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In Barbara Mellix's essay "From Outside, In" Mellix examines the infinite powers she obtained through her ability to travel within the language of standard English. While growing up in Greeleyville, South Carolina, Mellix was accustomed to speaking two distinctly different languages- Black English and Standard English. As Mellix's perspective on the importance of standard English grew, she realized that this form of language would become her key to the door of limitless possibilities in which her writing skills will achieve. Even though it was a hard task for Mellix to adapt to this standard form of writing, her inner drive to master standard English has evolved into a remarkable power that she has discovered within herself. Although she strived to be a standard-English- speaking Black, the words felt foreign and uncharacteristic in the beginning. Relatives form the city would come home to visit speaking the perfect standard English. "We felt foolish, embarrassed, somehow diminished because we were ashamed to be our real selves" (289).
Yet she persevered, struggling to succeed in mastering her standard English proficiency. Thus began the wonderful journey of self discovery as Mellix expands the power received from her knowledge of standard English. While growing up, the influences of her parents and college professors pushed Mellix to broaden her standard English skills. When Mellix was younger, her parents rarely set aside time to teach the children standard English. But when a subject arose, the fathers approach toward teaching Mellix standard English, was to tell past stories in which he used predominately standard English. Through these ways of teaching, Mellix learned to further her vocabulary while speaking "proper" English.
On the other hand, Mellix's mother used a different approach towards informing her kids if they were using slang phrases. The mothers objective was to correct the way in which her kids spoke these jargon phrases. She did this by criticizing the person who used the slang phrase and corrected them. Her intention was to prepare her children to speak "proper" English. While in grammar-school Mellix's opportunity for growth in her standard English skills were limited due to her teachers ability to teach standard English. The teachers who taught standard English would speak Black English during the school lesson.
This way of teaching only prolonged the process in which Mellix learned standard English. By the time Mellix reached the twelfth grade, she had realized "speaking and writing had taken on a new importance" (291). Her teacher explained how important it is to be able to speak and write "properly. " She did this by spending time explaining the proper ways of using standard English. During her senior year of high school, her teacher would constantly correct anyone who used improper grammar. The skills Mellix received from her parents and teachers, lead her to a greater insight in her newly explored language. Mellix decided to move to Pittsburgh after her graduation to live with her aunt and uncle.
This enabled her to broaden her standard English skills through the heavily populated "proper" English speaking community. There, both of her relatives spoke standard English fluently. While in Pittsburgh, she was able to find a job with a health insurance company. Her job was to write letters in standard English to the companies customers. In the process, Mellix began to read and memorize different phrases in letters from co-workers. These letters enhanced her ability to read and write standard English.
In a sense, this was proving Mellix was capable of surviving in a "proper" speaking society. Mellix also furthered her standard English comprehension by reading various romance and popular novels. Being an avid reader helped her in terms of learning different styles of writings by different authors. As she begins to read more, she is able to grasp more insights into the ways of standard English. Mellix has discovered the power of writing she has learned, enables her to express her thoughts powerfully. Sixteen years after moving up north to Pittsburgh, getting married and having children, Mellix decided it was her time to enroll college.
She [e]n rolled in her first college class course: Basic Writing, at the University of Pittsburgh (293). Mellix's requirements in the first term of college was to write about herself. Her main concern was to be able to speak and write in the "appropriate" language, that the rest of the class used. Mellix spent the rest of her term trying to adjust, to learn how to block out her Black English when she was composing her work. But Mellix felt she hasnt quite mastered this classroom language. As the years pass in college, Mellix realized she had discovered an incredible power of belonging towards Standard English.
Her eternal obsession to further her type of writing, drives her to feel the incredible power or belonging, in which "proper" language holds. Over Mellix's lifetime, she has come to realize the internal powers standard English has brought upon her life. Her ability to understand this language in detail, has influenced her perspective on what standard English has to offer. She finally imagines herself as a part of the culture of standard English therefor enabling her to discover her own voice with renewed possibilities as she continues to manage the language (and sense of belonging) through her writing. Bibliography:
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Research essay sample on Standard English Proper English
