User:Gariel B/sandbox

The Race Aspect

People go about seeing language and identity as some structured definitions from the dictionary that they just follow by. Although there are structural definitions for the words language and identity, some people have their different perspectives of them. In the essays written by James Baldwin he was able to grasp a new meaning and new perspective of reading and writing because of the way these authors portray these words. We have come to a point where language somewhat links with identity. The two terms at times can go hand in hand like black and white or like a peas in a pod.

In the essay, “If Black isn’t English, Then tell Me What Is?” by James Baldwin talked a lot about the way he saw language to be and the way he felt that both language and identity is linked. In his essay he said, Language is the most crucial key to identity. (James Baldwin). This statement helped o show readers that we would not be who we are without language. Also it shows on his main idea about Black English because if it did not have the kind of significant personality they have today. Language, incontestably, reveals the speaker (James Baldwin).  Baldwin consistently stressed on how the way one uses language can show the person the speaker is. Which shows how important it is for a person to embrace their language for their personality to be seen positively by others. Baldwin’s stress on language and identity through his different ideas really helped to open a door in every readers mind because it makes them now think back and see how language helped to form their identity.

There is now a wealth of research that explores the relationship between identity, language learning, and language teaching. Themes on identity include: race, gender, class, sexual orientation, and disability. Further, the award-winning Journal of Language, Identity, and Education, launched in 2002, ensures that issues of identity and language learning will remain at the forefront of research on language education, applied linguistics, and SLA in the future. Issues of identity are seen to be relevant not only to language learners, but to language teachers, teacher educators, and researchers. There is an increasing interest in the ways in which advances in technology have impacted both language learner and teacher identity, and the ways in which the forces of globalization are implicated in identity construction. Many established journals in the field welcome research on identity and language learning, including: Applied Linguistics, Critical Inquiry in Language Studies, Language Learning, Language and Education, Linguistics and Education, Modern Language Journal, and TESOL Quarterly.

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