Volume 2, Number 3 February 1998
Ebonics and the Czech Linguistic Situation: A Lecture for the UNC Program in Humanities and Human Values
[Preparatory exercise: Name
a country where schoolteachers tell millions
of children that they don 't know how to speak their own language
correctly]
I never expected to speak to a lay audience about
the difference between spoken and literary Czech. Not only did
I do this, but my talk was well-received, and I appreciated the
chance to think again about the linguistic and social dynamics
of a community that uses multiple registers for communication.
I needed my audience to appreciate the subtlety and
complexity of the Czech situation. I asked them to compare parallel
English translations of a bible passage and to imagine living
in a society where all official communication -- newspapers, books,
radio and TV, and education -- took place in the language of King
James, but, all spoken discourse, regardless of the participants'
age, education, or social status, took place in a language further
removed from the King James than the Good News translation. We
performed a guided analysis of the differences between these two
texts and transferred that experience to the examples I provided
of literary and spoken Czech.
I wanted to demonstrate that we were looking at systematic
differences, and that the spoken register was not "lazy"
or "degenerate," but a variant of the literary one,
with just as much internal logic and integrity. I then guided
my audience through a thumbnail sketch of the historical factors
contributing to the rift between the two registers of Czech. Prominent
European events and personalities (Saints Cyril and Methodius,
Jan Hus, the Reformations, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire) lent
my story the credibility of Old World tradition. I hoped to prepare
my audience to consider that nonstandard varieties of American
English are likewise linguistically legitimate vehicles of communication,
despite their lack of a prestigious foreign pedigree. I also let
my audience in on a little trade secret: as linguists we do not
have any tidy "scientific" definition separating language
and dialect. We are excellent with minutiae such as phoneme inventories,
paradigms, syntactic constructions, even individual isoglosses,
but we cannot decide whether a group of speakers is or is not
part of the community which speaks language X. Membership is usually
determined by the social and political imagination of the people
involved. Consider that numerous, mutually incomprehensible codes
are all "Chinese"; yet two fairly similar codes are
separately named "Czech" and "Slovak."
Unfortunately, faulty concepts of language often
serve as rallying points for a range of political agendas from
exclusivist to genocidal. The current fracturing of Yugoslavia
is fueled by mostly insignificant linguistic factors. Fortunately,
the Czech situation is far more benign, more appropriately the
target of cynical humor than of real strife, but it is no less
benighted by linguistic misconceptions. Even professional linguists
infrequently buy into such misconceptions and/or shun such issues.
There are many right answers to the exercise at the
beginning of this essay, among them the USA and the Czech Republic.
The myth perpetuated in both of our educational systems, that
language has "right" and "wrong" instead of
just "different" versions, is demeaning to young children
found deficient upon entering school. Many Czech children, required
to use literary Czech in school, will simply not speak for much
of first grade. The situation in the United States, where variations
commonly correlate with race, has pernicious overtones of discrimination.
Young people in both societies need to manipulate more than one
language register to pursue higher education and career interests.
Yet both systems fail to provide a curriculum directly addressing
this need. The Oakland School Board's decision in December 1996
to officially recognize "Ebonics" as a variety of English
was a step toward just such a curriculum. On the face of it a
fairly straightforward, educational goal, it exploded into a furious
debate overwhelmed by misplaced fears and accusations.
Linguistic awareness should be a part of the K- 12
educational experience for all American children. Everyone should
have a chance to master standard English so that society might
benefit from the talents of all of its members. Linguists can
use this venue to contribute to the equity and humanism in our
society. Although there is no corresponding equity issue in the
Czech Republic, a strong utilitarian argument could be made for
a linguistic component in the curriculum that would build directly
on what children already know about their native language (spoken
Czech) and what they could be taught about its relation to literary
Czech. The Czech example further demonstrates that a society can
function with more than one language code, and can do so with
grace and humor.
Laura A. Janda
Professor Slavic Languages and Literatures
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
Master of Arts in Russian/East
European Studies at UNC
The changes in Eastern Europe have created a wide
range of employment opportunities in non-academic fields. The
Center for Slavic, Eurasian, and East European Studies at the
University of North Carolina is in the preliminary stages of planning
a degree program focused on equipping professionals with area
and language expertise. The Masters of Arts in Russian and East
European Studies is being designed to provide advanced training
to professionals pursuing careers in the international arena and
Eastern Europe. These specialists will be poised to undertake
careers in international trade and multinational corporations,
government and international agencies, educational and non-profit
initiatives, and trans-national NGOs. Some may combine this specialization
with further professional training in international law or business.
