Christopher Barrett
05/30/2014
Who’s English Is Better? In technical writing circles, it was once held that there is one precise and correct means of expressing a given idea (truth) such that no misinterpretation is possible. Although not every user of English is destined to be linguistic, I wonder whether we should teach students about the variety of brushes available. Giving students the ability to write in their own way opens the gates for self expression, as well as giving students a way to write comfortably, following an easier understanding for some readers. Young writers automatically link to colloquial writing also known as Black American English simply because it is more convenient. Black American English also known as Black Vernacular, the dialect of English often spoken by African Americans in urban and southern regions, is also known an "African American Vernacular English. A lot of young people first come to creative writing because they have a burning desire to express themselves. Emotions are running high, ideas are flying, and opinions are in full supply. In the moment of writing the student will most likely write just as they speak. African-American dialects tend to drop the [t] from words like rest and soft. They likewise tend to drop the [r] sound in words like bird, four, door, and father. With this being so the writing, to scholars and educated readers, is perceived as improper and incorrect. Black American English often uses the emphatic done to stress completion of an act. For instance, "He done did it" provides a more forceful alternative to the Standard English "He's already done it." Being able to express ideas in this language gives the writer an advantage on expressing themselves throughout the piece. Language is a way people express themselves with words. The word "language" is also used to refer to a group of related dialects,