26) Non-Standard Language is Not the Same as Sub-Standard
“A language is a dialect with an army and navy.” ~Max Weinreich
As I’ve traveled the world—and even different pockets of my home country—I have witnessed countless cases of people being treated better or worse based on their native tongue or regional dialect.
Some of us are lucky. I won the linguistic lottery simply by being born to parents who speak the current language of world commerce (English) and growing up in a region that uses the same dialect of English used on the nightly news. I never had to learn to speak a special way for job interviews. Not so for friends of mine who grew up speaking African American Vernacular English (AAVE), for example. They have had to learn to speak a different way if they want to gain employment and be perceived as educated professionals. But why must this be so? Contrary to what many crotchety grammar mavens claim, AAVE is not “improper” English; it is a full-fledged language system with a consistent structure, a rich vocabulary, and even the ability to express grammatical subtleties lacking in Standard American English (SAE).
To me, making judgements about someone’s character, intelligence, or trustworthiness based on the specific vibrations of their vocal chords is just as bad as judgements based on their skin pigment.
27) Every Act of Communication is an Act of Translation Return to the List
