Talk Dat Talk!

Sorry, I am just now posting this. I'm trying to figure out what to say. This last round of readings really interested me. I am particularly interested in "writing as a reconciliation of cultural identity" and "negotiating your identity amid preexisting ideas about you" through writing. Additionally, while we were discussing Donehower's piece in class, Dr. Rouzie asked some questions regarding writing in an Appalachian vernacular. He asked, "What would it look like and how effective would it be?" I wrote that question down and thought about the Upward Bound students. Additionally, I began to think about what writing in a particular vernacular would look like in an academic journal or book.

Today, while looking over my literature review, I found a quote that may answer one of Dr. Rouzie's questions. Smitherman (1977) write,  "In Black America, the oral tradition has served as a fundamental vehicle for gittin ovuh" (77). I remember typing this particular quote and wondering if I should replace "gittin ovuh" with another phrase. Then, I thought that I would leave it as is because it did something for that particular section of my literature review (Storytelling in the Black Tradition). I'm not quite sure what, but it felt right. I'm sure it has something to do with rhetorical value since I am writing about language in my literature review. :) 

But, I have to revisit the question of why I thought I should replace it. I'm sure I was thinking about perpetuating stereotypes about the way Black people speak. However, after reading Donehower, Villaneuva, and Shen, I feel more comfortable about leaving the quote as it was originally written. Literally writing the quote  in an academic paper seemed to be a reconciliation of cultural identity for me. Additionally, I began to negotiate my identity as a writer (I think. Ha). I think what I mean to say is that I began to wonder what else I could do in my literature review. When learning about people who were qualified to become griots (storytellers), I came across phrases like, "people who could 'talk dat talk' or 'walk dat walk'..." (Primus, 10). I was trying to find so many ways to write "talk dat talk" or walk dat walk" into my literature, but failed miserably. :( I thought that it probably wasn't appropriate for the type of paper that I was writing. However, reading Donehower and the interview with Anzaldua made me rethink what is and what is not appropriate in academic writing. Could I make this into some type of "new mestiza" or code switching? I'm not sure. I hear the Shen piece screaming the first rule of composition, "Be yourself!" But, just as she, I am having a hard time figuring out who I am when writing academic papers, such as literature reviews. And is there even any room for that? If I did choose to write parts of my lit review in Black vernacular, would it be effective?

Anyway, I thought I'd share something with you all that I thought was cool! I found an essay by my favorite, culture critic, bell hooks! Enjoy and let me know your thoughts!

Works cited