Dialects

1928 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Effects of globalization on language

Dialects

"Here you are the Top Ten List for the evening. Tonight’s Top Ten, Rejected TV show ideas to replace Seinfeld. If you know what I mean? Ha Ha!" (The Late Show 1998). As a student at Ball State University I come across many different people daily within a term. These individuals come from numerous locations within the state and beyond our identified state boundaries or even regional area of the nation. Considering the vast diversity, the common student will at a majority of the time encounter many different dialects in various conversational situations. These regional standard dialects are all brought together at an institution for higher learning. This leads to issues pertaining to the idea of dialect area and dialect variation involving the factors of Dialectic Region. If these issues exist then would it not be logical that dialect mixing would then be relevant. In this case then the idea of repentance of a certain phrase would then become an incorporation into one’s own dialect after a certain period of exposure. Yet, is this exposure just limited to environment or does the mass technological revolution have a word in otherwise with the television and the music industry.

These questions were the basic motivation for the research I conducted in order to find a better understanding to the issue pertaining to the environment in which I am trying to benefit from higher learning. On the 24th of April in 1998, at Bracken Library I issued a ‘Regional Standard Dialect Questionnaire’. The outcome of the survey was quite interesting and insightful when considering the issue at hand.

The survey consisted of fifty random students entering Bracken Library. These students were split into two basic categories by gender. The two groups answered multiple questions in reference to the notion of, "You hear what I’m saying" and "You know what I mean?". The questions were aimed toward the aspect of usage and knowledge of the sayings themselves. The age range of the participants was between seventeen and twenty-four. Though other age ranges were offered the only area gathered was in the context of traditional undergraduate students.

The males were sufficient in covering all aspects of the survey. The results of the questionnaire are as followed:

52% "You know what I mean?"

8% "You hear what I’m saying?"

36% used both expressions

4% used none of the above

From these results the aspect of regional dialect was examined.

Show More
Related

  • The Rhetorical Analysis Of Do You Speak American?

    715 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the article “Do You Speak American?,” Robert MacNeil is trying to reach the american public, especially those who do not have a complete understanding of the ongoing changes that are happening to the English that is spoken throughout the United States. He uses a multitude of examples to prove this very fact. For one he wants to inform the people that one reason for this change is that average people now have more influence in the way language is spoken.Which to him is a good thing. He enjoys the new evolution that American English has undertaken. He believes that it is a step in the right direction. Another, example he uses are the changes different regions and/or group of people have made on the English language. He uses the different accents and dialect to show the growth and improvement that occurred. Even though, some linguist view these changes as wrong, MacNeil views them as necessary and as something that is unique to the United States. In essence, a necessary growth that only makes the United States grow into a better country. Thus, making it more diverse.

    Read More

  • Ebonics

    823 Words  | 2 Pages

    It is apparent that there are many types of dialect within American English. The coexisting of two or more languages, either serving together in the same area or servicing different areas, is as old as language itself (Pei 106). This has happened throughout time and appears to be inevitable. It is impossible to believe an entire country could conform to one language, and then only one dialect of that language. Throughout history societies have survived for some time using different languages until these language barriers tore territories apart. It is apparent how, in America, barriers between dialects separate black men from white men even more than physical conditions.

    Read More

  • When Cultures Collide: The Challenges of Raising African Children in a Foreign Country

    735 Words  | 2 Pages

    Another difficulty cultures deal with is language and the way people speak. In some cases, people struggle to belong by making changes in the way they speak the English language just to be assimilated. They attempt to use words and letters, as well as body language that fit in the norm; all in an attempt to denounce their original intonation and style of pronunciation. One ...

    Read More

  • Easy Writer By Andrea A Lunsford Analysis

    1626 Words  | 4 Pages

    The key to this as Lunsford sees it is appropriateness, and when to change the message to help the audience understand or when a change may be a misstep. One variety of the English language is "standard" or "standard academic" language, this type of language is most commonly used in schools or business settings. However, Lunsford expresses that although standard English is the most common form of language used, it can also vary depending on the purpose or the readers. After that Lunsford describes, the varieties of language that can induce a sense of place or community. The author illustrates ways a writer can take advantage of the local colloquial expressions or slang to further induce a sense of place. Lastly, Lunsford depicts how the English language can create credibility with a community. Lunsford explains that the ancestry and heritage of people remain with them in their language, and a writer can use both standard and local language to assist them in building credibility within a community. But Lunsford does warn writers not to use this tactic if they are not a member of the community or culture as it can have the reverse effect. Consequently, this will demolish the

    Read More

  • The Legality of the US Invasion of Iraq

    2172 Words  | 5 Pages

    In early 2003, the threat of Saddam Hussein and the possibility of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq captured the attention and concern of the world. One nation decided to illegally act on these unsubstantiated claims, invading the country, violating the UN Charter and breaking several international laws in the process. The penalizations that were subject to the invading country, the United States, were never carried out. The United State’s role and influence over the UN and the Security Council, along with the nature of the unenforceable, politics and power-based international laws, allowed them to escape sanctions after their invasion of Iraq. The United States did not have a legitimate reason for invading, and their ability to repudiate international law would be unacceptable for any other country. Their decision to invade Iraq was one based on money and politics, and the US should be subject to penalties just as any other nation would have to face after unnecessarily waging war on a nation.

