The Story of English Black on White PDF

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Summary

One of the Blackboard Graded Assignments. ...

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Do both (1) and (2): (1) In about 300 words: ● summarize what you learned from the video (The Story of English: Black on White); ● discuss anything you found particularly interesting or surprising; and ● explain how the video helped you better understand the history of African-American Vernacular English (DUE: 8pm, Friday).

(2) Comment on at least TWO of your classmates’ posts (DUE: 8pm, Saturday). The Story of English: Black on White is just one part of a nine-part television series which went into heavy detail regarding the development of the English language. This particular episodes focuses on the influence Blacks and African-Americans had on American English throughout the years and decades. ‘Black American English’, or what we would refer to as African American Vernacular English, is prevalent in church sermons and even taught in some schools to African American children. The documentary peeks into the world of unchanged languages, like Gullah, which has certain terms and practices (such as ‘good good’ for Very good, and the game Shoot Turkey). The Slave Trade, the horrific practice it was, had a consequence of introducing the English language to slave traders and their ‘cargo’ while travelling by boat. Pidgin English is another language introduced in depth, like Gullah. Charleston, South Carolina being the slave capital of the world, began as the starting point of a life and language between slaves and their masters, known in the beginning as ‘Plantation Creole’ (which stemmed from Gullah), but evolving over time (such as the inclusion of the -ing ending in ‘catching’, ‘going’). Charleston men who spoke like their black slaves were sent away to change their language habits, even going so far as to travel to England. However, Charleston women were seen as un-educable and were kept home, and as a result did not lose these verbal traditions. Learning about common day words or phrases like ‘okay’ or ‘nitty-gritty’ and their African roots are more than astounding. The fact that language changed so rapidly in only a few centuries is equally as amazing as it is disheartening, as languages morph and lose touch (as I am sure in a few more centuries, languages like Gullah may be extinct). It should be the mission of linguists to study and preserve these languages, in my personal opinion. This helps me better understand AAVE as I can see in detail its’ influences and changes over time....