Black%20and%20White%20Styles%20of%20Communication%20in%20Conflict

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Black and White Styles of Communication in
Conflict

• By Professor Alan D. DeSantis

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A Brief History of English

• 1) Around 400 years ago, the English settled
  (invaded) North America
• They brought their language customs settled
  along Americas Eastern Coast
• From Georgia to Massachusetts (the original 13)
• 2) With time, this spatial separation created
  sub-dialects that are still heard today (about 12
  of them)
• New York vs. Mississippi vs. Appalachian vs.
  Vermont Talk
• Differences in accent, pace, vocabulary,
  phrasing, grammar
• 3) But perhaps the most distinctive of all
  American dialects is Black English
• Shaped by English, African, and Southern speech

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English Comes to America
New England Dialect
New Jersey/York Dialect
Appalachia Dialect
Black Dialect
Southern Dialect
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A Brief History of English

• 4) Through the course of the last 300 years,
  Black English has developed its own vocabulary,
  accent, rules for grammar, nonverbal cues, dress,
  walk, and CULTURE.
• From California to New Jersey to Mississippi,
  Black English still shares many common linguistic
  elements
• 5) As with all languages, however, our American
  dialects began to be culturally ranked
• Since the seats of power (and ) ranged from
  Washington to Boston, Standard English became
  the way those people spoke

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A Brief History of English

• 6) The Problem
• A) All who speak differently, are taught to feel
  bad about their language patterns
• Thus, the Southern, Appalachian, and Black
  dialects are considered bad English
• B) We forget that standard English is nothing
  but a dialect that developed along side the 7
  other American dialects (Black English being one
  of the 7)
• 7) While most of you in the class are familiar
  with the Southern/Kentucky dialect, most of us
  know very little about the Black Dialect
• Also called Black English or Ebonics

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7 Communication Differences
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Communication Differences

• 1) Black English Dialect is Different
• As with all American dialects, Black English has
  its own specific rules for 1) pronunciation (ax,
  spoze, po-lice, aunt), 2) vocabulary (phat), 3)
  syntax, 4) accent (all can recognize), and 5)
  grammar (are be)
• It is not a bastardized version of standard
  English It is its own linguistic form with its
  own laws of appropriateness.
• It is every bit as legitimate as any dialect in
  America (including North-Eastern, Southern, or
  Midwestern English)
• My boss Why cant those people speak right
• Whites uneducated unrefined

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Communication Differences

• 2) Call and Response Communication
• Traced back to Africa
• The black church, jazz, movies, clubs, talk
• Dr. CCTs movie, Apollo, churches, dance floor
  chanting, black classrooms (more interactive),
  interpersonal exchanges (overlapping)
• Whites interrupting, challenging, loud
• Blacks uninvolved and removed

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Communication Differences

• 3) Personal Style (Kotchman)
• A) The desire to have an individual style
• automobiles (personalized), sports celebration
  (Ali to Dion), dress (the 2 Tommys), names
  (Tashaun vs. Bob), womens church hats
• B) To differentiate from white culture
• Whites showing off, cockiness, not being a team
  player
• Blacks boring and conformist

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Communication Differences

• 4) Styles in Conflict and Emotion
• Blacks are more animated, louder, expressive
• Anger joy are openly expressed
• For whites, rational means calm/quite
• White culture separates mind emotions
• Mask your true feelings
• Whites violent, less rational, unrefined,
  childish
• Blacks cold, dispassionate, unemotional

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Communication Differences

• 5) Importance of Rhythm (Asante, Davis)
• Rhythm/groove permeates everything
• Walking, dancing, worshipping, Black step shows,
  marching bands, cheerleading
• Gospel, blues, R B, jazz, rock, and rap from
  only 12 of our population
• Research also shows that black talk is more
  rhythmic and syncopated than white talk (there is
  a grove)
• Whites feeling out of synch
• Blacks feeling out of synch

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Communication Differences

• 6) Black vocabulary is more dynamic
• White vocabulary is far more stable over time
• Black language is far more dynamic (perhaps the
  most dynamic language in the history of the
  world)
• Why
• A) Language is fun, not just a tool
• B) Illustrates personal style (see 3)
• C) White appropriation (forced to keep changing)
• Whites too complicated to try
• Blacks too boring, cold, and unimaginative

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Communication Differences

• 7) Nonverbal Cues
• Proxemics--Closer space
• Eye ContactReversed
• Greater while talking, less while listening
• Gestures--Greater use of body
• Handshakes, body movement, walk, etc...
• Touch--Higher touch culture (with each other)
• Volume of Speech--Loud Honest
• Whites too emotional and child-like
• Blacks too cold, removed, and dispassionate

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Communication Differences

• 8) Playful Use of Language
• Playin Dozens, Signifying, Dissing, Dogin
• White culture sees language as a stable tool
• Strive to speak clearly, precisely, consistently
• Black culture see language as dynamic art
• Strive to speak creatively imaginatively
• Illustrates style, rhythm, vocabulary
• Whites insulted (not my momma) or confused
• Blacks dispassionate, no fun or humor

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Concluding Thoughts

• 1) Remember, that all variations of English are
  dialectseven Standard English
• No one is objectively better than another
• 2) These differences make America the most
  interesting and diverse country in the World
• Do we really want all people to talk alike (talk
  like me)?
• Are you ready to give up your Southern dialect (
  culture)?
• Why should white America expect blacks to give up
  theirs?