Photo by Allan Warren, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
As part of our exploration of the links between language, identity, power, and culture, we were asked to read and the following piece by James Baldwin, a 20th-century writer who was known for including racial and class-related themes in much of his work. In this piece, entitled “If Black English Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?”, Baldwin explores the power and story of Black English, and makes a case for why it should be considered a language rather than a dialect. We were asked to explore the following aspects in our analysis:
How does Baldwin:
- Express the power of language
- Illustrate the links between language and identity, and language and culture
- Critique cultural hierarchies in terms of language
Consider not just WHAT he is saying, but how (stylistic devices) and why (in terms of his audience, purpose etc.)
Today, the definition of language is “a system of communication used by a particular country or community” (Oxford Dictionaries, 2020). This is a rather vague definition, and this has lead to many arguments as to which systems of communication can be considered languages, and which are simply subsets of those languages, or dialects. While many would see “black English” as a dialect, James Baldwin gives his account of why black English should be considered a language through this essay.
One of Baldwin’s main points through this piece is how language “incontestably, reveals the speaker” and their identity, upbringing, and background. He gives the example of the variety of accents and dialects in England and says that “to open your mouth in England is to… [confess] your parents, your youth, your school, your salary, your self-esteem, and, alas, your future.” While Baldwin may have used mild hyperbole in this statement, the effect of it is profound, especially on international readers- language can truly represent the identity of a person. Baldwin also connects language to a wider sense of cultural identity and belonging, writing that language “connects one with, or divorces one from, the larger, public, or communal identity.” He gives the example of the French language, which, when used in France, is different to “that the man from Guadeloupe, or Martinique, is saying, to say nothing of the man from Senegal”. Thus, Baldwin shows us how identity and culture can shape and transform languages, and by giving examples, sets this idea up to be used in the context of black English.
Baldwin also explores the link between language and power. He writes that “people evolve a language in order to describe and thus control their circumstances”, and to have power over our messy world. He uses a metaphor to further explain the need for language- if one cannot explain the world around us and our own internal worlds, they may be “submerged by a reality that they cannot articulate”. He later explains how this relates to the origins of black English. Since the slaves who were brought to America were from different tribes and countries, they could not communicate. This is what allowed the practice of slavery to continue for so long, and only by forming their own language could these slaves be united and gain some sort of power. Language was their tool, their journey to freedom to power- why shouldn’t it be recognised?
Finally, Baldwin uses language to critically evaluate ‘cultural hierarchies’. He refers to the seeming contempt that white people (and by extension, other POC) in America have for black language, yet how easily they integrate it into their language. As Baldwin elucidates, “It is not the black child’s language… that is despised: It is his experience”- the experience of gaining freedom, of “beating” white people. This is why the language can remain, but it’s creators are still persecuted and ostracised. Because black people can never achieve the same status and equality of white people, they are forced to stick to their roots, their culture, and their language. With this story, Baldwin is able to articulate just how important black English remains to the community, and why it deserves to still be recognised as an important part of black culture.
Baldwin’s use of numerous different examples of the power of language, as well as his vivid language and use of rhetorical devices, help to convey just why black English needs to be recognised as a language, and celebrated. His use of stories helps readers, especially those unaware of the history of Black English, to fully understand the extent to which black English has been integrated into American English, and how it continues to be used against black people, despite it being their tool for power. Outside of the discussion of black English, Baldwin makes it clear that language is a very powerful tool, one that is fluid and ever-changing, and that most of all, gives us the power to navigate our chaotic, hostile world.