Response to Mellix and Smith

In response to the assigned readings, I feel that both authors touched on a general concept of language assimilation, but both authors had different personal feelings in regards to this subject. Both authors included personal stories about their mothers and/or families in their narratives and how the way their mothers spoke influenced their way of speaking. Both stories pertained to a "southern" style of "black English," and the type of diction and pronunciations these areas produced. I feel that both authors considered their "black English" to be very personal, and it almost defined them in a way.

Although both stories were very similar, I feel that Mellix was more comfortable with the idea of adopting "standard English." Mellix felt that in order to be successful in the academic and professional world, she needed to use "standard English" in order to sound educated. Smith saw how her mother wanted so much to speak in "standard English" because for her, it represented possibilities in a new life. It represented hope and the future, even though her daughter wasn't so keen on the idea of conforming to this proper English.

Both authors used personal stories and used examples that helped their narratives become successful rhetoric. I feel that the strongest element of both pieces was the way that the authors portrayed their language as such a personal attribute.