Black Sound
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University of Wisconsin, Madison *
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MISC
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Linguistics
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Nov 24, 2024
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The Richness of “Black Sound” in African American English
In his essay "Thick of Tongue: Future of Language," John McWhorter makes the case
that African American English has a special linguistic phenomenon known as the "black sound"
In order to create a powerful and convincing case for the "black sound," McWhorter combines
the rhetorical devices of ethos, logos, pathos, and kairos. The "black sound" is thus a valuable
and distinctive expressive form that bears a linguistic distinction and cultural and social
significance.
By presenting himself as an authority in linguistics and African American studies,
McWhorter used ethos in "Thick of Tongue: Future of Language." In order to establish his ethos
and persuade the reader of his dependability and knowledge, he refers to his significant
experience studying Black English and his educational background. For instance, he notes his
role as a linguistics professor, saying that many of his listeners in his lectures on radio had
reached out to him and expressed that they did not know that he was black until they encountered
his photograph. McWhorter can convince the reader of the veracity of his statements regarding
the "black sound" by outlining his ethos and building the foundation of his argument. This
encourages the reader to believe his reasoning and embrace the notion of the "black sound" as a
unique language occurrence.
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John McWhorter employs logos to bolster his case for the presence of the "black sound"
in Black English in "Thick of Tongue: Future of Language" (AAVE). McWhorter uses linguistic
evidence to draw attention to logos, a Greek word for logic and reasoning. To demonstrate the
peculiarity of the "black sound" in AAVE, McWhorter, for instance, offers particular language
cues like intonation, rhythm, as well as pronunciation. AAVE, according to him, may be
distinguished by its "certain shadings of vowels, aspects of intonation, and also that elusive thing
is known as timbre, most familiar to singers—degrees of breathiness, grain, huskiness, "space."
Additionally, he discusses how some words are pronounced in AAVE, such as the term "buh-urd"
for "bird." These linguistic traits show how rational and fact-based McWhorter's thesis is and
provide as brief and obvious instances of this "black sound" in AAVE. In order to bolster his
claims, McWhorter also draws on linguistic studies and research. To support the veracity of his
claims, he references Rosetta Stone, a language learning software, popular examples like Idris
Elba and Chris Rock, as well as the OJ Simpson Trial. By doing this, McWhorter exemplifies the
use of logos in his paper by offering a strong and fact-based case for the presence and importance
of the "black sound" within the American linguistic landscape.
McWhorter used pathos to engage with the audience on a personal level and appeal to
their emotions. He accomplishes this by weaving stories from his own life about the "black
sound" into his case. For instance, McWhorter discusses his personal experience of being unable
to speak with a proper black sound and instead sounding white. He strengthens his argument's
persuasiveness by making it more relevant and memorable. McWhorter writes, that when he was
around twelve, his young cousin had remarked that he and his sister did not sound like
everybody else that he knew. signifying that he has been having trouble with people due to his
inability to sound black. Through his personal experience with the "black sound," McWhorter is
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able to engage the reader emotionally, strengthening his argument's impact and persuasion.
Furthermore, McWhorter's tone is assertive and authoritative throughout the piece,
demonstrating his firm trust in the veracity of his contention. To engage the reader and arouse
feelings like curiosity, empathy, and admiration for the linguistic variety of AAVE, McWhorter
must be enthusiastic about the subject. This emotional appeal reinforces McWhorter's argument
and helps the reader remember it.
McWhorter also uses timing and context to combat social attitudes and unfair judgments
of black English. He challenges the concept that the issue of someone being though as sounding
non-black black does not exist. For instance, people who vehemently reject the existence of a
black linguistic sound will quickly notice whenever a black individual "sounds white," according
to McWhorter. McWhorter makes his point more relevant and persuasive by discussing how
simple it is to tell when a black person talks or is expected to, particularly in the current cultural
and political environment.
The author argues against the counterargument that Black English is not a legitimate form
of English and therefore is inferior to Standard English and that black English sounds are seen to
be full of errors. In response, the author notes Black English's cultural and historical relevance as
well as its distinctive linguistic characteristics, or the "black sound." He contends that black
English is a unique and significant form of speech that merits attention and acknowledgment.
The author supports his position by using personal experiences, language analysis, and
cultural allusions. To illustrate the presence and importance of Black English, he gives instances
of the "black sound" in popular cultures, such as on radio and even during the civil rights era.
Additionally, he thoroughly examines the linguistic characteristics of the "black sound" using his
experience and expertise as a linguist. The author's arguments are all credible because they are
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based on his personal and professional understanding. The author incorporates personal tales and
encounters by employing a narrative style to shape his argument. He frequently uses repetition
and parallelism to stress key points and make his reasoning more memorable. By employing a
narrative format, the author successfully brings the topic to life and increases the reader's ability
to relate to and get engrossed.
McWhorter's tone is assured and authoritative throughout the piece, which reflects his
firm conviction in the veracity of his claim. He urges the reader to reevaluate their preconceived
notions of language and recognize the worldwide linguistic variety. Because of this, he claims,
"For this reason, the black woman's "white" speech can be processed, for better or worse, as
"ladylike," sophisticated." This means that in some social settings, Black sound is admired while,
in others, shunned. By making such a strong remark, McWhorter makes a lasting effect on the
reader and emphasizes the significance of his claim that the black sound, despite always
changing, contains more than simply linguistic information. Instead, it stands for ideas about
history and culture.
In summary, John McWhorter's "Thick of Tongue: Future of Language" is a skillfully
prepared argument that successfully employs ethos, logos, pathos to establish a case for the
presence and significance of the "black sound" in black English. The reader is left with a strong
impression of McWhorter's knowledge, personal tales, logical arguments, and research, which
supports the inclusion of black sound in the American language repertoire.
Work Cited
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McWhorter
. John.Thick of Tongue: Future of Language: So what exactly is this “black sound” I
am insisting exists?
Guernica.
2016.