How does my language affect my connection to my culture and would a cultural anthropologist be able to use sociolinguistics to determine who I am and where I came from? Does my choice of spoken communication or written words, give an accurate description of my present life and a glimpse of my ancestry?
Texas was the state that my most recent ancestors, on my mother's side, called home. We did not leave Texas until I was approximately 2 years old. While American English is my native tongue, for as long as I can remember, the social dialect spoken in my family's home was a distinct Texas drawl. It was not entirely southern, and not entirely western, but a melodious combination of the two. Due to excessive teasing in California's elementary schools, where I grew up, code switching became a necessity, thus I no longer speak with a Texas accent; however when I hear it spoken, I am always drawn back into my childhood. When I am fortunate enough to actually visit Texas, as I did when our youngest son was stationed at FT. Hood, it takes only days for my accent to return.
Having once spoken with a strong Texan accent …show more content…
One of my core values is that every person is a special creation of God and deserves love and respect. My current occupation for the last five years, is titled "Child Specialist II; I work in a youth shelter for homeless children, ranging in age from 9 to 17 years. Most of these children have been abandoned, abused, neglected, and traumatized by the very people who were supposed to love them. Working from a core value of love and respect, it is my job to help protect and advocate for these children, while providing them with a physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually safe environment. This obligates me to be aware of the language that I use when speaking to the child or writing in their daily log
Texas was the state that my most recent ancestors, on my mother's side, called home. We did not leave Texas until I was approximately 2 years old. While American English is my native tongue, for as long as I can remember, the social dialect spoken in my family's home was a distinct Texas drawl. It was not entirely southern, and not entirely western, but a melodious combination of the two. Due to excessive teasing in California's elementary schools, where I grew up, code switching became a necessity, thus I no longer speak with a Texas accent; however when I hear it spoken, I am always drawn back into my childhood. When I am fortunate enough to actually visit Texas, as I did when our youngest son was stationed at FT. Hood, it takes only days for my accent to return.
Having once spoken with a strong Texan accent …show more content…
One of my core values is that every person is a special creation of God and deserves love and respect. My current occupation for the last five years, is titled "Child Specialist II; I work in a youth shelter for homeless children, ranging in age from 9 to 17 years. Most of these children have been abandoned, abused, neglected, and traumatized by the very people who were supposed to love them. Working from a core value of love and respect, it is my job to help protect and advocate for these children, while providing them with a physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually safe environment. This obligates me to be aware of the language that I use when speaking to the child or writing in their daily log