Question #1
Reflect on your experiences with language and power in a personal or professional setting and write 2-3 paragraphs where you:
(1) describe your experience
(2) tell how the experience impacted your perspective on language and powe
(3) demonstrate the grammar and writing skills covered in the course so fa
Question #2
Read below essay and answer the following:
· How are your experiences the same or different?
· What do you think is the source of any similarities or differences between your and your classmate's experiences with language and power?
· What insight have you gained from reading about your classmate's experience?
· What insight might you offer your classmate regarding he
his experience?
Essay For question 2:
Language and Powe
My experience with language and power can be exemplified through the YouTube video that showed the last performance of Bo Burnham in New York City. The video starts light-hearted with commentary on viewing a Kanye West concert, the width of a pringle can, and asking for too many ingredients for a bu
ito at Chipotle. Although these initial topics seem humorous, it paved the way for a more in-depth conversation of Burnhams' declining mental health. He sets up his delivery by mentioning Kanye West and how he gave a rant/song over autotune, which sets up Burnhams' choice of delivery for his act. As the autotune plays, Burnham proceeds to talk about the width of a Pingle's can and how impossible it is to fit inside of the can, which can be interpreted into two ways, the initial surface-level humor about manufacturing or a metaphor to describe trying to achieve an unattainable goal. This introduction will soon be transfe
ed into a musical rant over ordering too much at Chipotle and Burnham uses this as a metaphor for his declining mental health, "I wouldn't have got the lettuce if I knew it wouldn't fit / I wouldn't have got the cheese if I knew it wouldn't fit / I wouldn't have got the peppers if I knew it wouldn't fit / I wouldn't have got half of it." Burnham is saying that he would not have done so much if he knew he mentally could not handle this level of fame and expectations, which can add more meaning to the introduction of his rant.
This experience impacted my view of language because Burnham had created a platform to talk about his mental health through humor. Burnhams' use of a Kanye-West-styled rant with autotune skewing his voice is a
illiant way to deliver a difficult speech in a more digestible way. Also, using a rant on the width of pringles and the circumference of a bu
ito as a metaphor for feeling overwhelmed and underachieving was
illiant. The introduction poses a dual form of meaning, depending on how you watch the video. If you only see Burnhams' rant on Pringle's, this just comes across as an over-dramatic speech on Pringle's. However, used in conjunction with his bu
ito rant creates an entirely different meaning. By being more overt about the connection to mental health in his speech, his rant's original meaning changes. What was a speech on the manufacturing of Pingle cans turns into a metaphor of the fear of underachieving and not reaching your goal. This duality is
illiant as it also plays into how the happiest people can also be our most sad. How a comedian, someone whose job is to deliver humor to the masses, faces mental health problems.
Question #3:
Truss, L. (2012, August). The harm when schools play down grammar. New York Times. https:
www.nytimes.com
oomfordebate/2012/08/13/is-our-children-learning-enough-grammar-to-get-hired/the-harm-when-schools-play-down-gramma
Reflect on the assigned readings listed above for this week and the debate around grammar and professionalism. Then, write 2-3Â paragraphs where you:
(1) identify the reading selection that most resonated with you and why
(2) outline and justify your perspective on whether grammar should play a role in hiring and other professional decisions
(3) explain how your core values affect your perspective on language and powe
(4) demonstrate proper ve
tense and subject-ve
agreement, along with the other grammar and writing skills covered so far in the course
Question #4
Read below essay and answer the following
· How are your perspectives different?
· What do you think is the source of the differences between your and your classmate's perspectives on grammar and professionalism?
· What insight have you gained from reading about your classmate's perspective?
· What insight might you offer your classmate regarding he
his perspective?
Essay for Question 4:
The essay that resonated with me was "Good Applicants with Bad Grammar" by John McWhorter. His analysis focusing on lousy grammar for a job applicant whose position doesn't entail more than the occasional memo is an elitist issue that was very enlightening.Â
I can understand that grammar can play a role in the job market for higher-paying jobs that require extensive writing. However, for jobs that do not require large amounts of writing or are not a central focal point in your job description is elitist and can be described as a class issue. The education system in the United States is inherently unequal. Property taxes help fund schools; therefore, the more poor your community is, the less funding your school can receive. Also, the Supreme Court declared in San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez XXXXXXXXXXthat schools do not need to provide equality or equal advantages. Therefore, the level of education that a person receives will be dictated by their parent's income, which should have no bearing on a child's education. Therefore, to deny someone access to job opportunities that could create upward economic mobility or that could lessen the shrinking middle class is the highest form of elitism. Especially when the job you are applying for does not require an extensive form of writing.