    Read More

  • Jean Piaget's Theory Of Development

    2337 Words  | 5 Pages

    Leo Vygotsky was born in 1896 and died at the young age of 37, so a lot of his theories are incomplete simply because he hadn’t had the time to do the research. His theory is a cultural- historical theory, the main focal point of the theory is the role of culture and social interactions the child has with others which able him/her to develop. The first main assumption of Vygotsky’s theory is that when a child communicates with an adult, the adult is able to channel how their culture thinks and feels about the world on to the child. An example of this from my own experience is that with no conversation with any adult, me being a child had no idea about food and how food differs from country to county until it was explained to me. As a child my parents would often explain what types of food belong to our country and what different types of food belong to other countries as well as where the specific foods came from. From having types of food explained to me from an adult, only then I began to understand our food culture. Vygotsky would explain this by me developing an understanding of food because of knowledge that someone else is reflecting on to

    Read More

  • The Strengths and Weaknesses of the Sociocultural Perspective

    1000 Words  | 2 Pages

    Psychology is one of the newest sciences. Because it is the science of the mind and behavior, it is also less concrete than some of the other sciences. Over the years, social scientists have developed theories or perspectives based off of their observations, research, and the perspectives of other scientists. Although there is some overlap, each of the major perspectives of psychology is unique. As a result, they each have strengths and weaknesses and explain psychology in a different way. One theory, the sociocultural perspective, is exactly what its name suggests. It’s the idea that the society and groups that an individual belongs to are what influences development, thoughts, and behavior. The sociocultural perspective was pioneered by a Russian psychologist, Lev Vygotsky, in the 1920’s (John-Steiner, 1998). Vygotsky stressed the idea that children learn through what he called guided participation (Sigelman, 2009). His theory was that children develop through interactions with parents, teachers, and other knowledgeable members of the culture and are given tools to adopt the group’s way of thinking.

    Read More

  • Piaget And Vygotsky Essay

    1604 Words  | 4 Pages

    For Vygotsky, children are seen as active beings on their development through social interactions with parents, teachers, and other adults, as well as by participating in their cultural activities. The interactions they have with other individuals and their culture opens their minds to new information and helps develop skills not previously attained. To further understand cognitive development in Piaget and Vygotsky’s theory, we must first look at the processes involved.

    Read More

  • Joseph’s Dialect in Wuthering Heights

    1322 Words  | 3 Pages

    Analyzing dialects can be difficult due to the fact that is it hard to transcribe the pronunciation of an individual dialect because English is not spelled the same way it is pronounced. Furthermore, one person’s interpretation of spelling a dialect might not match up with another’s, so the reader might not “hear” the dialect properly. Regardless, written versions of dialects are essential to discussing dialectical differences.

    Read More

  • Lev Semenovich Vygotsky's Theory Of Cognitive Development

    1726 Words  | 4 Pages

    Lev Semenovich Vygotsky is a sociocultural theorist that believed cognitive development occurs within ones environment and social interactions. People are a product of their environment and will likely retain information and acquire similar ideas to those that are around them. Vygotsky had multiple ideas supporting his theory, such as cultural tools, psychological tools, language, scaffolding, and the zone of proximal development.

    Read More

  • Vygotsky's Social Development Theory

    702 Words  | 2 Pages

    Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934) has developed a sociocultural approach to cognitive development. He developed his theories at around the same time as Jean Piaget was starting to develop his ideas (1920's and 30's), but he died at the age of 38 and so his theories are incomplete - although some of his writings are still being translated from

    Read More

  • The Influence of Interactions on Child Development

    1393 Words  | 3 Pages

    Socio-cultural theorists emphasize that much of the development takes place though direct interaction between children and other people e.g. parents, teachers, siblings and so on. Lev Vygotsky (1934) argued that this interaction helps children to acquire the skills and knowledge that are valued by their culture. Children are active learners, constructing knowledge, skills, and attitudes, not just mirroring the world around them. Essentially, the history and the culture of the society in which a child grows up and the events making up a child’s personal history determine much more than what that child knows or likes. It also determines which mental tools the child will learn and how these tools will shape the child’s mind.

    Read More

  • Language And Social Language: Social Class And Language

    1659 Words  | 4 Pages

    The American class system is divided into three sets of social categories: upper class, middle class, and lower class. These class divisions are determined based on an individual’s status and power in the society and may also be determined through an individual’s education, occupation, and income. Having a divided society based on social and economic status leads to the formation of different conversational styles. The use of standard or nonstandard English dialects often reflect an individual’s social class and it will vary according to the social group one is categorized. Language is affected by the social structure because individuals will differ from one another in the way an individual speak. Being divided by

    Read More

  • Development of the English Language

    1048 Words  | 3 Pages

    113-117. 151-195. The. English: A Linguistic Tool Kit, (2012), (U214, Worlds of English, DVD ROM), Milton Keynes, The Open University. English in the World, (2012), (U214, Worlds of English, DVD ROM), Milton Keynes, The Open University.

    Read More

  • Similarities Between American English And British English

    1029 Words  | 3 Pages

    In a sociolinguist perspective “the idea of a spoken standardized language is a hypothetical construct” (Lippi-Green, 2012, pp. 57). They are the form of Britain English and American English that are used in textbooks and on broadcasting. Giles and Coupland observe that “A standard variety is the one that is most often associated with high socioeconomic status, power and media usage in a particular community” (1991, p. 38). Both native speakers and learners of English, where English is taught as a second or foreign language (hereafter ESL/EFL), speak dialect of English in everyday conversation (Kachru, 2006, pp. 10-11; Owens 2012, p.

    Read More

More about Dialects

Open Document