Spoken Soul: The Story of Black English
A concise introduction to the history and features of African American Vernacular English, showing how Black English lives in literature, music, religion, and everyday speech while also addressing language prejudice and identity.
Work Information
Black English is a language shaped by history and expressive force, not a defect.
John Russell Rickford and Russell John Rickford trace the history, grammar, and cultural reach of Black English in a way that is readable without losing scholarly footing. The book argues for the power and dignity of everyday speech.
Book Information
- Publisher
- JW
- Published
- 2000-11-22
- Pages
- 290 pages
- Language
- 英語
- Size
- 15.24 x 2.29 x 22.61 cm
- ISBN-13
- 9780471399575
- ISBN-10
- 0471399574
- Category
- 洋書/Nonfiction/Education/Reference/Words & Language
In Praise of Spoken Soul: The Story of Black English " Spoken Soul brilliantly fills a huge gap. . . . a delightfully readable introduction to the elegant interweave between the language and its culture." – Ralph W. Fasold , Georgetown university "A lively, well-documented history of Black English . . . that will enlighten and inform not only educators, for whom it should be required reading, but all who value and question language." – Kirkus Reviews "Spoken Soul is a must read for anyone who is interested in the connection between language and identity." – Chicago Defender Claude Brown called Black English "Spoken Soul." Toni Morrison said, "It's a love, a passion. Its function is like a preacher’s: to make you stand out of your seat, make you lose yourself and hear yourself. The worst of all possible things that could happen would be to lose that language." Now renowned linguist John R. Rickford and journalist Russell J. Rickford provide the definitive guide to African American vernacular English–from its origins and features to its powerful fascination for society at large.
JOHN R. RICKFORD is the Martin Luther King Jr. Centennial Professor of Linguistics at Stanford University. He lives in Palo Alto, California. RUSSELL J. RICKFORD , a former reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer , lives in Philadelphia.
Reviews
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great purchase
Whether you are a teacher and you want to better connect with and understand your students, or a person who simply wants to respectfully approach and learn about someone else's culture and how they speak, this book is a good tool.
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Five Stars
I really enjoyed this book
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Spoken Soul " The Story Of Black English"
The book was awesome, i loved it. Would recommend to anyone who wants to seriously learn about the way we speak and why.
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What Happened to The "Story" of Black English?
"Spoken Soul: The Story of Black English," despite not having read a book specifically about Black English, got a 3-star rating from me. It was an enjoyable read. I was hoping to find out why "some" Black Folks speak Black English instead of Standard English. I studied English Literature in college. This book helped me gain a deeper understanding of language.
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Interesting Find
I am still reading the book, however this topic has been a journey into a different and interesting world that I didn't realize existed which has enabled me to broaden my perspective not only on this significant segment of our society and our culture, but with others as well.
Related Literary Awards
- American Book Awards Edition 21 (2000) ・Winner・Winner