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AUTHOR Rhetorical Analysis and Criticism Controversy--Implications for NOTE Viewpoints (120) -- Speeches/Conference Usage; *Ling DOCUMENT RESUME 1 CS 504 050 ED 227 516 Williamson-kge,'Dorothy AUTHOR of Black Rhetors on TITLE Rhetorical Analysis and Criticism the Black LanguageControversy--Implications for Education and Society. PUB DATE Nov 82 NOTE 30p.; Paper presented atthe Annual Meeting of the Speech CommunicationAssociation (68th, Louisvi,11e-, .KY, Novembei 4-7,1982). Papers (150) .PUB TYpE Viewpoints (120) -- Speeches/Conference -- InformationAnalyses (070) EDRS PRICE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage. Dialects; Blacks; English; . DESCRIPTORS *Black Attitudes; *Black Language Research; LanguageUsage; *Linguistic Theory; *Persuasive Discourse;Racial Bias; Rhetoric; *Rhetorical Criticism; StandardSpoken Usage ABSTRACT The rhetoric of blackwriters and speakers aSserts that (1) attitudes ,andpractices toward black language are politically based to keep blackssubordinate to thedominant'culture% scholars have a right todetermine the and (2) African American contend me,aning and implications ofblack language. Black rhetors that even those blacks whospeak "standard English" aresubject to often ,discrimination, and.thatembarrassment and subjectivity are given as excuses fordiscounting the opinions of blackresearchers regarding black English. Theycharge that incorrectconclugions have with the , been drawn by languagetheorists who are familiar only surface culture of the blacklanguage, implying that AfricanAmerican language and its scholars come closer tocorrectly interpreting the meaning. These rhetorical arguments areappropriate in terms of rhetorical effort, in that a strongeffort is made in stating'their claims and in providingsupporting data and examples.The rhetoric is, biased, however, from a blackperspective. While appropriate for black/audiences in agreement,it is inappropriate whendealing with the audience in need ofpersuasion. At times thisrhetoric appears to audiences. Perhaps the answer;s simply aim at both. black and white r, to clarify, reinforceideas, and renew commitments.(HTH) ************************************************************************ * Reproductions supplied by EDRS arethe best that can be made . , *. from the original document. *********************************************************************** 7 V. RHETORICAL,ANALYSIS AND CRITICISM OiBLACK RHETORS ON THE'BLACK LANGUAGECONTROVESYIMPLICATIONS 'FaR-EDUCATION...AND SOCIETY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION EOUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION i ,CEN TER ERIC) This rdoconsiiit ha, hem Orproduced as fervivod hom thv poryal or orfrottation Olufpf 1,1111)!Iit Minor chariot, hao, iwen madeto-Improve reprodu, Non iphihty P/Ant`i of VOW, tipoiro,,,tated el this clpfiu mom do.hia 0,,,o4ly/Porwa,r)t official NIE pilfer iiiiii y n.^7 A Paper Presented to the .e SPEECH COMMUNICATION ASSOCIATION Louiaville, Kentucky "PERMISSION TOREPROD,UCE THIS r, MATERIAL HAS BEENGRANTED BY %IP DorothyWilliamson-Ige TO THE EDUCATIONALRESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER(ERIC): Dorothy Wilifamson.lIge, Ph.D November, 1982 7 F. CRITICISM* BLACK RHETORS . RHETORICAL ANALYSIS AND ON THt BLACK LANGVAGECONTROVERSYIMPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATION,ANDsocIEty - Dorothp4111iamson-Ige,Ph.D INTRODUCTION A group of researchers,writers and scholEirs were sutmoned to a national conferenceheld in St. ttalis, . Missouri dealing with thelanguage development ofblack children in' January,. 1973. Black scholars attendingthe' conference became sodisgruntled with the.rebearch and conclUsions that had beengenerated Cn thesubject that the3t formed a black caucusto define the oralcoMmunication Out of this body, a from an African Americanperspective. meaning taack and new term wasborn, 'fiEbonics"ebony phonics meaning spund;thus black speechsounds.1 Since this time,a'substantial amount,of rhetoric , concerning Ebonics hasemerged. The rhetorie.is filled and practices with controversies onthe problem of attitudes P .regarding black language. It Ls interesting tbdiscover the black what African Americanscholars have to say about true since many, language controverSy.'This is particularly beineignored on of them have complained,ironically, of the subject. 2 CareTul analys oT :the rhetcric of blackscholars reveals atleEist two prevailing themeg or problem areas. Black writers and, speakersaseert that 1) attitudes and practices toward black languagehave been politically based tO keep Blacks subprdinateto the dominant culture and 2) African Americans have aright to determine the meaning and implications ofblack language. The purpose of this* work is to assessthe accuracy of the,two contentions through rhetoricalanalysis arid criticism. 