| Title of Article + Proper MLA Citation for Works Cited page | Elbow, Peter. “Inviting the Mother Tongue: Beyond ‘Mistakes,” ‘Bad English,” and ‘Wrong Language.’” JAC Online Journal, www.jaconlinejournal.com/archives/vol19.3/elbow-inviting.pdf. |
| Summarize the article — include your reaction, thoughts, anything to help you remember its claims. 100 to 150 words | In “Inviting the Mother Tongue: Beyond ‘Mistakes,” ‘Bad English,” and ‘Wrong Language’” Peter Elbow describes the ideal environment for his college writing class. He writes about his desire to create a space in which students feel comfortable and powerful using their natural dialect, learning standard written English not as the ‘correct’ way to write, but as a necessary alternative.
Initially, this concept drew me deep into the essay. Previously I had been taught (as Elbow describes) to believe that any form of English other than SWE is inferior, and generally not to be used or accepted. I agree with Elbow’s idea that just because a work is written in a nonmainstream dialect does not mean it has any less potential or power. Historically, there have been revered writers who wrote in their mother tongue, many of whom being a treat to read given that they provide the world of literature with something unique.
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| Define new terms and concepts by quoting or paraphrasing the original author.
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Pragmatic (adj) – Dealing with things in a sensible way, based on practicality, not theory
Perverse (adj) – Showing desire to ‘go against the grain’ despite consequences Acquiescence (noun) – The reluctant acceptance of something, without protest Colloquialism (noun) – Slang/ a word or phrase that is not accepted as formally literary |
| How does this reading connect to other articles from class and/or your own research?
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| Based on the reading, craft one question to act as a springboard for class discussion. | Have you ever experienced the described lingual oppression; or in other words, have you been told that your English is wrong when in fact it has the potential to be just as effective? |