Please watch the following videos of two programs on English dialects that were found via links from YouTube. The first is “American Tongues.” This is a
documentary that was released in 1988. In this program, several of the American dialects are discussed from the perspectives of the people in the
communities themselves. Note – while there are some funny moments in American Tongues, the program also contains some language and unpopular
opinions expressed by individuals that can be viewed as prejudiced. This is a very grim look into our past as a nation and the show documents some of the
racism and unfortunate bias that has been (and still is) expressed by some individuals. The second program is “Talking Black in America.” This is also a
documentary that was released 32 years after American Tongues (2020). In this documentary, experts and participants chronicle the incredible impact of
African American English on American language and culture.
Both documentaries are very striking in different ways. Please note that some of the dialogue from the speakers in the documentaries may been seen as
offensive (particularly American Tongues). I do not condone, nor do I stand with or support any forms of racism, prejudice, intolerance, or injustice. All
dialects are valid and should be celebrated! It is important for us to honor everyone’s’ perspectives and lift one another up. All forms of dialectal varieties of
English are beautiful and have value. Please view these two documentaries as a chance to learn more about the struggles many groups of people have faced
(and still face) and use it as a moment for us to educate ourselves about the reality of where we were (in 1988) and how far we have come (2020).
Interestingly, you may find that some things have changed while others have not, depending on regional location and community.
Here are the links to the two films:
American Tongues (1988):
Talking Black in America (2020):
Once you have watched the films, please answer the following questions:
What are three things you found most interesting about watching the films?
How do you feel perceptions of dialect have changed over time? Have they changed at all? Why do you think there are so many strong opinions rooted in
dialect?
Why is dialect important to the field of speech-language pathology? How would we use the information to make clinical decisions about whether children qualify for services?
