Voices of North Carolina - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Voices of North Carolina

Webinar 1: The Reality of DialectsFebruary 1, 2011Slide2

Introduction to the webinar

3 hours online7 hours outside work1 CEUTopics include: Language myths -Lumbee EnglishTools for language analysis -African American EnglishDialect patterns -CherokeeOuter Banks English -Spanish

Mountain Talk -Language ideologySlide3

Introduction to the webinar

450-minute, multi-media instructional unitClassroom, teacher-taughtDovetails with the NC 8th grade social studies Standard Course of StudyNC Department of Public Instruction endorsed Products Teacher manual

Student workbookExtensive online media Dialect Jeopardy!

Downloadable at:

http://ncsu.edu/linguistics/dialectcurriculum.php Slide4

Dovetailing with the SCS

NC eighth-grade SCS objective

1.01

Assess the impact of geography on the settlement and developing economy of the Carolina colony

1.07

Describe the roles and contributions of diverse groups, such as American Indians, African Americans, European immigrants, landed gentry, tradesmen, and small farmers to everyday life in colonial North Carolina, and compare them to the other colonies

3.05

Compare and contrast different perspectives among North Carolinians on the national policy of Removal and Resettlement of American Indian populations

Met in curriculum by:

Isolation caused by ocean, swamps, and mountains is examined, as is the Great wagon Road

 American Indians, African Americans, and diverse groups of European Americans are examined in urban and rural contexts

The historical contexts of the Lumbee and Cherokee are contrasted, including the early integration and loss of native tongue for the Lumbee and the forced removal and return of the Cherokee Slide5

Dovetailing with the SCS

NC eighth-grade SCS objective

8.01 Describe the changing demographics in North Carolina and analyze their significance for North Carolina's society and economy

8.04 Assess the importance of regional diversity on the development of economic, social, and political institutions in North Carolina

Met in curriculum by:

One of the fastest growing populations in North Carolina is Hispanics. This causes people to make assumptions about the effects of this group. The linguistic and social effects are examined

 Understanding regional diversity can be enhanced by examining regional linguistic diversity, which is reflective of social and economic institutions

In total, the curriculum directly addresses

12 objectives

and 6 of 9 strands Slide6

Curriculum goals

To develop a respect for the systematic patterning of all language varietiesTo develop an appreciation for the link between historical development and language and culture To gain authentic knowledge about how dialects patternTo develop an awareness and appreciation for other ways of speaking Slide7

Other curriculum characteristics

Extensive background information for teachersEasy to use layout Flexible lesson ideas Variety of activities Accommodates multiple learning styles Teaching tips Extensive multimedia resources Minimal linguistics vocabulary

Positive portrayals of languages, cultures, and peopleAnswer keys with careful explanations Slide8

What does a voice tell us?

In a moment, you will see two short video clips. As you watch the first vignette, try to imagine what the speaker is like. Think about all the characteristics of a person that may be associated with a voiceAs you watch the second vignette, think about how language prejudice evolves and how it may affect different groups in different settings. Slide9

What does a voice tell us?

In a moment, you will use your Web browser to view two short video clips. As you watch the first vignette, try to imagine what the speaker is like. Think about all the characteristics of a person that may be associated with a voice. The first clip is located here: http://tiny.cc/wlyuh As you watch the second vignette, think about how language prejudice evolves and how it may affect different groups in different settings. The second clip is located here:

http://tiny.cc/u3gic We will pause for 5 minutes while you watch these clips Slide10

Linguistic profiling

Definition: Using vocal cues to identifying the probable ethnicity of a person (often over the telephone) and then “discriminating” against that person because of a perceived ethnic or social affiliation Can happen in many contexts, including employment, housing, access to services, criminal convictions Estimated to be between 2 to 4 million cases annually of linguistic profiling related to housing (between 6000 and 15,000 cases per day) Fair Housing Act: Sec. 804. [42 U.S.C. 3604 a-f] “

It shall be unlawful… (b) To discriminate against any person in the terms, conditions, or privileges of sale or rental of a dwelling, or in the provision of services or facilities in connection therewith, because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, or national origin.” Slide11

Transforming dialect perception

Entrenched language ideologyThe most persistent sociolinguistic challenge in all venues of public life continues to be the widespread application of the principle of linguistic subordination:

Lippi-Green, 1997: 73

Discrimination based on language variation is “so commonly accepted, so widely perceived as appropriate, that it must be seen as the last back door to discrimination. And the door stands wide open” Slide12

The importance of language study

““Language should be as much an object of public scrutiny as any of the other things that keenly affect our lives—as much as pollution, energy, crime, busing, and next week’s grocery bill.” (Dwight Bolinger, 1979 The Socially Minded Linguist)

Slide13

The importance of language study

Of what use is linguistics? …In the lives of individuals and of society, language is a factor of greater importance than any other. For the study of language to remain solely the business of a handful of specialists would be a quite unacceptable state of affairs. In practice, the study of language is in some degree or other the concern of everyone.”

