tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893219718076521675.post5170933503203542123..comments2024-03-28T07:58:41.643-04:00Comments on pancocojams: Verbal Engagement During Black CommunicationAzizi Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14963772326145910073noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893219718076521675.post-49699645604011692182017-05-03T00:03:37.328-04:002017-05-03T00:03:37.328-04:00I just found this comment which was inadvertently ...I just found this comment which was inadvertently added to my spam file. <br /><br />My sincerest apologies to Abby Sales and to other readers of this discussion.Azizi Powellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14963772326145910073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893219718076521675.post-90343104194670421782011-10-11T20:13:54.489-04:002011-10-11T20:13:54.489-04:00Okay, Abby.
I believe I now understand what you w...Okay, Abby. <br />I believe I now understand what you wrote. <br /><br />When you refer to "dialect", I suppose you are talking about African American English. That term has become standard among academics who generally refer to mainstream English as Standard American English (SAE). I don't believe that those two forms of English are that far apart, for a number of reasons including the fact that SAE constantly adds words & phrases to its vocabulary that come from AAE. While African American English may indeed be a dialect, I suppose I don't think of my use of it that way.<br /><br />I use African American English slang much more than I use its grammatical features. For instance, although double negatives (such as "I ain't got no") are part of AAV, I don't use speak or write like that unless I'm purposely do so for one reason or another. And I think that quite a number of other African Americans do what I call "putting on the blackness" or "going downhome" when we want to signal our race in online or offline discussions and when we want to show off a bit. For example, in YouTube video comment threads about a Gospel video, instead of writing "That woman can sing!", an African American might write "That sista can Sang!" (with "sista" or "sistah" being used as a referent for a Black woman, and with "sang" being purposely used in the present tense for "sing really well".) And when a Black person of certain ages or cultural leanings (or a hip person of another race/ethnicity in those age ranges/cultural leanings) were to post a comment on YouTube to convey that he or she really likes a certain (usually secular) song, he or she might write "That's sick!" Or "That's ill". Again, the source for that languaging is Black (African American) culture. But people who might not know this might believe regarding the first example that the person was using the incorrect tense, and regarding the second example that the person didn't like the song.<br /><br />So yes, I would imagine that it would be difficult for most White people to understand a lot of AAVE if they haven't been around African Americans and have no means of keeping up with that form of vernacular English. And yes, I agree that it would be a disadvantage if African Americans didn't know how to code switch to Standard American English (the kind that is used on American television). <br /><br />While I'm glad to be having this conversation about African American English, the post I wrote which prompted these comments was actually my opinions about an aspect of AAE that may not be recognized or well understood outside African American culture. I wanted to share my sense that racial/ethnic differences in what I call "verbal engagement" in spoken and written communication may lead to misunderstandings and resentment. If indeed there are differences in the ways that we Black Americans and White Americans (and Americans of other races) have been taught to engage each other during conversations, that adds to the complexity of our communications and lack of communications.azizihttp://www.cocojams.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893219718076521675.post-22931442446003099302011-10-11T18:39:03.855-04:002011-10-11T18:39:03.855-04:00No, no, I meant just the opposite; that I think it...No, no, I meant just the opposite; that I think it's easier for most groups to switch to mainstream style, especially in the radio/TV age, than it is for those of us with more impoverished customs to switch to ""dialect." But whether most blacks (or others) are truly bi-cultural - equally as comfortable in the one as the other is a matter for sociologists to study. Surely a matter of habit and depth/length of usage counts.<br /><br />And if the non-mainstream group (awkward phrase) is at all out of comfort/custom then there is at least some disadvantage and inevitably some failure of communication.<br /><br />Note I've used "some" and "most" as often as I possibly could. :-)<br /><br />Abby SaleAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893219718076521675.post-69707095461804549862011-10-11T14:25:48.757-04:002011-10-11T14:25:48.757-04:00Thanks for your comment, Abby.
I agree with your ...Thanks for your comment, Abby.<br /><br />I agree with your first paragraph, but I'm not sure that I understand your second paragraph. If you mean that in settings with White people -especially in formal settings-many Black people adopt mainstream communication styles and don't usually expect people to intersperse verbal engagement words, sentences, or tonal sounds such as "un hun" into the conversation, I agree. I also agree that this may be a less comfortable way of conversing for Black people since we are used to (and may prefer) more interactive call & response conversational styles. However, if I'm reading your comment correctly, I would disagree that this style of communication is something foreign to most Black people. Instead, I contend that we are bi-cultural and can easily "code switch" from one style of communication to another.azizihttp://www.cocojams.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893219718076521675.post-88857930507518103822011-10-11T14:09:30.327-04:002011-10-11T14:09:30.327-04:00African American responses may only be more direct...African American responses may only be more direct and outspoken (if I may). Whites do often interject quiet, non-interrupting phrases, "I see" or "Yes," etc. They also show visual signs of paying attention such as intense eye-contact or head nodding/shaking. But I agree this could easily be misinterpreted by blacks _or_ by whites as disinterest.<br /><br />Another possible stumbling block in inter-racial communication is the "negotiated" style of speech used. I know we all use different personas in different circumstances (to a boss, child, parent, friend, etc) but I try to use the same speech style speaking to anyone. Many blacks may be "forced" to defer to my style in response. I prefer that - I feel they are better able to speak TV Amer-English than I am to speak in a less familiar style. I do the same with whites who have a distinctive style/accent. So I'm more comfortable as a result but not necessarily very kind in the process.<br /><br />Your comment welcome.<br /><br />Abby SaleAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893219718076521675.post-1671753050080456402011-10-11T10:55:04.473-04:002011-10-11T10:55:04.473-04:00You're welcome, Quallan.
And thank you for yo...You're welcome, Quallan.<br /><br />And thank you for your excellent comments. <br /><br />As I'm sure you're aware, "getting happy" (moving because you feel the spirit) is another response during the minister's sermon or to a choir's or congregation song. <br /><br />I'm Baptist, and was raised in New Jersey. In my home church (the church I attended during my childhood and teen years before I moved away to attend college) people didn't get happy like they did and still do in some other Black (and integrated) churches. My church was kinda saditty. We thought that we were too middle class to let ourselves go too much. So it was very uncommon for people to do any kind of holy dance or walk around the church as an expression of feeling the spirit. We didn't do as much verbal engagement "Amens" and "Preach!" like some other churches. But I was aware of and still respected and still respect hat form of verbal engagement in churches filled with the spirit.azizihttp://www.cocojams.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893219718076521675.post-25560407063947910022011-10-11T10:30:10.381-04:002011-10-11T10:30:10.381-04:00Great post!...It is a misconception that while Bla...Great post!...It is a misconception that while Black churches are rambunctious, cymbals and tambourines, running around the church, falling out and speaking in tongues, White churches are solemn, still and quiet. Although I’ve never been to a predominately white church I can say I have been to Black churches that are as solemn as they come, so I’m sure on both sides of the fence you’ll find your fair share of both exciting services and dull ones.Quallan Hawkinshttp://www.facebook.com/hawkinsqnoreply@blogger.com