Tannen and Baldwin - A comparison

Language is one of the most powerful attributes of a society or culture because it works to ensure that there is a definition of these concepts in such a way that allows individuals to come to terms with them. This is especially the case considering that it is a powerful tool in making sure that there is the establishment of the unique identities of those individuals that make use of it. In the contemporary world, language has come to define the way that individuals perceive themselves within their own societies. This situation is extremely important in the essays “Wears jump suit. Sensible shoes. Uses husband’s last name” and “If Black English isn’t a language, then tell me, what is?” by Deborah Tannen and James Baldwin respectively. In this paper, a comparative analysis of Tannen’s and Baldwin’s essays will be conducted in order to show how language is used to articulate social realities, enforce social dominance, and create the social divide based on gender and class.

One of the most significant aspects of these two essays is that they promote the idea that language is used to give meaning to social realities. This is especially the case considering that language enables individuals to show their preferences as well as their backgrounds. Baldwin gives the example of the manner through which French, despite being considered a unified language, is actually expressed differently in various French speaking regions such as Paris, Marseilles, or Quebec (Baldwin 5). The manner through which individuals speak the language indicates the region from which they hail, and while some of the words that are used may be similar; their meanings in the different regions may be quite different. Tannen furthers this idea through the use of the term “marked”, which she defines as the manner through which language alters the meaning of a word through the addition of a linguistic particle that alone does not have a meaning (Tannen). This is an extremely important aspect of both these essays because they show that language can be manipulated by its users in such a way that it is able to convey meaning only to those who make use of it on a daily basis, within a community or region, rather than for all users of the language. The result is that some users of a language can create entirely new meanings for some of the words within it in order to convey a particular meaning to them but not to other users of the language.

Moreover, language is made use of to enforce the dominance of one part of society over the other. This is especially articulated by Baldwin, who analyses the legitimacy of Black English in the United States. He suggests that Black English has essentially not been given the recognition it deserves because to do so would force the dominant white community to come to terms with its own past. In addition, Baldwin considers Black English to be a language that has developed over time as a reflection of the unique experiences that the black population had to undergo from the period of slavery (Baldwin 6). Tannen also addresses the manner through which language is used to enforce gender and class in the context of male dominance. She provides the example of the manner through which women in social settings are perceived, especially when it comes to the way that they dress and the message that it sends to their male counterparts (Tannen). Tannen considers such situations to enforce male dominance because men are not always required to take the time and effort as women to make themselves presentable. Instead, they can remain unmarked in such a way that there is nothing unique about their appearance. Tannen also suggests that the English language is one that is enforces male dominance, as seen in the way that words are compartmentalized as either male or female, as seen through the endings of words with ess or ette being considered female (Tannen).

In conclusion, Tannen’s and Baldwin’s essays have shown that language can be used in a diversity of contexts to enforce social expectations and express the unique backgrounds of its users. These essays are extremely relevant to the understanding of the various ways through which language can be used in a diversity of contexts to establish meanings for its users. Through the various examples that are provided within them, these essays help their readers come to terms with their social realities, both positive and negative, and opens their eyes to those situations that they would otherwise not have noticed, or have taken for granted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

Baldwin, James. "If Black English Isn't a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?" The Black Scholar 27.1 (1997): 5-6. Print.

Tannen, Deborah. "Wears Jump Suit. Sensible Shoes. Uses Husband’s Last Name." The New York Times Magazine 20 (1993). Print.