(Ferdinand de Saussure, 1916)Slide14

Challenges

Principle of linguistic subordination Lack of established tradition of education in public schoolsInsufficient sociolinguistic information in teacher preparation

The “mis-education” of the American publicAcceptance of popular interpretations of “lay experts” as correct views about language differences Slide15

Linguists everywhere…

“That’s the good thing about dialects; anybody can do it as a hobby.” Taxi cab driver, AlbuquerqueJanuary 5, 2006 “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you in trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.”

Mark TwainSlide16

Dialect myth

MYTH

REALITY

A dialect is something that someone

else speaks

Everyone who speaks a language speaks some dialect of the languageSlide17

Dialect myths

MYTH

REALITY

Dialects always have highly noticeable features that set them apart

Dialect is not directly related to public commentary about its special characteristics

Slide18

Dialect myths

MYTH

REALITY

Dialects are

ill-formed

derivatives of Standard English

Dialects are highly patterned, intricate and systematic varieties of a language Slide19

Dialect myths

MYTH

REALITY

Regional and ethnic dialects are dying due to the influence of the mass media

Dialects are dynamic; while some dialects are receding, others are

intensifying. There is no universal convergence of dialects in the US Slide20

Dialect myths

MYTH

REALITY

There is little reason to learn about dialects apart from innate curiosity

There are significant scientific, social, historical, educational, and personal benefits from studying dialects Slide21

Dialect myths

MYTH

REALITY

Speaking a dialect limits a student’s ability to express academic concepts

All language systems have roughly the same ability to express complexitySlide22

Language ideology

Definition: The widely shared, “common sense” understanding of how language works and how it ought to workClosely linked to powerEmbedded in social conventions Used to legitimizing existing social relations and differences of powerMost effective when its workings are least visible“If one becomes aware that a particular aspect of common sense is sustaining power inequalities at one’s own expense, it ceases to be common sense”

-Fairclough, 2001: 71Slide23

Linguistic patterns: pin/pen

Listen to a Southern speaker pronounce the following pairs of words, which feature the “short i" and “short e” vowels.You will then hear the same speaker pronounce a second list of word pairs with the same vowels.

Pay careful attention to the pronunciations and try to figure out when this speaker says the “short i" and “short

e”

vowels so that they sound alike. Slide24

Linguistic patterns: pin/pen

List A: 1. tin and ten 2. kin and Ken

3. lin and Len 4. windy

and

Wendy

5.

sinned

and

send

List B:

1. lit and let

2.

pick

and

peck

3. pig and peg

4. rip and rep 5. litter and letter Write a rule that describes the pattern for when i and e are pronounced the same and when they are pronounced differently Slide25

Linguistic patterns: pin/pen

Use your rule to predict whether the speaker will pronounce the following pairs of words the same or differently 1. bit and bet 2. pit

and pet 3. bin and Ben

4.

Nick

and

neck

5.

din

and den Slide26

Answer key:

1. bit and bet differently 2. pit and pet differently

3. bin and Ben same

4.

Nick

and

neck

differently

5.

din and den

same Slide27

Dialect Patterning: An Urban Ethnic Pattern

Patterning of

BE

in

Urban

African American EnglishSlide28

Number of People Who Chose the Following:

1 a ___ They usually be tired when they come home

b___ They be tired right now

2 a___ When we play basketball, she be on my team

b___ The girl in the picture be my sister

3 a___ My ankle be broken from the fall

b___ Sometimes my ears be itching

Be

32

3

31

4

3

32Slide29

Applying the Rule

Now that you understand the rule of , can you predict its use in the following sentences?

Be

1 ____ The students always

be

talking in class.

2 ____ The students don’t

be

talking right now.

3 ____ Sometimes the teacher

be

early for class

No

Yes

YesSlide30

Definitions

Dialect – A form of a language spoken by a group of people from the same regional or cultural background. Everyone speaks a dialect, even though some dialects are more noticeable than others. Dialects differ in their vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar. Slide31

Definitions

Dialect vocabulary – The ways in which speakers of a certain dialect use different words to mean the same thing. In different dialects, a sub

is also known as a hoagie, torpedo, hero, poor boy, etc.



