same for them in return.

            Everyone puts on masks each day in front of different people. We feel like we have to pretend a certain way to please people. Everyone needs to have friends that they can be themselves with. Friends can help you be happy with who naturally are. I am able to be myself with my friends because they are the ones who help me discover who I truly am.

Home Is Where The Heart Is

The words home and house are used almost interchangeably. A house is a building where people live, but a home is much more. A home does not have to be a building or even a location, it is simply the place where you feel safe, accepted, and loved. The reason the words are used as synonyms is that many people find a home in their family or friends whom they live in a house with. You can have more than one home and it can be with an individual or groups of people. For me home is with my friends, the people who love and accept me more than anyone else. Home is where I feel safe to be myself. I find that these songs help to describe what home means to me In Home by Gabrielle Aplin she describes home as "...not just where you lay your head. It's not just where you make your bed. As long as we're together, does it matter where we go?" In Painting Roses by Dresses they say "...if home is where the heart is then I feel pretty stupid, my heart lies in your bones." Both of these songs describe home as being with a person. Home is a safe, happy, accepting, and loving place. Home is where your heart is, home is with the ones you love and who love you back. 

How Social Media is Distorting Activism

          In Malcolm Gladwell's article Small Change: Why the Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted he talks about the new interpretations of activism on social media. Social media is "our greatest source of new ideas and information." We can connect to a good deal of people and spread messages quickly. Social media is a great method of spreading awareness for certain causes and movements. It can even be used to donate and benefit to these causes. However this advocacy is often mistook for activism.
          Activism is organized and strategical action in order to reach a goal. The civil-rights movement was "high risk" and "strategic" activism. People were risking their lives to protest against segregation. The boycotts and sit-ins that they were participating in had to follow a specific script. If they say the wrong thing An important element of activism is its organization. Their must be a hierarchy or some form of leadership. This is extremely important because "How do you make difficult choices about tactics or strategy or philosophical direction when everyone has an equal say?"
           Gladwell does an excellent job using this his counter argument that social media is a good network to connect people and allow them to share ideas. These networks cannot be considered activism but they are not necessarily hurting the cause. Networks are often unorganized. Sometimes they can spread false information and they lack leadership. Without leadership they will get off task and the movement can be misunderstood. Gladwell makes the important point with the story of the man who lost his Sidekick. The social media networks can make an impact but it is not often for a very important cause.
          A movement that calls for big changes in society needs action. This action cannot be accomplished through social media. Action has to be going out and doing something. A small action such as sitting at a lunch counter has the potential to have a larger impact than 140 characters.

Beating Out Your Talents

While flipping through the New Yorker magazines in class on Friday this cartoon caught my eye.

At first I thought it would be a corny joke of some sort but really this cartoon had a pretty deep and real meaning. Victoria Roberts depicts a piñata at a therapy session and it says, "What is the point of being filled with gifts if they can only be beaten out of you?" I found this really profound because it is so true. Once people realize you are good at something they will always want you to do that thing. Some people do not realize that being good or talented at something does not mean that you are good at it. For example if someone is exceptionally good at soccer as a child they will be expected to continue playing throughout high school and college so they can get scholarships and awards because they are good. But if the person hates what they are doing then being pressured to continue playing can be very unhealthy. Society pushes people to find something they are good at and to continue doing that. But it is really more important to find something you love whether or not you like it and to do that. You should be happy doing whatever you do.

