00:01
Welcome, listeners to today's episode of Combating language. Ideologies. I'm your host, Megan
Broscritto, and my goal is to bring awareness to the topic of questioning and unlearning
systematic and common sense notions of linguistic supremacy and racialized language
hierarchies.
00:14
So before we get into our discussion, I'll start off by giving you some background on the
information for our topic. When an individual refers to the common sense notions of linguistic
supremacy, they are talking about the overall, quote on quote accepted way that people speak
to one another.
00:28
This meaning, for example, in the classroom, when a student comes from a different
background and their language is influenced by this background, it is often frowned upon that
they are taught to speak hypothetically what is correct.
00:38
This leads into the hierarchy aspect of language. For any of our listeners who are unfamiliar with
the term hierarchy, this is when something is ranked higher or seen as better than something
else based on its status or authority.
00:49
When it comes to language in classrooms or society in general, the accepted way to
communicate is the top of this social hierarchy due to its status. In our podcast today's episode,
I would like to stress the importance of questioning this linguistic hierarchy and unlearning it due
to the fact that incorporating cultural language into schools and societies would be beneficial to
all.
01:09
Hypothetically, by the end of this podcast, you guys can see how strong of an impact, including
our culture into our everyday linguistic style can really be. There are several examples regarding
why following language hierarchies pose a threat to society.
01:20
Some that come quickly to mind are taking away someone's cultural background and stripping
them of their individuality, or, if this continues, possibly the erasure of overall culture. Lastly, by
following the hypothetical correct linguistic patterns, 1 may feel less comfortable communicating
with others because they fear sounding uneducated or overall wrong.
01:39
My sociolinguistics group and I have analyzed several sources speaking further on this topic,
which we believe is important to share with all of you. The first source that I'll be introducing is a
short Ted Talk given by Jamila Lysicott.
01:51
Lysicott shares her personal story, which touches upon the linguistic hierarchy when she was
targeted by another woman about the way that she speaks. Jamila is of African American
descent, and when she came across another woman, she was being looked at strangely and
was

02:03
Addressed saying that she was articulate. With that being said, here is Jamila Lysicott’s Ted
Talk.
02:15
Today, a baffled lady observed the show when my soul dwells and announced that I’m articulate.
Which means that when it comes to enunciation addiction I don’t even think of it cause I’m
articulate
02:33
So when my professor asks a question and my answer is tainted with the connotation of
urbanized suggestion there's no
02:41
misdirected intention pay attention cause I’m articulate so when my father asked what kind of
thing is this my articulate answer
02:51
never goes amiss I say father this is the impending problem at hand and when I’m on the block I
switch it up just because I can do when my boy says what's good with you son I say I just fall
out with them people but I done
03:07
And sometimes in class I might pause the intellectual sounding flow to ask yo why these books
never be about my peoples yes I have decided to treat all three of my languages as equal
because I’m articulate
03:22
But who controls articulation because the english language is a multifaceted oration subject to
indefinite transformation now you may think that it is ignorant to speak broken english but I’m
here to tell you
03:36
That even articulate Americans sound foolish to the British soul. When my professor comes on
the block and says hello I stop him and say
03:44
No, you’re being inarticulate. The proper way is to say what’s good. Now, you may think that’s
too hood, that’s not cool, but I’m here to tell you that even our language has rules so when
mommy mocks me and says y’all be made going to the store
04:02
I say mommy, no, that sentence is not following the law. Never does the word mad go before a
present participle that’s simply the principle of this english if I had the vocal capacity I would sing
this from every mountain top
04:16
Every suburbia and every hood cause the only god of language is the one recorded in the
genesis of this world saying it is good so I may not always come before you with excellency of
speech but do not judge me
04:29

