Response to "From Ghetto Lady to Critical Linguist"

This piece of literature really makes me think about my Great grandparents because they come from the south and they speak Ebonics, or in such a way that is referred to in the text as "ghetto,"or "country" talk. It really makes me think about or perhaps wonder what sort of challenges they may have faced when migrating to the northern half of our country during a time where racism, segregation, and discrimination were clearly present, and very much so active. It makes me think about if the way they spoke, amongst other things such as being African American had an effect on what they were able to accomplish in there lives at the time. I wonder if they felt out of place or out of tune with other African Americans who were born or perhaps grew up in the north and did not speak in the same manner as they did. I wonder if they felt as if they needed to "code switch," like Smitherman mentions in the text, in order to fit in. I would not doubt it, because this is something that I do, and I have seen many other people fall into the habit of doing around me.

This code switching term is perhaps one of the most interesting subjects that Smitherman touches on in this particular piece of writing. She talks about it as being something that African American's do when they are around there Caucasian counterparts, meaning that if there is a white person in the room the usual language or manner in which it is spoken is altered. Now I believe this is very much so true but I don't think that it applies only to those of the African American descent. I think that it applies to all people from all races. For example you would not speak to your parents, professors, or bosses the same way in which you would speak to your friends, siblings or other peers. I do not think that code switching is something that is forced or at least not on my part, I think that it is something that is automatic. I believe it depends on your environment, you know that different environments require different behaviors. You wouldn't yell in library, you wouldn't run in a skirt, you wouldn't curse in a church. That is what I was able to gather from this text. It was very interesting and enjoyable to read.