Feminism

In Roxanne Gay's essay Bad Feminist she talks about how she feels as though she is not a good feminist. Feminism by definition is the political, social, and economical equality of the genders.  It is called feminism because women are the ones being suppressed. Many people say they are not feminists but they believe in the equality of the genders. They do not realize that they are the exact same thing. People do not want to admit that they are feminists because a feminist has become a stereotypical type of women: angry, independent, and man-hating. Gay states that "essential feminism suggests anger, humorlessness, militancy, unwavering principle, and a prescribed set of rules for how to be a... proper, white heterosexual, feminist woman". Gay tells that she feels she is a bad feminist because she likes pink, she likes to wear dresses, she does know about cars, she's likes jewelry and weddings, she wants to have a baby, and is willing to make compromises in her career and writing in order to have a family. These are not the things that define someone as a feminist. Being a feminist does not mean hating men. It does not mean being able to do the things that men typically do so that you do not have to depend on men. It does not mean rejecting things that stereotypical gender rolls consider feminine. It does not mean you cannot wear make up or dresses. A feminists can be a stay at home mom, a successful educated woman, any woman, any man, any person who believes in the equally of the genders. Anyone who believes that a women should not be payed less than a man. Anyone can be a feminist there aren't any rules.                                                          

Disney Princesses

Most fairy tails follow a typical storyline girl meets prince, something goes wrong, the problem gets resolved, and the girl and the prince end up together. In Deborah Ross's article Escape from Wonderland: Disney and the Female Imagination she argues that this these stories objectify women and focusing the on only the goal of marriage. However we have to look at this from the context of the time period. A medieval woman marrying someone of their own choice out of love instead of because the marriage was arranged, would have been a huge female accomplishment. Today a big female accomplishment would be a women becoming a lawyer, doctor, CEO, or even president but in those days this sort of thing was impossible. Although a young child cannot completely understand this context they can learn important lessons. Belle teaches them that looks are not every thing. Ariel teaches them not to give up something important for a guy. Tiana teaches them to work hard to reach their goal. I would love to see more fairy tales that do not follow the stereotypical story line like Princess and the Frog based in a more modern era or Sherk (yes I do realize this is not Disney) told from the male point of view with a more comical tone. I think some people are slightly over analyzing these movies. I'm not saying that everything in them is completely right but why can't we just sing the catchy songs and enjoy the movie.

Salem Witches

     On Saturday Gabby and I went to Salem. It was really fun going into all the little shops (except when the guy in a Jason mask scared Gabby). I bought a really cool wallet with little math formulas on it. But more importantly we learned about witches. They don't run around with pointy hats flying on broom sticks. Being a "witch" is actually a religion called Wicca. They believe in the power of the elements earth, air, fire, and water. Each direction north, south, east, and west represents one of the element. They believe in a god and goddess of the elements. One line they use in their rituals is "so mode it be." The word mode is old english for must so this line is similar to amen. They believe that anything bad you do will come back to you 3 times 3 times 3 (27) times worse. They use their dominant side to welcome things in so they would carry their wallet on their dominant side to bring wealth. Their non-dominant side is to give things out so you might carry something that makes you happy on your non-dominant side to give off happiness. The idea of voodoo dolls work the same way if you put money on the voodoo doll and carry it on the dominant side you are welcoming in wealth. They uses spices to make "potions" to bring in or get rid of certain things. They believe in that their ancestor influence them and can help them. They bring gifts to their ancestors of things that they enjoyed during their lives.  It is really interesting to learn what they really believe and how our society interprets it to be so negative and evil. They really just believe in the power of nature and their beliefs are not that different from other religions.

John Oliver on Standardized Testing

On Last Week Tonight with John Oliver he discussed the standardized testing that states require students to take. He argued against the testing because it did not improve students performance. He used comedy and informal language to persuade his viewers to agree with him. He gave performance rates and other statistics but he said them in a very informal and conversational manner. His uses of jokes and comedic language kept people engaged. If this information was presented formally people would get board and not pay attention to what he is saying. He is able to keep people entrained while informing them on such an important topic.
Standardized tests are not accurate portrayals of a students intelligence. Tests are regulated and standardize too strongly that it does not suit everyone. Every student learns different and even the most intelligent student may not perform well on a test.

