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Analysis Of If Black English IsnT A Language Then Tell Me What Is By James Baldwin

Decent Essays
James Baldwin was an American novelist, essayist, playwright, and poet. In the essay ''If Black English Isn't a language, then tell me what is?'' James Baldwin asserts an argument as how Language is like the ID of people, it can identify, as well as define people. Due to the characteristics it has, it can be defined as a persuasive essay. It attempts to persuade the readers to be on the writer's side, or accept the point of view of the author. This significant essay was written in the 1970s. It indicates how language is not merely used for communication, but can be used to classify people with different social backgrounds and class. Baldwin used examples like how people in England talk make sense to their own people and not everyone else. He used this example to illustrate his thought of why Black English is not recognized as a real language. In addition, he thought that the white man never meant to teach the Blacks English. That is also the reason why he thinks black children are lost, and can't be taught by people who despise them. The inability of the salves to interact with each other made them create black English. Which was their own means of communication. Baldwin's article has a lot to say about the impact that language has on African American people and his positive approach is supported with strong historical events, and the author's anger behind this writing makes it stronger. However, the assumption about education makes the article weak, because it is not well
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