Responses to Readings and compare between the 2 articals - Article Example

Response to Nine Ideas about Language by Harvey A. Daniels Harvey writes about his belief on the nine different mythsof language, which could trigger arguments between people about whose language is superior and, therefore, should be spoken. I agree with most of the nine myths advanced by Harvey because they apply to my case pretty well starting from childhood mother tongue, but differ with others due to their inconsistency. Let me shed some light on the myth that children learn their mother tongue quickly without instruction (Daniels 5).

My parents often pronounced “iron” as “arn.” I have always pronounced the word in the same way and not ready to change it any soon. However, the myth of how children learn past tenses by adding –ed at the end of verbs applies inconsistently for some people. For instance, some people say, “I goed to school” instead of “I went to school.” This shows that they have a problem of changing words when tenses change.Response to Language: An Introduction by W. F. BoltonI augur well with Bolton’s arguments.

Language is the most successful tool ever developed by humankind. In fact, language is the father of modern tools. The concepts upon which civilizations are built could be nothing without language (Bolton 22). Moreover, language is how people retain their connection, remain conscious of the connection, and comprehend the level of their presence in the world. However, I beg to differ on the argument that illiteracy is natural (Bolton 25). People are normally judged based on their literacy level.

This is how, for instance, Europeans considered Africans to belong to a lesser god. Slavery also sprang on this premise.ComparisonOverall, Harvey and Bolton both take language to its origins. The cultural aspect of language is central in their arguments. Bolton, for example, argues that the culture people live in is what transmits language (Bolton 31). However, having a language does not signify superior intellect. If culture transmits language, people must recognize that their culture is not irreproachable to overcome their language limitations.

Harvey, on the other hand, argues that languages have intimate relations with the societies and individuals using them (Daniels 15). Works CitedDaniels, Harvey A. Famous Last Words: The American Language Crisis Reconsidered. 1983.Bolton, W.F. A Living Language. 1981.