The Way Linguistic Peculiarities Reflect Sidentities of Speakers - Essay Example

? Critical summaries Language diversity  The article by Kim C. Francis, Robert J. Kelly and Martha J. Bell “Language diversity in the aspects of remediation, open admissions and multiculturalism”. A modern world opens a wide horizon for personal development. Numerous possibilities are available to contemporaries. In America a role of education is crucial in development of an individual. Existing inequalities in the process of education are vividly discussed by the critics, but the issue how to deal with inequalities remains unresolved. Starting from 60s, researchers indicated inequalities among students who attend Universities. At that time 80% were white students and only 10% were black students (Francis, Kelly and Bell, 1994). The main focus of this article is the role linguistic speech codes play in students’ performance. Bernstein differentiates between ‘restricted speech code’ of low class of students and ‘elaborated code’ which refers to students from higher class. Thus, a set of words used by the latter group of students is more flexible and meets the requirements of academic education. A further discussion refers to Deconstruction theory, which relates texts of the world as being reflected in our consciousness. The authors of the article make an attempt to argue to the existent scientific canon of approaches to relation of students’ performance and language codes. They claim about a necessity to develop heterogeneous students’ body set in the limits of “people's history and experience situated in geography of other identities, peoples, cultures, and then to study how, despite their differences, they have overlapped one another, and are mixed together” (Francis, Kelly and Bell, 1994). This article is a modern perspective on pedagogical challenge on a new role language plays in the education process. It is not an indicator of socio-cultural differences, but a facilitator to overcome these differences and to integrate them. Language and development  In the article “Model Standards for English Language Development: National trends and a Local Response” by Terrence G. Wiley and Elizabeth Hartung-Cole, current tendencies in English learning for non-native speakers of English are discussed. On the one hand, English standards developed on the international level take into account the issue of language diversity. On the other hand, this is not enough and it is relevant to develop standards especially for non-native speakers of English. The issue of what language standard really means has been discussed by researchers for a long period of time. Nevertheless, a crucial importance of language standard can’t be questioned. The authors introduce a concept of ‘over-prespecification’ between the curriculum and learning process (Wiley and Hartung-Cole, 2002). This concept implies a necessity to take into account external knowledge and abilities of students. Current development of English standard should be conducted in a socio-cultural context. Therefore, the authors agree with the fact that administrative training of teachers and gaining proper background knowledge about non-native speakers of English are crucial for further development of English standards on national and on local levels. Not individual students and the level of their performance should be concernd, but heterogeneous body of students. These tendencies are caused by the world’s tendencies for globalization and overall integration. Consequently, it is relevant to develop universal model standard efficient for native and non-native speakers of English. Multilingualism and Bilingualism  The article “Bilingualism, Cultural Transmutation, and Fields of Coexistence: California's Spanish Language Legacy” by Sara Garcia is of high relevance nowadays. Different nations tend to integration and successful coexistence. On the example of English Only programs in California a national attitude to bilinguals in America is discussed. A language behavior of Spanish/English bilinguals is developed under the influence of cultural processes and tendencies to preserve national identities in order to reach cross-cultural proficiency (Garcia, 2006). A necessity to reconsider attitude to bilingualism is explained by a steady growth of Spanish population in California. There is also a need for “redefinition of a multinational and global cultural identity that transcends boundaries of nationalistic constructs imposed historically” (Garcia, 2006). Thus, the author claims that Spanish/English bilingualism can’t be fought by “governmental attempts to set up Americanization and policies of English Only” (Garcia, 2006). The issue of bilingualism shouldn’t be related only to proficiency to speak two languages; it should be considered in a broader context, such as cultural background understanding and proficiency in symbolic aspect of two languages. In other words, semiotic aspects of culture related to language are integrative