1. Respond in your Writer’s Notebook to either #1, #2, or both.
Quickwrite: Linguistics
When someone talks, we often make judgements about them. We might judge their age, their gender, their ethnicity, or where they come from. We may also make judgements about things like social class, education, and even how friendly someone is.
Respond in your Writer’s Notebook to either #1, #2, or both.
#1 Do you think it makes sense for people to judge others based on the way that they talk? Why or why not? Do you think these judgements are usually accurate?
#2 Describe a time when you or someone you know was judged based on the way they talked. What happened? How did you respond? Was it a positive or negative experience?

2. About Quickwrites
Before the start of each class, you will enter the room, get out your Writer’s Notebook and other supplies, and begin writing. Because we know that many of us need quiet to concentrate, we will write silently during Quickwrites.
Yes, Quickwrites will be part of your grade. I’ll give you more details at a later point.
I will try to give you a choice of two prompts/topics whenever possible. If you like both of them, you can write about both, or you can jot one down and use it later.

3. About Quickwrites
We will engage with 5 kinds (or categories) of Quickwrites this semester. Quickwrites will usually come from one of the following categories: Poetry Advertising Opinion Question Quote Linguistics Please suggest things you’d like to write about in any of these categories!

4. Must-Know Terms: Linguistics Standard English Code-Switching
Linguistics: The study of language.

5. Standard English
Many, many people argue over the definition of Standard English. Right now, we need to know that:
No one actually speaks Standard English! Not one person!
For example, if someone asks you:
“Will your friends be at the football game later?”
If the answer is no…

6. “No, they are not attending.”
You might reply by saying:
“No, they ain’t going.” or
“No, they aren’t going.”
But you wouldn’t say:
“No, they are not attending.”
That would be weird.

7. We also need to know that:
“Correct” or standard English is different in different English- speaking countries!
diaper = nappy
flashlight = torch
pants = trousers
underwear = pants

8. Our best definition for Standard English might be:
“any form of the English language considered by some people to be the ideal (best) use of language for educated native speakers.”

9. Code Switching
Moving back and forth between two languages or two versions of a language.
Examples:
Between two languages:
Spanish to English
Between two versions of a language:
AAVE to more “Standard English” (as we will hear about in the video…)