TE 250: Reading Response

The article "Racism in the English Language" by Robert B. Moore explains how words people use or names used when describing a person of minority can be hurtful. Not only can these words and phrases be hurtful they can also have a major influence on students in the classroom. Children pick up this sort of language and behavior from parents, peers and teachers assuming it is okay to say and do not realize the affect it is going to have on others around them.

Moore discusses the symbolism in culture today. White is always good and black is always bad or "angels are white and devils are black" (Moore pg 166). Society feeds off of media for what is good or bad and right or wrong. In children's movies minorities usually have broken english or can barely speak it at all. This makes the dominant group look down on the minority group and the minority group feel down about themselves. They lose any self acceptance they once had.

In terms of slavery, Moore tries to get the reader to dig down deeper into the text by replacing the word slaver with phrases such as "African people held in captivity" or " Black people forced to work for no pay." By replacing slavery with a much more harsh phrase gives the reader a deeper sense of how badly these people are treated. Slavery is just a word but when u see the real meaning of it you are able to understand the level slaves were at during that time.

These slaves were never given credit for as well. Moore uses an example from Thomas Greenfield as he was on a tour in Monicello. While being given a tour, the tour guide began to discus the architecture in that area. Greenfield noted that "while speaking of the architectural acheivements of Jefferson in the active voice, she unfailingly shifted to (the) passive (voice) when speaking of the work performed by Negro slaves and skilled servants." These people were never given a chance to be greater than what they were because of their skin color and ethnic background. One labeled as a minority they were never given the opportunity to succeed like the dominant white group because they were shut down so badly by the dominant group.

In conclusion, we are unable to completely stop this affect on the minority groups but there are ways to slow it down. Teachers, parents, and peers need to be able to see this affect and help students to stop using the language that is hurting other people.