Smitherman Response

• 1 before you read activity
• I don't think that I have ever judged someone based off of how they spoke without seeing them. I think that this is because I was brought up to accept people for how they are. I know that if someone just heard me speak they wouldn't think that I was not educated or understanding of what I was saying.
• summaray
• In her article Smitherman ties ethnicity and background to language and identity. She says that the color of your skin determines how you speak and react to things others say to you. She separates English into two types; White English and Black English. She mentions that "Proper English" takes away from the individual and their identity. 
• synthesis (connect to at least 3 other articles)
• I tied Smitherman's article to that of McCloud, with the masks. In different situations and with different types of people you speak differently and that affects your identity as well as your "English" style. Smitherman also ties to Wardel who speaks about identity and belonging. Also ties to Swales with lexus, which is specific language tied to the community.  
• dialectical notebook (at least 4 quotations)

• Response	Quote
  This statement shows that English has not always been the top language that people spoke dominately.	You see, from the Jump, the English language itself, didn't command no respect, for Latin was the lingo of the elite. pg 189
  She explains here that race and social class tie into the way you speak and learn.	Both authorities and norms are based on race and class position and is simply attempts to make the "outsiders" talk like the "insiders". pg 190
  This statement says that no matter how educated you are if you are lower class you will not be seen/respected in the academic setting.	See, an idiomatic phrase like this comes from a "lower class" dialect (and a people) and gets no respect. pg 190
  She says for teachers to look past proper English and just stick to teaching the basics and not focusing on which English students are speaking.	Now, my advice to teachers is to overlook these matters of sheer mechanical "correctness" and get on with the educational business at hand.

  
  
• Smitherman QD7
• If you are not aware of the terms that you need to agree with, or are unable to provide for the needs of the community you will not be accepted and not be able to make progress and move up in levels of authority in the group. 
• your thoughts
• This article made me think of how language is specific to not only discourse communities but also ethnicity. Different types of people speak differently depending on where they are, who they are talking to, and what they are talking about. I think that she could have written more about different communities and their way of speaking rather than only white and black people. Her article seems very biased.