Procure Talkin And Testifyin: The Language Of Black America (Revised) Authored By Geneva Smitherman Copy

cool. in contesting, implicitly, the existence of a 'standard English,' perhaps sets up rival amp antithetical standard black englishes, which may not be persuasive, So far, the only interesting thing I've read this semester, Grad school FTF. A classic that's certainly still worth the read, The first five chapters explore Black English itself, not only grammar and pronunciation but also discourse patterns and aspects of the oral tradition, The final two chapters explored the ideology around "standard" English, particularly within education, Though writtenyears ago, the recommendations for our schools and our society are still relevant and badly needed today, I guess I should add a few things I'm reading for my thesis, . . Note to self: do more thesis research this summer! I actually got the chance to read this for a course I took on Black poetry last fall and recently finished reading the chapters that weren't required for the course.
Now I understand why they weren't required,

Stylistically it's set up weird, which causes some of the chapters muchmuch longer than they need to be, There are grammatical errors that I just could not get over, but I Smitherman has a way with words that keep you interested and entertained while reading.


She does state some things that are more opinionsided, but I find that a lot with many of these types of books,

I have to say, Smitherman definitely did her research on this book, That being said, it's a great reference book, but other than that, it leaves much to be desired, But overall, she does give a wonderful insight on syntax, rhetoric and style, This was a great book that made me think about differences in language that I have never thought

of before, Many people listen to African Americans talk and they claim to not understand what they are saying, This is particularly true for older Caucasians listening to younger African Americans talking,

However, Talkin and Testifyin breaks the language patterns down and traces the history of why some people talk differently from us,

Great examples, awesome organization of material and highly informative reading, Interesting and easy to read, Read as part of my research for my undergraduate dissertation, Seminal text on understanding the beauty and richness of the language of AfricanAmericans, this was another book I leaned heavily on for my Senior Thesis, Just reread it a couple of months ago, In her book, Geneva Smitherman makes a substantial contribution to an understanding of Black English by setting it in the larger context of Black culture and life style.
In addition to defining Black English, by its distinctive structure and special lexicon, Smitherman argues that the Black dialect is set apart from traditional English by a rhetorical style which reflects its African origins.
Smitherman also tackles the issue of Black and White attitudes toward Black English, particularly as they affect educational policy,



Documenting her insights with quotes from notable Black historical, literary and popular figures, Smitherman makes clear that Black English is as legitimate a form of speech as British, American, or Australian English.
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