Dialect Project Thoughts

I thoroughly enjoyed this dialect project.  I had never even heard of Hinglish before this assignment so I had the chance to dive into an entirely new language.  I find language differences fascinating.  Learning about differences in pronunciation and grammar makes me question why we speak the way we do, and what makes us so sure our way of speaking is the "correct" way.  This assignment taught me some of the nuances and rules of a different dialect, which was fascinating.  However, I think the more important lesson was making me question how many other dialects are out there and how important these are to various functioning societies.  Hinglish is spoken by millions of people in multiple countries.  That's sort of mind blowing considering it's not the internationally accepted form of proper English.  Living in Montana, it's easy to forget how many other languages and dialects infiltrate most of the world.  As a teacher, I am sure I will face these differences in my students and their families.  Hinglish seems so far away and therefore it's easy to assume I will never encounter the dialect personally.  However, in doing research, I discovered a video of a little girl in America telling her sister a story in Hinglish.  We didn't have time to show that video in class but here's the link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB2fKbx8yLY&feature=related  This video helped me realize that I may quite possible encounter ANY dialect in my classroom and I must be prepared to deal with them appropriately.  I am still figuring out how to go about doing this but right now I think the most important aspect is to keep an open mind and never count a different dialect as wrong just because it's not the language I use on a daily basis!

The Eternal Question

This question was posed to me in a comment on my last post and is still puzzling me now (and very well may continue to do so for awhile).  How do we tell students that SAE is the accepted dialect in the academic and professional world without making it sound superior to other dialects.  Does this reason even exist or is it just one of those social rules created without rhyme or reason to the frustration of many?

The Great Divide

The great clash between linguistic reality and social acceptance  for dialects is a tough one to tackle in the classroom.  Students pick up on the social attitudes towards various dialects.  As a result, we as teachers must be careful about what bias we may pass on to our students.  I believe it is our responsibility to teach the variations in dialects while also teaching standard English to prepare them to function in higher institutions.  I think it is quite possible to teach various dialects without raising one above the other as "right" or wrong".  Social Studies do a similar thing with religions all the time--they teach the basic concepts without promoting one religion over the other.  We can do the same with dialects.  Teach the basic grammar, syntax, word structure etc of a specific dialect.  This will teach students the difference between standard English and said dialect and help them realize one style is not necessarily "correct."  However, we must also explain that standard English is the most accepted among higher institutions, businesses, etc.  These lessons will help prepare students to function in multiple aspects of society using various dialects and will help wipe out ignorance concerning "uneducated" ways of speaking.

An Introduction to Cassidy

I hail from Missoula, Montana.  Just to get things straight-yes I was born and raised a Grizzly but I love my Bobcats.  I'd say I've lived a pretty standard life so far.  I've always loved school.  However, I also enjoy many alternative activities.  I've been involved with music for years now.  I started playing piano when I was five and took lessons for 11 years.  I picked up the flute in fourth grade and still play in the MSU wind ensemble today.  Music has taken me on several journeys--the biggest of which was a 1 month-6 country tour of Europe with a national honor band.  The experience was amazing and will hopefully aid me in contributing to discussions about language in this class.  I also enjoy sports-I've played soccer, basketball, and ran cross-country in high school.  I'm also a major fan of ultimate frisbee, hiking, rafting, camping, and all the wonderful activities Montana has to offer.

My love for the Montana is one reason I'm attending MSU-I simply couldn't bear to leave this beautiful state.  My father taught high-school English for 20 years (he now works in the library) and has been my biggest influence in becoming a teacher.  I have a great love for reading and the English language and will consider myself a successful teacher if I can pass on that passion to a handful of my future students.  I am halfway through my education and becoming both excited and nervous to get into my own classroom.  I'm looking forward to this class and our discussions of this crazy language we all love!