Different dialects call a carbonated beverage

pop, soda-pop, soda, coke, co-cola,

or

dopeSlide32

Definitions

Dialect pronunciation – The different ways in which speakers of a different dialects would pronounce the same word. Similar to an accent. In eastern New England, many speakers drop the

r off of words like mother and car.



In the South, many speakers say

greazy

instead of

greasy.

The pin/pen

merger is another example of a dialect pronunciation. Slide33

Definitions

Dialect grammar – The particular ways in which speakers of a certain dialect arrange sentences and words or convey grammatical information. In some parts of Western Pennsylvania and Ohio, speakers may say

the car needs washed where other speakers say the car needs washing

.



Some people from the Appalachian Mountains or from the Outer Banks may say

the man went a-hunting

where other people may say

the man went hunting. Slide34

Definitions

Bias – A tendency to act or feel a certain way about particular things. In our case, people are often biased against certain dialects. Bias can be overt or covert. That is, people may openly say things like, “I don’t like the way kids talk today” or they may comment on a language variety indirectly by saying things like, “people from up North are always in a hurry,” which may mean that they speak in a rushed manner. Everybody has linguistic biases whether or not we are aware of it. Oftentimes, we project perceived characteristics of a group onto the language variety that the group speaks. Slide35

Levels of dialect

For each number, decide whether the difference between the sentences is at the level of vocabulary, pronunciation, or grammar1. That feller sure was tall

That fellow sure was tall2. That road sure is

sigogglin

That road sure is

crooked

3. They usually

be

doing

their homework They usually

do

their homework

Pronunciation

Vocabulary

GrammarSlide36

Levels of dialect

For each number, decide whether the difference between the sentences is at the level of vocabulary, pronunciation, or grammar4. I weren’t

there yesterday I wasn’t there yesterday

5. They put their food in a

bag

They put their food in a

poke

6. It’s

hoi

toid on the sound soid

It’s

high

tide

on the sound side

GrammarVocabularyPronunciation Slide37

Levels of dialect

7. I was hanging out with my peeps I was hanging out with my friends8. They’re

to the school right now They’re at the school right now

9. They caught some

fish

They caught some

feesh

10. They went

hunting

and

fishing

They went a

-

hunting

and a-

fishingVocabularyGrammar Pronunciation

Grammar Slide38

Key points

Everyone speaks a dialectAll dialects are patterned There is a difference between grammatical and acceptable Evaluations of dialects are really evaluations of the people who speak that dialect Linguists describe differences between dialects in terms of three levels:

vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar Slide39

Any questions?

At this time, you may use the “raise hand” feature of the webinar software to ask any questions Slide40

Homework (estimated time: 2 hours)

Watch background “Webinar” on the curriculum: http://tiny.cc/zaeuuAccess the Voices of North Carolina curriculum

online (http://ncsu.edu/linguistics/download.php)

Complete the

a

-prefixing and

r-

dropping exercises in the

Student Workbook

(pages 7-13)-

Read: Teacher’s Manual Days 1 and 2 -Watch

videos:

“

Excerpt

from The Carolina Brogue” (below Chapter 22); Chapters 23/24 on “Mountain Talk”; “Chapter 25 on “Cherokee”

Write two observations or questions related to the exercises in #3Write a brief reflection on language ideology or language bias Submit responses to #4 and #5 as a single attached file or in the body of a single email by 5:00 PM, February 18, to: VoicesWebinar@gmail.com Slide41

http://www.ncsu.edu/linguistics/dialectcurriculum.php

Watch for

Homework

Use to

access

materials

and videosSlide42

Exercises located

here

Additional readings

VideosSlide43

If you need

Quicktime

The two videos used in

today’s webinar

The

Pin/Pen

merger clips

Videos used

for homework

activities Slide44

Homework (estimated time: 2 hours)

Watch background “Webinar” on the curriculum: http://tiny.cc/zaeuuAccess the Voices of North Carolina curriculum

online (http://ncsu.edu/linguistics/download.php)

Complete the

a

-prefixing and

r-

dropping exercises in the

Student Workbook

(pages 7-13)-

Read: Teacher’s Manual Days 1 and 2 -Watch

videos:

“

Excerpt

from The Carolina Brogue” (below Chapter 22); Chapters 23/24 on “Mountain Talk”; “Chapter 25 on “Cherokee”

Write two observations or questions related to the exercises in #3Write a brief reflection on language ideology or language bias Submit responses to #4 and #5 as a single attached file or in the body of a single email by 5:00 PM, February 18, to: VoicesWebinar@gmail.com