Essay on African American Vernacular - 1823 Words

Essential Works of the African American Vernacular Culture When thinking of musical genres such as jazz, blues, and hip-hop, most Americans do not realize that they are the essential components to the evolution of African American Vernacular Literature. In fact, it is the key factor that brought African American culture into the limelight in America. Since the first black peoples in America were slaves, and were not allowed to read or write, the African American Vernacular Traditions began as completely oral communications in the form of church songs, blues, jazz, rhythm and blues, and hip hop. The African American Vernacular began as Spiritual and Secular works, which portrayed the struggles of the slaves and black population over the†¦show more content†¦Jazz was created to encompass the many aspects of urban America, specifically the train. The locomotive represented moving away from old slave territories, images of trains from old spirituals, and the Underground Railroa d (Gates, McKay, 65). It is also described as â€Å"jam-session-like talk† that drove people to get up and dance (Gates, McKay, 65). Like the blues, jazz uses call and response and call and recall between the singer and instruments to create a conversation-like sound. It also uses improvisation, which is characteristic of African American vernacular. Jazz artists understand and base their works off the fact that things just might not turn out how they want them to, yet they still celebrate life and possibilities (Gates, McKay, 65). Rhythm and Blues came onto the scene thanks to the marketplace rather than musicians. After World War II, black dance music became popular and began to appear all over the world in dance halls and even variety shows. By the 1950’s, records were being produced and even worked up for â€Å"cross-over marketing to white audiences† (Gates, McKay, 69). Ramp;B music combined blues, jazz, Latin and gospel, and was influenced by blue-mo od crooners, gospel and blues stompers, and a cappella singers who created a style called doo-wop (Gates, McKay, 69). The Motown label developed aShow MoreRelatedAfrican American Vernacular English†¯ 1494 Words   |  6 PagesAfrican American Vernacular English†¯ Background: †¯ African American Vernacular English (AAVE) is the variety previously known as Black English Vernacular or Vernacular Black English by sociolinguists, and commonly called Ebonics outside the academic community. However, some characteristics of AAVE are seemingly unique in its structure. It also includes a number of standard and nonstandard English varieties are spoken by the US and the Caribbean people. AAVE has been the core of many public debatesRead MoreAfrican American Vernacular English Language Essay1732 Words   |  7 PagesAfrican American Vernacular English African American Vernacular English can be described as an assortment of American English that is mostly used by urban-working class and mostly bi-dialectical middle-class black Americans. The language is also commonly known as Black Vernacular English or Black English. In some cases, particularly outside the academic community, it is referred to as Ebonics given its distinctive features and similarities with other non-standard English varieties. The similaritiesRead MoreAfrican American Vernacular English (Aave)1503 Words   |  7 PagesAfrican American Vernacular English The United States of America is one of the world’s most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations. Even though there is not an official national language, most Americans speak Standard American English (SAE). However, the most prevalent native English vernacular dialect in the United States is African American Vernacular English (AAVE). According to Sharon Vaughn, AAVE is â€Å"a dialect used by some African Americans† (110). In order to examine AAVE, one mustRead MoreThe Grammar Of Urban African American Vernacular English By Walt Wolfram1368 Words   |  6 Pagesurban African American Vernacular English by Walt Wolfram Introduction †¢ The roots of contemporary of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) were establish in the rural South . †¢ In the 20th century, it is associated with its use in non-Souther urban areas. †¢ Urban AAVE was a by-product of the great Migration o African-Americans moved from rural South to metropolitan areas of the North. o Demographic movement is not a sufficient explanation for the cultural shift. o 90% of African AmericansRead MoreAfrican American Vernacular Traditions: Integrated Into Modern Culture1292 Words   |  6 PagesAfrican American Vernacular Traditions: Integrated Into Modern Culture African American vernacular traditions have been around for many centuries and still cease to exist in their culture. The vernacular traditions of the African Americans started when slaves were existent in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. It is believed that the slaves spoke a mix of Creole and partial English, in which they had to create in order to communicate between them discreetly. The vernacular traditions originatedRead MoreAfrican American Vernacular1239 Words   |  5 Pagesdefinition of vernacular is â€Å"of, relating to, or being a nonstandard language or dialect of a place, region, or country.† In terms of African American history, the evolution of vernacular is very important and a very unique part of the culture. The African American vernacular has aided the development of a distinct culture in terms of what African Americans were subjected to from the installation of slavery. The African American vernacular was used as a way to expose the atrocities tha t African AmericansRead MoreAfrican American Vernacular English ( Aave )2169 Words   |  9 Pagesform Wang 3 of a language that is spoken in a particular area and that uses some of its own words, grammar, and pronunciations. (Webster Dictionary) African American Vernacular English(AAVE) was often called as Ebonics by Non-linguists. The languages and dialects are noble, which should not be separated by personal biased thought about the race, color, region, religion. However, in 1997, a nation-wide debate aboutRead More Code Switching in William Wells Browns Clotel Essay896 Words   |  4 Pagesone would speak to a scholar, or speak to a prison inmate in the same regard that one would speak with the President of the United States. Speaking in standard American English and then in African American Vernacular English (AAVE), or Ebonics, portrays the most prominent use of code switching in today’s society, especially among American youths. Today, people utilize code switching to associate better amongst a group of people. In William Wells Brown’s Clotel, code switching plays an im portant roleRead More The Ebonics Controversy Essay examples5572 Words   |  23 Pagessometimes very opinionated. The term Ebonics is the most recently coined name for a speech pattern that has been around for several hundred years. Synonyms for Ebonics include, but are not limited to, Black English, Black Vernacular, African American Vernacular English (AAVE),Jive, Rappin, even the derogatory term of Nigger Talk(Shabaz). The words language anddialect are ambiguous and often interchanged when they should not be, because of the confusion they can elicit. ForRead More Ebonics is Not a Seperate Language but Improper Form of English2948 Words   |  12 Pagesuse among African American students; language that has not been examined closely nor acknowledged until recently. Ebonics is classified as Black English or Black sounds, or Pan African Communication Behavior or African Language systems which originates from the West African languages such as Ibo, Yoruba, and Hausa (Amended Resolution of the Board of Education, 1997. P. 1). During the times of slavery, ebonics was also spoken as Gullah, which is a combination of West African languages