Calendar
The next Piedmont Slavic Colloquium will be on Monday, February 23, at 5:30 p.m. in the Breedlove Room, Perkins Library, Duke University. Professor Barbara Clements, author of books on Alexandra Kollontai and Bolshevik women, will be speaking on women in the Soviet Union. Dr. Clements received her Ph.D. from Duke University and is currently a Professor of History at the University of Akron.
The year's final colloquium will be on Tuesday, April 7, in the conference room at 223 E. Franklin Street, Chapel Hill.
Laura Engelstein, Professor of History at Princeton University, will present a lecture, "Personal Testimony and the Defense of Faith: Sectarian Tales in Tsarist and Soviet Russia" on Tuesday, February 24, at 4:00 in the conference room at 223 E. Franklin Street, Chapel Hill.
John Bushnell, Professor of History at Northwestern University, will present a lecture, "Russia in a World of Popular Culture," on Thursday, March 5, at 3:00 pm. Check the UNC Center's webpage for location information.
The Carolina Chapter of the American Association
of Teachers of Slavic and East European Languages (AATSEEL)
will hold its annual conference on Saturday, April 4, from
9:45 am to 12:00 p.m. in Room 226 of the UNC-CH Student Union.
For more information, or to submit a paper proposal, please contact
Carla Stec at (919) 962-4416 or cstec@email.unc.edu.
Announcements
Clifford Gaddy, (Duke Ph.D., Economics, 1991) received
the prestigious Best Book Award from the American Association
of Slavic Studies for his book, The Price of the Past: Russia's
Struggle with the Legacy of a Militarized Economy (Washington:
Brookings Institute, 1996).
Oral History Project
The UNC Chapel Hill Center for Slavic, Eurasian,
and East European Studies, in collaboration with the Southern
Oral History Program, is preparing a proposal to fund the training
of pairs of US and East European Scholars in the methods of Oral
History. The primary objective is to encourage research that will
investigate and record the stories previously suppressed under
totalitarian regimes in Eastern Europe, and to explore other topics
for which oral history is particularly suitable. A concomitant
goal is the fostering of collaborative work joining the efforts
of both eastern and western scholars, and for this reason we are
seeking joint proposals. We envision an initial training opportunity
in the US, possibly the provision of audio/video equipment, a
research opportunity, and a conference at which participants will
present the preliminary results of their work. We are soliciting
descriptions of individual projects on the understanding that
we will cite them (possibly in condensed format) in a proposal
to an appropriate foundation. If you would like to participate,
please send a brief (1 page) description of your proposed project,
and the c.v.'s of the scholars (US and East European) to: The
Center for Slavic, Eurasian, and East European Studies, UNC-CH,
CB#5125, 223 E. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, NC 27599-5125 or fax:
(919)962-2494. Please be sure to include all points of contact
(addresses, email, fax, phone) on both the proposals and the c.v.
Other Opportunities
Mellon Research Fellowships for Central and East
European Scholars in Turkey are designed
to bring scholars from East-Central Europe into the broader research
community. The countries involved include Hungry, the Czech Republic,
Slovakia, Poland, Bulgaria, and Romania. Scholars from these countries
holding a Ph.D. or its equivalent are eligible for fellowships
supporting two or three months of research in Turkey. A stipend
of up to $10, 500 covers travel, living expenses, and work-related
costs. Application deadline: March 5, 1998. For more information,
contact: The American Research Institute in Turkey, c/o University
of Pennsylvania Museum, 33rd and Spruce Streets, Philadelphia,
PA 19104-6324; tel.: (215) 898-3474; fax: (215) 898-0657; leinwand@sas.upenn.edu.
The Center for Russian and East European Studies
at the University of Virginia is accepting papers for presentation
at the 14th Annual Graduate Symposium on Russian, East
European and Eurasian Studies on April 10-11 in Charlottesville,
VA. Interested graduate students should submit abstracts of no
more than one page by February 15 to the chair of the program
committee: Becky Gildersleeve, Center for Russian and East European
Studies, 103 Levering Hall, University of Virginia, Charlottesville,
VA 22903; blg8e@virginia.edu; www.virginia.edu/~crees/symposium/home.htm .