aspects of bilingualism or as it Steiner put, “the purely semantic leads into semiotic, into the surrounding phenomenology of making and communicating sense" (Steiner 2001, p. 155 cited in Garcia, 2006). This claim is a central argument used by authors. In such a way, bilingualism is a binding issue of modern Spanish and American culture and daily life. Consequently, bilingualism is not a preventing factor for development of America, but it is a right way to coexistence of diverse nationalities. Sociolinguistics: Language and gender  In the article “Factors influencing the contrast between men's and women's speech” by Malcah Yaeger-Dror, the author presents the main consideration of sociolinguists. The latter make an emphasis on different manners of speaking between men and women. The relation between gender and language has been vividly discussed by scientists and researchers and the way empirical data should be collected for such kind of researches is discussed in the article. The authors discuss with prejudice the fact that gender influences language choice of speakers. In order to avoid bias in the studies on relation between gender and language, it is relevant to interview homogeneous pairs, can use “naturalistic observation or systematic comparisons by dyadic sex differences” (Yaeger-Dror, 1998). The data collected in the process of the present research does not provide a strong basis to acknowledge that there are significant differences between men and women that are evident in their speeches. In order to differentiate between language peculiarities of men and women, it is relevant to refer to social identities of the speakers and consider gender as an interpersonal parameter. Moreover, in order to facilitate researches on relation between gender and language it is relevant to conduct anonymous interviewing of men and women. Thus, respondents will reflect their speech peculiarities in an unprejudiced manner (Yaeger-Dror, 1998). Therefore, at first it is relevant to trace external factors influencing on the way a speaker uses language competencies and only after that it would be possible to trace peculiarities of language use by men and women. Basically, the authors pay attention more to external factors influencing on potential language differences between men and women and not to language peculiarities which may occur. Sociolinguistics: Language and identity  The article “The Social Significance of Spanish Language Loyalty among Black and White Dominicans in New York” by Almeida Jacqueline Toribio is focused on the extent “a social identity may be mediated via linguistic attributes” (Toribio, 2003). In other words, the author discusses the way linguistic peculiarities reflect self-identities of speakers or influence on formation of a self-identity. Social identities of Black versus white Dominicans in New York are analyzed. The author shows a dualistic attitude to Spanish language influencing on formation of self-identity. On the one hand Dominicans are connected to their Hispanic past by using Spanish language, but on the other hand Spanish language isolates them from other Americans. Moreover, the problem is complicated by influence of Spanish language on self identities of White and Black Dominicans. In case with Black Dominicans, Spanish isolates them from their neighbors, Afro Americans. In case with White Dominicans, Spanish language prevents them from their assimilation in the prevailing social structure (Toribio, 2003). Empirical data collected from interviewing of Tortes and Alvarez families, point to the fact that Black and White Dominicans show tend to assimilate into American culture and English language. Therefore, a formation of self-identities among White and Black Dominicans in New York are shaped under complicated conditions. Nevertheless, the author underlines a steadily growth of Dominicans desire to assimilate into American culture and adapt American culture (Toribio, 2003). Otherwise, their self-identities would be prevented from a valuable integration into American society. Thus, we can conclude that the author of the article makes an emphasis on an important role language plays in social life of an individual. Works cited 1. Francis, K. C., Kelly, R. J., Bell, M. J., 1994. Language Diversity in the University: Aspects of Remediation, Open Admissions and Multiculturalism. Education, 114 (4), p. 523+. 2. Garcia, S., 2008. Bilingualism, Cultural Transmutation, and Fields of Coexistence: California's Spanish Language Legacy. Forum on Public Policy: A Journal of the Oxford Round Table. 3. Toribio, A. J., 2003. The Social Significance of Spanish Language Loyalty among Black and White Dominicans in New York. Bilingual Review, 27 (1): p. 3+. 4. Wiley, T. G., 1998. Model Standards for English Language Development: National Trends and a Local Response. Education, 119 (2), p. 205+. 5. Yaeger-Dror, M., 1998. Factors Influencing the Contrast between Men's and Women's Speech. Women and Language, 21 (1): p. 40+. Read More