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Chapter 4 The price we pay: An autobiographical dialogue of linguistic violence in the African diaspora

  • Kisha C. Bryan , Susan Githua , Daphne Germain , Mama Raouf and Renee Figuera
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The Weaponizing of Language in the Classroom and Beyond
This chapter is in the book The Weaponizing of Language in the Classroom and Beyond

Abstract

Representing different geographical areas and languages of the African diaspora, we engage in an autobiographical dialogue to examine the role(s) that racism, colonization, and standard language ideologies have played in their personal, social, and professional lives. We share the extremely high mental, economic, and sociocultural price that Black peoples who speak minority or local languages have had to pay. In reflecting on our personal, collective experiences in school and in society, we turn sociological eyes on our own lives and reflect on the ways that languages have been weaponized and have forced us to: 1) negotiate the teaching, learning, and/or use of our mother tongue(s) alongside the dominant languages in our particular contexts and 2) defend our (linguistic) identities. We conclude by suggesting a framework that promotes the resistance of harmful language practices (i.e., language weaponization) and policies through the concept of ‘Ujima,’ or work towards the common good to resolve problems that plague our linguistic communities.

Abstract

Representing different geographical areas and languages of the African diaspora, we engage in an autobiographical dialogue to examine the role(s) that racism, colonization, and standard language ideologies have played in their personal, social, and professional lives. We share the extremely high mental, economic, and sociocultural price that Black peoples who speak minority or local languages have had to pay. In reflecting on our personal, collective experiences in school and in society, we turn sociological eyes on our own lives and reflect on the ways that languages have been weaponized and have forced us to: 1) negotiate the teaching, learning, and/or use of our mother tongue(s) alongside the dominant languages in our particular contexts and 2) defend our (linguistic) identities. We conclude by suggesting a framework that promotes the resistance of harmful language practices (i.e., language weaponization) and policies through the concept of ‘Ujima,’ or work towards the common good to resolve problems that plague our linguistic communities.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Preface V
  3. Contents VII
  4. Chapter 1 An introduction to the weaponizing of language in the classroom and beyond 1
  5. Chapter 2 Language weaponization, missed opportunities, and transformational spaces in Bangladeshi English departments: A biographical perspective 13
  6. Chapter 3 Flipping the script: A collaborative autoethnography of agency and voices in the weaponization of bilingual education in Taiwan 35
  7. Chapter 4 The price we pay: An autobiographical dialogue of linguistic violence in the African diaspora 63
  8. Chapter 5 “That’s easy”: An analysis of speech acts in an instance of cross-cultural miscommunication 89
  9. Chapter 6 A critical look at ‘Pato’ y ‘Maricón’: Puerto Rican Gay teachers’ interventions with homophobic language 109
  10. Chapter 7 The weaponization of Setswana: Implications for marginalized languages in Botswana 127
  11. Chapter 8 Using your own language against you: Spanish in U.S. classrooms 147
  12. Chapter 9 Banned books in K-12 classrooms: Weaponization of children and young adolescent literature 169
  13. Chapter 10 French variations and language weaponization in US higher education 191
  14. Chapter 11 Dismantling weaponizing language in teacher preparation programs 213
  15. Afterword: Language weaponization and its harm 231
  16. Editors 237
  17. Contributors 239
  18. Index 243
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110799521-004

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Preface V
  3. Contents VII
  4. Chapter 1 An introduction to the weaponizing of language in the classroom and beyond 1
  5. Chapter 2 Language weaponization, missed opportunities, and transformational spaces in Bangladeshi English departments: A biographical perspective 13
  6. Chapter 3 Flipping the script: A collaborative autoethnography of agency and voices in the weaponization of bilingual education in Taiwan 35
  7. Chapter 4 The price we pay: An autobiographical dialogue of linguistic violence in the African diaspora 63
  8. Chapter 5 “That’s easy”: An analysis of speech acts in an instance of cross-cultural miscommunication 89
  9. Chapter 6 A critical look at ‘Pato’ y ‘Maricón’: Puerto Rican Gay teachers’ interventions with homophobic language 109
  10. Chapter 7 The weaponization of Setswana: Implications for marginalized languages in Botswana 127
  11. Chapter 8 Using your own language against you: Spanish in U.S. classrooms 147
  12. Chapter 9 Banned books in K-12 classrooms: Weaponization of children and young adolescent literature 169
  13. Chapter 10 French variations and language weaponization in US higher education 191
  14. Chapter 11 Dismantling weaponizing language in teacher preparation programs 213
  15. Afterword: Language weaponization and its harm 231
  16. Editors 237
  17. Contributors 239
  18. Index 243
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