In order to truly determine ones intelligence you have to test them in a fair way. One student may be a great test taker while another is better at writing essays. You cannot judge an elephant on its ability to climb a tree or a bird on its ability to swim. It is impossible for them to perform well in a skill they are not meant to perform. Standardized test taking is not accurate assessment of students because not every student can take a test. John Oliver informs his audience that the tests do not work and are more hurtful than beneficial to students and teachers.

The Power of Introverts

The Ted Talk "The Power of Introverts" had an effective message about the importance of the introversion that is so often looked down upon in our society. Introverts are seen as inferior because they are unable, and often afraid, to express their thoughts socially. Although, it is often times the introverts that have the most to say because they spend so much time thinking. They are able to fully processes everything and view things from many different perspectives. 

The speaker, Susan Cain, informs people about introverts and speaks up for them. Since introverts are not very socially skilled they are quite often misunderstood. Most introverts like to be alone but that does not mean they want to be lonely. I am introverted and I love talking with my small group of friends, but when it comes to talking to people I am not as comfortable with, I become sheepish and timid. This does not mean I do not like other people or that I do not want to talk to them it just means that talking to them is difficult. I have trouble putting my thoughts into words and it often takes me quite some time to do so. In most cases by the time I have decided what I want to say the conversation has moved on to a new topic. I also lack the confidence to speak with new people. Cain speaks up for the introverts. She, being an introvert herself, knows how it feels and can express it to her audience. By speaking up for the introverts, extroverts can begin to understand how introverts think and why they are so quiet. Extroverts are seen as dominant because they are the ones to share their opinions. You could add extroversion to the qualities of SCWAMP because the extroverts have the power in our society. If they cannot understand that introverts work better alone or that they need time to process their thoughts than nothing will change in favor of the introverts. Our society sees extroversion as the ideal way to be.

So, was this speech persuasive? I would say that yes it persuades people to support and speak up for introverts. The main purpose of the piece was most likely not to persuade people into having a better appreciation for introverts. However any piece of writing that expresses an opinion can be persuasive. If the opinion is displayed with strong reasoning and examples (ethos, logos, and pathos) it can persuade people to have the same opinion. Not everything is directly meant to persuade its viewers but if the ideas are presented well enough the viewers will agree with the speaker's opinion as the speaker. Susan Cain tells of her own experience with introversion through the story of the books, she cites statistical research on introversion in the classroom and workplace, and she mentions influential world and religious leaders who identify as introverts. These effective examples persuade her audience into having a new respect, acceptance, and support of the introverts in our society. 

SCWAMP: Hairspray

Hairspray is movie made in 1988 that was turned into a Broadway musical. It was re-released as a musical movie in 2007 and that is the version I used for this SCWAMP. It is based in 1962 which is an era in which the elements of SCWAMP were even more powerful and influential than they are today.

Straightness - In this film all relationships are heterosexual (with the exception of Edna and Wilbur in which Edna is played by John Travolta). Homosexuality is not mention at all and the time period everyone was expected to be straight. 

Christianity - The best example of Christianity in this film would be Mrs. Pringleton. She carries around rosary beads, splashes holy water at her daughter, and is racists towards African Americans.

Whiteness - This is the most prominent element of SCWAMP in the film. The issue of segregation is one of the major plot points. The film features protest marches, school's discrimination toward African Americans, and segregation in dances and television shows.

Able-bodied - Everyone in this film is mentally and physically able however Tracy's weight is used against her in getting a part in the Corny Collin's Show. Those seen as physically "fit" are more privileged than those deemed not. 

Maleness - In this film the men were the ones who provided for the home. Edna stayed home and did laundry while Wilbur went to work at the shop. 

Property Holder - The white families in the film each had their own nice homes in the better part of town however the African Americans lived in the bad part of town and shared an old warehouse to keep themselves safe.

Intro

I'm Rebecca. I'm junior at St Rays. I made this blog for AP Lang but I'm not a very good writer. My posts will be boring but feel free to read them if you're having trouble sleeping.