Describes and explains the sociolinguistic factors that affect the performance of black children speaking standard English. Uses data from a 2-year study of black speech and bidialectalism involving 40 adults and 76 students to show how the black community and its children have difficulty learning proper English because of their incompatible…

Learning about how language works not only gives students a better grounding in English; it also provides insights into the nature of what it means to be human. Language is both universal and a key element of human diversity. In becoming schooled in linguistic aspects of diversity, students become aware of their own language choices and the…

The present study focused on investigating (a) what authentic texts were used and (b) how they were used for instruction in three elementary schools, where learners' L1/D1 was a Caribbean Creole. Three findings emerged: First, teachers focused considerable attention on developing students' vocabularies and knowledge of English grammar. Second,…

The three conditions given in the literature for the pervasiveness of linguistic insecurity (a speaker's attitude toward his or her own speech revealed in face to face interaction through the upward or downward shift of language forms) exist in the case of speakers of the Spanish vernacular of Puerto Rico. The conditions are: the rise of a middle…

This study is an inquiry into the processes of linguistic adaptation. Its purpose was to investigate the factors which are likely to influence change and retention of regional dialects outside of their regional context. Specifically, the focus of the study was on native Oklahoma speech in the Tulare area of rural California. Data were gathered…

The collection of papers bearing on language and poverty comprising this book includes: "Some Preliminaries and Prospects" (F. Williams); "Teaching Reading in an Urban Negro School System" (J. Baratz); "A Sociolinguistic Approach to Socialization" (B. Bernstein); "Some Philosophical Influences Underlying Preschool Intervention for Disadvantaged…

This paper examines the factors within the environments of the classroom that contribute to intellectual retardation among the disadvantaged. To pinpoint the factors involved, educators must consider (1) the language barrier, (2) how it is formed, (3) at what level is it retarding the pupil, (4) What educational approaches are needed to meet the…

This article discusses the various dialects of English spoken in Liberia and analyzes the problems of Liberian students in writing compositions in English. Errors arise mainly from differences in culture and cognition, not from superficial linguistic problems. (CFM)

This paper specifically focuses on the balance between local dialect and the language standard through the examination of generational markers reflecting upheaval and social transformation, as presented from a case study from Denmark, conducted over 8 years in three field trips. Generation is redefined as experiencing specific socio-historical…

This is an introductory study of the mutual intelligibility among the various dialects and languages in the Manitowinini family. Specific languages considered include Powhatan, Lenape, Natick, Otchipwe, and Nanticoke. The goal of the study is not merely to comprehend inter-tribal relations better, but also to discover the actual…

In order to test whether certain structures characteristic of West African languages are also present in the Negro English dialect of Natchitoches Parich, Louisiana, 355 short autobiographical papers written by Negro high school students were analyzed. Another 355 papers written by white high school students were used as controls. The papers were…

Verbal and nonverbal patterns of communication found in the black community are discussed in this paper. They have been selected on the basis of their potential as interference factors in intergroup communication. A section on black language describes and explains the following categories: rapping, running it down, jiving, shucking, copping a…

The major aim of this book is to teach present or prospective teachers how to recognize the linguistic and cultural differences of their students. The essays selected for the anthology attempt to show how to make education more meaningful for the student by upgrading teachers' attitudes about minority cultures, developing a sensitivity to…

Many linguists, sociologists, and educators see the nonstandard form of speech used by African-American students as a substandard, imperfect copy of Standard English (SE), marred by a number of careless and ignorant errors, rather than as something to be studied and understood in its own right. Many African-American college students continue to…

Black English should not be used in elementary classrooms in place of standard English but along with it, giving students opportunities to develop use of both equally well.