The Language & Life Project | The Language of Martin Luther King Jr. @TheLanguageLifeProject | Uploaded February 2016 | Updated October 2024, 1 hour ago.
Language is not a static object. It is a dynamic process that expresses our identity and affiliations and connects us to our audience. Martin Luther King Jr. was not only a great speech writer, but was also master of these subtle processes of affiliation and identification. Linguist Walt Wolfram of NC State University explains some of the subtle phonological changes in MLK's speech that correspond with changes in audience.
Excerpt from footage for the documentary TALKING BLACK in AMERICA with NC State University Professor Walt Wolfram.
talkingblackinamerica.org
For the DVD visit languageandlife.org
look for TALKING BLACK in AMERICA on PBS in 2019
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The long-awaited release of the first documentary feature ever on African American language varieties and the powerful role of language in African American culture.
"An amazing and thought-provoking film."
- Roger Stolle, Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art
"Absolutely fabulous. … thoroughly educational, engaging and inspirational."
- Rick Moss, Chief Curator, African American Museum and Library, Oakland, CA
"An awesome achievement!"
- Barbara Boschert, Coahoma College, Clarksdale, MS
"An awesome film. … This video belongs in an international museum for the world to see."
- Jerome Forbes, Principal of Old Bight High School, Cat Island, Bahamas
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The powerful identity forged by a shared heritage - the creativity and resilience of people living through oppression, segregation and the fight for social justice - is expressed in the diverse ways African Americans communicate. TALKING BLACK in AMERICA chronicles the incredible impact of African American English on American language and culture. Filmed across the United States, this documentary is a revelation of language as legacy, identity and triumph over adversity.
"The status of African American speech has been controversial for more than a half-century now, suffering from persistent public misunderstanding, linguistic profiling, and language-based discrimination. We wanted to address that and, on a fundamental level, make clear that understanding African American speech is absolutely critical to understanding the way we talk today."
- Executive Producer, Walt Wolfram
_________________________________________________________________
For more info and resources visit
talkingblackinamerica.org
Find out more about the Language and Life Project at
languageandlife.org
or on Facebook at facebook.com/NCLLP
Language is not a static object. It is a dynamic process that expresses our identity and affiliations and connects us to our audience. Martin Luther King Jr. was not only a great speech writer, but was also master of these subtle processes of affiliation and identification. Linguist Walt Wolfram of NC State University explains some of the subtle phonological changes in MLK's speech that correspond with changes in audience.
Excerpt from footage for the documentary TALKING BLACK in AMERICA with NC State University Professor Walt Wolfram.
talkingblackinamerica.org
For the DVD visit languageandlife.org
look for TALKING BLACK in AMERICA on PBS in 2019
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
The long-awaited release of the first documentary feature ever on African American language varieties and the powerful role of language in African American culture.
"An amazing and thought-provoking film."
- Roger Stolle, Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art
"Absolutely fabulous. … thoroughly educational, engaging and inspirational."
- Rick Moss, Chief Curator, African American Museum and Library, Oakland, CA
"An awesome achievement!"
- Barbara Boschert, Coahoma College, Clarksdale, MS
"An awesome film. … This video belongs in an international museum for the world to see."
- Jerome Forbes, Principal of Old Bight High School, Cat Island, Bahamas
_________________________________________________________________
The powerful identity forged by a shared heritage - the creativity and resilience of people living through oppression, segregation and the fight for social justice - is expressed in the diverse ways African Americans communicate. TALKING BLACK in AMERICA chronicles the incredible impact of African American English on American language and culture. Filmed across the United States, this documentary is a revelation of language as legacy, identity and triumph over adversity.
"The status of African American speech has been controversial for more than a half-century now, suffering from persistent public misunderstanding, linguistic profiling, and language-based discrimination. We wanted to address that and, on a fundamental level, make clear that understanding African American speech is absolutely critical to understanding the way we talk today."
- Executive Producer, Walt Wolfram
_________________________________________________________________
For more info and resources visit
talkingblackinamerica.org
Find out more about the Language and Life Project at
languageandlife.org
or on Facebook at facebook.com/NCLLP
