James Baldwin Language

I have been on two cruises so far in my life. This has led to me having the opportunity to meet individuals from all over the country. One of the first things I would notice about a person is if they were from the north or the south. Usually, on the occasion someone would talk to me they recognized my southern dialect and that would make them see me as less intelligent. This same idea is exhibited by James Baldwin in his essay where he explains the importance of language and how it can easily affect the way you view someone. Baldwin is correct in his assumption due to the ability of language somehow becoming the way we define others. Language is used for the purpose of many things, such as a way to express power. Baldwin writes in his essay that “language is also a political instrument, means, and proof of power”, and this we know is true due to the fact that we still learn about influential speeches that have changed our country. Speeches that we learn about in school include Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have a Dream speech from 1963. Also, Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address from 1863. These men chose their use of language carefully to gain respect from their audiences.

In the event that someone is a shy person and does not talk a lot, some people could view that as being rude. But if you talk excessively and interrupt others while they are trying to talk it is also viewed as being rude. Also if you talk fast or slow contributes to this same category, talking fast can make you seem nervous and talking slow could make you seem unintelligent or confused. An example for the purpose of the use of timing could be in the event that you were offered a job and did not accept right away the employer could assume that you were not excited enough or that you were thinking about your options before you