Language in its Social Context A’Lana M. Bates

Location Influences How We Speak Michigan Kansas “How far from Lansing to Ann Arbor?” “About an hour.” “How far from Garden City to Dodge City?” “Fifty-five miles.”

Hooked on Ebonics! “Ebonics Dictionary” “Parents”-Bill Cosby

The Battle of the Sexes… The Battle of the Sexes….Still the only place it’s acceptable to sleep with the enemy… Men Women

“Miss Bates, Ms. Bates…what’s the difference?!” “Don’t call me Miss. I am not a virgin, I have a child.” ~Professor, first day of class Miss=never been married. Miz or Mz. Depending on dialect Manipulated from original meaning of “Single women of unknown marriage status (widow, divorcee)” to trendy alternative to Miss “I’m too lazy to write out ‘Miss’ Ms.!” ~8th grade student

“What do you call a person who speaks two languages. Bilingual “What do you call a person who speaks two languages? Bilingual. What do you call a person who speaks one language? American. “ America-land of opportunity This is America-SPEAK ENGLISH Bilingual education Immersion schools Monolingual immigrants – bilingual first generation Americans-monolingual second generation Americans who can’t speak their grandparents’ native tongue Trivia Fact-Don Vito Corelone (The Godfather) encouraged his offspring to speak ONLY English. It didn’t work, but he tried to Americanize them through language. Technically, America has no official national language, however… Almost all communication is done in English No other language comes close to dominating English for most spoken language in America

To Summarize Language evolves as culture evolves. One must understand their location, their audience, and the message they seek to deliver in order determine which “English” or “Language” to use.