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

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 same manner as James Baldwin, I defend language to be a political instrument and the most crucial key to identity, in most cases. Language expresses the identity of the human; thus, connecting local and widespread communities. First impressions depict one’s identity among a group, from the moment one opens their mouth, their language outputs an impression in as short as seven seconds.

James Baldwin is known to be one of the best essay writers in the twentieth century who wrote on a few topics including race, discrimination, sexuality and most of all his personal experiences. In “Notes of a Native Son”, he uses two main strategies to get his point across. First, he likes to tell a story in a narrative view. Following is normally his analysis of the event. He describes the event and then gives his theory on the matter. By doing this, he grants the reader a chance to decipher the meaning. His interpretation may not be what the reader’s is. He likes to argue and provides the basis for his argument in “Notes of a Native Son”. Throughout the essay he talks about himself and his father,

In James Baldwin's narrative essay A Talk to Teachers (1963) he explains that a society cannot survive when the people lose consciousness and that negro children especially need to be raised and taught with a consciousness since their history is mighty oppressive and discriminatory. Baldwin supports his claim by narrating a kind of story or painting a picture of a negro child being raised in the mid 1900's and the oppression of mind that comes with it if they are not taught to be conscious, he explains that this lack often leads to criminality. Baldwin narrates this story or picture in order to show teachers - the negro one' in particular - that teaching the children early on to have an inner voice is the most important thing for society to

Throughout his essay, Baldwin makes numerous use of italicize words or sentences to state a strong fact that he agrees with or deems important to readers. By italicizing that “Negroes want to be treated like men”, Baldwin clearly states his position. The extent, to which he uses this writing technique, signifies that he not only speaks for himself but also for his Community, Harlem. Aside from using italics Baldwin makes use of lengthy sentences, that are sustain with breaks such as hyphens and dashes, and a tone of sarcasm to affirm his position in the matter. He goes into hesitations when writing the lengthy sentences by including the dashes, which suggests that he is not only sustaining his position but also indicating that he has an experienced idea of what he is expressing. Baldwin`s degree of sarcasm in the opening paragraphs, is used to give an idea of how poorly their environment is but more over to show the insignificance that their environment has on others and their lack of attempt to “rehabilitate” it.

James Baldwin’s “If Black English Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?” was written to display Baldwin’s justification for Black English, also known as African American Vernacular English(AAVE), being a real language. He believes that this argument has nothing to do with the language itself but with the role of language. He gives you the background on Black English and things that contributed to the development of the language. There were many different contributions, one of the main ones being the black church.

In the article “If Black English Isn't a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?”, James Baldwin showcases the power dynamics of language as it relates to AAVE and the African American identity. This piece was written in 1979, which would’ve been in the Black Power movements in the U.S. ;thus making it…Baldwin’s primary point in the article is that the use aspects of language among marginalized people function as a point of commonality that emphasizes one’s identity ,stating that “People evolve a language in order to describe and thus control their circumstances, or in order not to be submerged by a reality that they cannot articulate”. In addition to the argument that the diminishing of these ways of communication in hopes of acceptance is detrimental,

Baldwin opens his argument acknowledging the distortion of segregation for the segregationists. According to Baldwin, people who, since birth, have been taught to think a certain way towards the African American race. “The white South African or Mississippi sharecropper or Alabama sheriff has at bottom a system of reality which compels them really to believe when they face the Negro that this

Within Baldwin’s essay he makes it clear that the black community is not accepted because of the language in which they speak. It isn’t the fault of the language but the role in which society refuses to acknowledge their history. He states, “It is not the black

James Baldwin was an American novelist, essayist, playwright, and social critic. In the article ''If Black English Isn't a language then tell me what is?'' James Baldwin's 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 their point of view. The article is about the history of black slavery will always be a boundary between black and white people, as it can never be forgotten. This significant essay was written in the 1970s. It talks about how language is not merely used for communication, it can be used to classify people with different social backgrounds and class. He used examples like how people in England talk make sense to their own people and not everyone else to demonstrate his thought of why Black English is not recognized as a real language. The reason is that Black English is creation of the black diaspora. In addition, he thinks that white man never meant to teach the Blacks English, the sole purpose of it was for the blacks to understand with the white people are saying so they can serve the white people. That is also the reason why he thinks black child are lost is that children can't be taught by people who despise them. I find it to be an interesting idea. He talked about the origin of black people going back to slavery. The inability to interact with each other made them create black English. Which was their own means of communication. I think that this 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 evidence, and the authors anger behind this writing makes it stronger. However, the assumption about education makes the article weak.

Baldwin believes that language defines your identity. He believes that as soon as you open your mouth, a person can tell just about everything about you like your parents, your school, your self esteem and your future. I believe that language can show your education and your self esteem; however, I do not believe your language defines your future.

‘A Talk to Teachers’ by James Baldwin published on December 21, 1963 is a very brave and direct message to teachers on how they are contributing to the prejudice in society during that time period. Baldwin’s tone in this essay shifts frequently however, the constant tone that enhances his purpose of this essay is urgency. Baldwin’s urgency to make teachers change the prejudice view on “negros” and the false history that is being taught about African Americans. For he refers to it as “any negro who is born in this country and undergoes the American educational system runs the risk of being schizophrenic.”

The text continues with Baldwin warning his nephew about the struggle he is going to endure for just being born black and nothing else. Also telling him that he must survive for his children and his children’s children. He warns him, telling him that this country will set him up for failure and that they will try to control where he could go, what he could do, and how he could do it. He continues to articulate that he must stay true to himself because no matter how much he tries to resemble white people they will never accept him. He later states how corrupt the white mind is, for example, he says, “They are, in effect, still trapped in a history which they do not understand; and until they understand it, they cannot be released from it. They have had to believe for so many years, and for innumerable reasons, that black men are inferior to white men. Many of them, indeed, know better, as you will discover, people find it very difficult to act on what they

To begin with, Baldwin introduces his literary piece of writing in arguing that black English should be considered a language. He goes on to say that black English has heavily influenced the American culture, which possibly would be different if black English never existed. A language is an extension of

“Black Vernacular” is a phrase that Henry Louis Gates Jr. uses in his book The Signifying Monkey to describe the ways that black people use language differently than others. This theme of “The Black Vernacular” is discussed by three authors: Jack Sidnell, Ted Hall, and Katherine Clay Bassard. These authors, in their articles, have some similarities in their arguments, as well as some differences. Sidnell writes mostly about the written aspect of “The Black Vernacular”, Hall speaks mostly of the spoken word and its relationship to education, and Bassard’s main interest is in Black Literature and Critical Theory.