'METHOD The problem areaS identifiedhave been formdlated into two research questions. Is,the rhetoric of black languat5e. accurate in its assertionthat negative attitudesand 'practices toward blacklanguage are politically based, . consctou§ly or unconsciously,to favor,the dominarit American culture who haS control? Is the rhetoric on cblack language accuratein its claim that AfricanAmerican scholars have the deepculture and exi5ertise- and,therefore, should define and determinedirections regarding black language? A stand will be takenby the writer or criticaS to rhetoric. the rhetoricalapl5ropriateness of the idea-centered of The spokespersons' messageswill be evaluated in terms 4 3 4 4 'rhetorical effortS insteadof effects. Effects are difficult tO assess since theconttoverSy remains . unresolved: Appropriate rhetorital effort wile judged *a's .described by Molefi Asante asneither a Matter of color or theme but Onwhat is 1'n the best interest of the people involved inthe rhetorical situation. jhetors should be judged, Asante contends, on competende, clari yof pbrspective, and total A understanding of the object from theappropriate' 2 philosophical worldview. In order to place the blacklanguage controversy into proper perspective, it ifs necessaryto 'understand the various models ortheories regarding black language. BLACK LANGUAGE mopms ANDTElEORI.ES 4 At least ten different models, somewith sub7-models, dan be identified undertwobroad'categories--theorists whodojnot recognize a separate black language and theorists who do recognizea'dist net black form of communication. Black sPokespersons or rhetors tend to take strong exception to thefirst two models--the peficit Model and,the CulturalDifferendte Nodal. _They show the'most support for,theories referred to as the. School and Society Models and.Ebonics Theory. % g 4.." DeficieModel - TheDeficit Model, also referred to as Oonstders black language -the Theory ofVerbal Deficiency, deviant speech which. asslovenljmonstandard, inferior, to progress should be eradicatedby speakers who which does not recognize in,society. This school tf thought and anF continuitybetweenAfri,can Americanslanguage Proponents'of the,model' WestAfrican.language'families. .0 cultural deprivation. perceive black language asthe result of the.only acceptable The theory-considersstandard English as :\ language forAmericans.3 be called the A sub-model ofthe'Deficit Theory can tiroPoses that, Genetic InferiorityModel.- This theory and culture, black children in addition toenvironment Skills.due to are tnferiorin.cognitive and linguistic 4 lips,'larynx, and genetic and anatoMicdifferences in 4 the theory, other speech organs. Therefore, actording o speak standard it'is almostimpossible forBlaàks to level. English-orrespond'on a high intellectual Theories Recognizing aSeparate RlatkLanguage language While many modelsrecognize a separate 'black thtse' there are stiQ widepoints of differenceexPressed In addition to thewidely theories _concerningblack language. acclaimed'CulturalDffferencebut Equal Theory, there are at ledit fourspecifictheories which will be called School.and-Society MOdel4 sincethey Stress acade'thic Curriculum- and socie'tal, concerns;and four Linguistic Models which stress the origin of'black language. Cultural Difference.buI_Eaual Model -In contrast to the Deficit Theory,Ei large body of rhetoric Pouredforth with the civil rights demands ofthe 1960s and the government grants of the-1970s. The rhetoricaf theme of thisschool of thought is that blacklanguage is logical and different, - bedause of qultural differences;but not deficient.' The model does-not propose.changing the child. ACcording to Herbert Simons, 'writer's of this enclavesugges\t teaching . _black children to read usingblack dialect readers, -allpwing'the children to translateinto black dialect while English as a secondlanguage.5. reading, or,learning standard School.arld Society Models School as FailureMOde1 - The theory in'which the school is unable to respond adequatelyto the needs of the child is 6 known as the Sch6O1 as FailureModel. Purposey.using black ,) A language for a black audience, Geneva Smithermanexplains "Language. does not prevent Black children from getting educated. It is what teachers, Principals, schools, standardized tests and speech tests do to, with and agairrst the language of some Bladk_children that is a 'barrier to theireducation.... Schools u.se it to label the childtslow,t 'mentally retarded' or'learning disab1ee."7 School as tallure theoriSts call for teacher're-education and sensitivitysessions regarding language and'culture. They also call for implementation of teaching techniques which actually teachthe ohild standard English'and academics sub,iect matter instead of reject the -student as a'slow learner because ofinitial language General Vstenis Model - 'This theorycited institutionalized racism as a basic factor and...holdslittle faith in remedial educational efforts
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