Over the past few years I’ve realized that I don’t support the notion of Standard English. I mean, I don’t like using the term; I think it’s an inaccurate term, especially for me as an African-American. A few years ago I did a cursory examination of when this idea became socially acceptible and it seemed to be in the late 1700’s. There was apparently some committee that was elected to reside over not only what would be the United States’ official language but also what would be it’s official dialect. Given the fact that at this time African-Americans were forced slaves, it was illegal for them to become “educated”, and we were considered less than fully human, it follows that we didn’t get to vote on what the “Standard” would be. Since this is the standard and our country touts itself on being a democracy, shouldn’t all groups of people at least have a representative to vote on this important issue. Sad to say, this didn’t happen. Because of this, which is my main reason for abandoning the term “Standard” English, I now use the term mainstream when refering to the dialect that is used by the dominant culture and that is seen as “normal” and “average”.
Of course these are loaded words that benefit certain groups of people and marginalized other groups. I mean, “proper” English, who came up with that? Who does it benefit? If mainstream English is deemed proper, then what does that make everything else, improper? See what I mean. As I see it, this dialect, which isn’t superior to any other dialect of English (according to leading linguists), has become symbolic for success, intelligence, and professionalism. Who do these stereotypes benefit? Who pettled and postulated these views? African-Americans have their own dialect. Again, this dialect isn’t inferior to any other by any stretch of the imagination, but how is this dialect portrayed? Who foisted onto the world the stereotypes that come along with Black English or Ebonics? Who came up with the term broken English? African-Americans, not likely.
As an educator, I always encourage my students to master mainstream English. I tell them that they need to master various languages and various forms of the English language. This mastery is necessary to navigate through this world, but along with this encouragement comes the encouragement to keep their home language, whatever it may be. I tell them to not look down on thier languages–it’s certain people that are out for themselves that perpetuate the idea that difference equates to deficient. Assimilating, in this case replacing ones home language with mainstream, often times leaves one ostrasized from their home community. The more people one can communicate with, the better. For example, if I can teach a class in a dialect that isn’t a hinderance to my students, if I can speak to and translate for the Latino fellow-worker at my job, and if I can relate through language to people hustling on a street corner, why wouldn’t I? The point is to never have language as a barrier. Of course there will always be circumstances where this barrier is there, but the fewer times the better.