The UNC International Center
is accepting applications from UNC sophomores and juniors for
four Summer Study Abroad Fellowships. The $3,000 fellowships
support UNC undergraduates pursuing independent study projects
abroad which enhance their personal and/or career interests. Applications
are available at the International Center on the main floor of
the Student Union. Application deadline: March 5, 1998.
The Mongolian Privatization Project,
funded by the George Soros Foundations and the US Agency for International
Development assists the privatization of state-owned enterprises
in Mongolia. The Project is interviewing qualified Russian-speaking
candidates. Majors in economics, banking, finance, international
public affairs, or international law are preferred. Assignments
will last a minimum of three months to one year. Resumes should
be directed to Oleg Gorelik at ogorelik@magic.net.mn; fax 011-976-1-312798;
http://www.spc.gov.mn
University Center for International Studies
at UNC is offering travel grants for graduate students conducting
brief field research projects in a subject related to international
studies. Preference will be given to pre-dissertation projects.
Terminal master's students are not eligible. The amount of individual
award will vary according to destination and duration. Applications
are available at UCIS, 223 E. Franklin Street, Chapel Hill. Application
deadline: February 13, 1998. For information, contact Elizabeth
Gorsuch at (919) 962-3094; egorsuch@email.unc.edu.
Stalin-Era Research and Archives Project Graduate
Assistantships are available to graduate
students in history or political science traveling to Russia or
Eastern Europe this summer or during the next academic year 1998-1999.
The Project requires a number of students to carry out a range
of assignments in various archival centers in the former Soviet
Union and in East Central Europe. A good working knowledge of
Russian or an appropriate East European language is a prerequisite.
Application deadline: March 15, 1998. Applications and inquiries
should be sent to Center for Russian and East European Studies,
Stalin-Era Research and Archives Project, University of Toronto,130
St. George Street, Suite 14335, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A5 Canada;
tel.: (416) 978-8192; fax: (416) 978-3817; stalin@chass.utoronto.ca.
The Institute of Russian and East European Studies
at the University of Glasgow, Scotland
is offering for world-wide competition four fellowships for the
1998-99 academic year. The awards provide for one year of full-time
study beginning in October 1998 for the post-graduate degree of
M.Phil in Russian and East European Studies. The M.Phil degree
consists of three courses, a dissertation, and a language test.
Applicants who wish to be considered for the competition should
indicate this in the 'funding' section of the application. The
application deadline is March 15, 1998. For more information and
application forms contact the Secretary of the Graduate School,
University of Glasgow, Adam Smith Building, Glasgow G12 8RT, or
consult the Institute's website, http://www.gla.ac.uk/Acad/Russian/.
International Dance Parties,
featuring the music of Eastern Europe and the Middle East, are
held every Saturday evening starting at 8:00 at the Gypsy Cafe
in Cary. Both children
and adults learn about the music, dance, and cultures of other
countries while sampling an array of foreign delicacies. For more
information, or to schedule a private party, contact Shawn Donaldson,
(919) 859-3482. The Gypsy Café is at the Olde Cary Commons,
201 West Chatham Street, Cary, NC.
More information on any of the above opportunities can also be obtained at the UNC-CH Center for Slavic, Eurasian and East European Studies, 223 E. Franklin Street, Chapel Hill.
Any contributions and announcements that you would like included in inflections should be sent to the Center in Chapel Hill. For more information on any of the above events or opportunities, please feel free to contact the Center on either campus or stop by and browse through our bulletin board postings. We can be reached as follows:
UNC at Chapel Hill Center
223 E. Franklin St. CB#5125
tel.: (919) 962-0901 fax: (919)962-2494
UNC Chapel Hill, NC 27599-5125
e-mail:slavic@email.unc.edu
http://www.unc.edu/depts/slavic
Duke University Center
302 Languages, Box 90260
tel.: (919) 660-3157 fax: (919) 660-3188
Durham, NC 27708-0260
http://www.duke.edu/web/CSEEES/
Duke University and the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill are Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Institutions.
This publication was produced without the use of State Funds.
inflections is a quarterly publication of the Joint Duke-UNC
Center for Slavic, Eurasian and East European studies. Editor:
Laura A. Janda; Associate Editor: Nicolae Harsanyi; Managing Editor:
Lisamarie Griebel
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