By my language and assume that I’m too ignorant to teach because I speak three tongues one
for each home school and friends I’m a trilingual orator sometimes I’m consistent with my
language now they switch it up so I don’t ball later
04:42
Sometimes I fight back two tongues while I use the other one in the classroom and when I
mistakenly mix them up I feel crazy like I’m cooking in the bathroom
04:52
I know that I had to borrow your language because mines were stolen but you can’t expect me
to speak your history wholly while mines is broken these words are spoken by someone who
was simply fed up with
05:08
the eurocentric ideals of the season and the reason I speak a composite version of your
language is because mines was raped away along with my history I speak broken English or the
profusing gashes can
05:21
remind us that our current state is not a mystery I’m so tired of the negative images that are
driving my people made so unless you’ve seen it rob a bank stop calling my hair bad
05:34
I’m so sick of the nonsensical racial disparity so don’t call it good unless your hair is known for
donating to charity as much as has been raped away from our people how can you expect me
to treat their imprint on your language as anything less than equal
05:53
Let there be no confusion let there be no hesitation this is not a promotion of ignorance this is a
linguistic celebration that’s why I put trilingual on my last job application
06:07
I can help diversify your consumer market is all I wanted them to know and when they call me
for the interview I’ll be more than happy to show that I can say what’s good, what ta’aguan, and
of course hello.
06:21
Because I’m articulate thank you
06:27
What we can take away is, since the woman Jamila interacted with saw she was African
American, she assumed that she didn't know how to speak American English properly.
06:35
This is a clear example of existence of the language hierarchy in our society. Rather than
automatically assuming that a person is not articulate because of their race, ethnicity, or
nationality, we should encourage everyone to communicate as they please and apply their
culture as much as possible without it being viewed as incorrect or uneducated.
06:52
When it comes to articulation, Jamila says the English language is multifaced orientation,
subject to definite transformation. I think Jamila's story is a key example of how wrong the
linguistic hierarchy is, as well as the problem that it plays in our society.
07:07

To add to this Ted Talk, there are a few other examples that I would like to share with you guys.
The first one is another podcast given by the vocal Fries called Don't Mind the Gap. In this
podcast,
07:15
Dr. Nelson Flores explains how the early years of European colonialism introduced the practice
of using racial linguistic ideologies in order to dehumanize indigenous communities. Dr. Flores
has one specific quote that I think everyone should hear in their life we have naturalized and
normalized all of the dominant ideologies about what language is or should be.
07:35
Take a moment to pause and reflect on what your ideology of language is or should be. Have
you ever had an idea of what the correct way of speaking is? Do you ever believe that your
native tongue was inferior or superior to another language of speaking?
07:47
Another example that I would like to share comes from a source titled Language on the Move
called Explorations in Language Shaming. The title of the article is enough alone to get the
theme across. However, it's included a few quotes I would like all of you to think about.
08:00
The first one is media campaigns are face to face interactions that deride, disparage, or demean
particular ways of using language. It sort of reveals the same message that I want to express to
all of you
08:12
The theme that language shaming can have results of low self esteem, lack of self worth, and
social alienation. In some schools today, teachers are often guilty of shaming their students for
the way that they communicate.
08:23
This kind of shaming can be detrimental for people to develop human relationships,
communicate with others, and develop a sense of belonging. Not only can it negatively impact
someone socially, but according to the article, it may also jeopardize people's overall
educational success, including achievement in the subject area.
08:40
Now, I want you all to reflect on that as well. Take a moment to pause and think. Have you ever
been in a situation where you were shamed by an authoritative figure or a teacher for the
language you speak or for your articulation?
08:52
Have you ever witnessed someone else being shamed for speaking their native language? If
you were a witness, did you stand up for this person who is being shamed? Consider what I've
shared so far. What would you have done to stop the shaming?
09:03
As I wrap up this episode, I want to reference a book by April Baker Bell called Linguistic Justice
because it takes everything that was talked about in a full circle. In the book, it says Antiblack
linguistic racism more accurately captures the dehumanization that black language speakers
endure when using their language across multiple contexts, including classrooms.
09:23

And it details the way that anti-Blackness in language education positions Black
language-speaking students as linguistically, intellectually, and morally inferior.
09:32
This piece of information accurately describes how not only can the way someone who speaks
be penalized for it, but they endure a racist filled experience, which nobody should have.
09:42
The author of this book makes it clear that many black students today are being stripped of their
ability to use their native way of speaking as a resource to assist them with language and
learning. And I think that it is extremely unfair.
09:54
Going back to what was mentioned before, this can bring about a decrease in social interactions
amongst students. It can make them feel inferior and even incapable of progressing in their
educational experiences.
10:04
The main point that I want to get across is that there is no proper way to speak English. The
best ways that we can all practice unlearning linguistic supremacy and racialized language
hierarchies are by understanding five main points.
10:16
First, understanding language variation and its overall importance. Second, knowing that
language is human,
10:23
Third, keeping in mind that all varieties of language are on an equal playing field. Fourth,
accepting that language varies because it is always changing and accepting it. And fifth,
grasping the idea that you have to speak a certain way in order to sound smart gets us to a root
that is saturated with racism, colonialism, and imperialism.
10:40
I hope that you keep either some, or all, of the five points in your mind as you come across new
people who all hail from different cultural backgrounds and communicate differently.
10:49
Thank you all for tuning into this episode of combatting language ideologies, have a great day
and don’t forget to keep an open mind whenever you're interacting with other people.