A Language Against Itself

There is something I find sad within this country. The English language is greatly divided against itself. The vernacular is in grave danger. I became aware in a class earlier today that there is a great prejudice in the country against the residents of the South. But not specifically southerners. As Americans I hope that, while we have differences in religion and politics, we can still respect each other as fellows. But I appear to be wrong. The thing is that, when it all boils down to it, the thing separating us is the way we speak.

I'm not really talking about Spanish or German, this is almost specifically about the English. People don't realize it, but there are several distinct dialects of English. British English and American English are the most obvious. But getting deeper into American English we see the West Coast, North East, and Southern dialects. Those are gross generalizations, of course. There are variations in the east (like Maine and "Chicago") and many in the south, maybe for every state. But the point is, Americans tend to mock other regions for the way they talk.

What was disturbing about this was the immediate assumptions made after hearing the plight of South Carolina, all people would focus on was the vernacular of South Carolina. There was laughter at the way they said simple things. Just as we would say "hello" they said "hey y'all" but it was met by derision. I feel that to take away the beautiful and unique speech pattern from any people, is to commit a genocide against culture. It is an example of Fascism in a powerful state.

In his masterpiece Vernacular Values, Ivan Illich covers the, well, values of vernacular languages. The roll it plays in society, and the dangers of removing and replacing it. The Spanish language was was established by the same queen who ok'd Columbus, but was convinced by another lord to synthesize the it in order to replace vernacular languages, for the sake of controlling what they remember (for instance, the great things the queen has done), what they think of, even what they want.

If those who look down upon a vernacular and favor the synthesis want to know what our world would look like with their prescription, maybe they should read some Orwell. 1984's doublethink is the direction we may be going.

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