History Of Musical History, And Music Theory Of South Africa

Sara Dietrich Mr. Moore AMU3M January 6, 2015 South Africa This paper is going to talk about the history, musical history, and music theory of South Africa. The country is populated with 52.98 million people and the main religion is Christian. The country of South Africa is located on the southern most tip of the continent of Africa and covers 4% of the total landmass. It is bordered by Mozambique, Namibia, and Botswana. It is a very biodiverse country because of the Atlantic ocean flanking one side, and the mountain range on the other side. History The country of South Africa has a very complicated and unfortunate history, that lead to a widespread relief when the struggle was over. The Dutch colonized South Africa in 1652, which lead to controversy when diamonds were discovered shortly after. Holland was getting a larger portion of the diamonds being distributed and the people of South Africa were displeased. When Britain found out, they wanted to join in as well. This led to a long feud, and eventually sparked the Boer War in 1899, which last until 1902. Britain won and ultimately gained control over South Africa until 1910, when the Africans didn’t agree with Britain s attempt to anglicize their culture. In 1918, one of the countries greatest leaders, Nelson Mandela was born. He would later go on to become one of the most influential people of South Africa. In 1925, Afrikaans was declared the official language of South Africa, and this infuriated theShow MoreRelatedAfric The Richest Continent Essay1249 Words à ‚  |  5 Pages Africa is the richest continent in the world. She stores diamonds, metals, gold, and silver deep in her belly and an abundance of exotic fruits and vegetables sprout from her soil. No other continent on Earth is as abundant as Africa regarding natural resources. (Williams) Human beings with unique traditions and various beliefs inhabited Africa’s lands. In the 18th century, European colonists sailed to Africa, exploiting resources, and unjustly shipping millions of West Africans across the AtlanticRead MoreThe Black Atlantic : Modernity And Double Consciousness1190 Words   |  5 PagesAfricans across various locations such as Africa, the Caribbean, and Europe. Gilroy also highlighted many intellectual contributors to the discussion, which included Fredrick Douglas, Donald Byrd, W.E.B. DuBois and Richard Wright. His approach to the diaspora study differed from the typical, but did incorporate personal stories from those who experienced it themselves. While fo cusing on the various components of the work including nationalism, race, music, double consciousness and the understandingRead MoreBrazil And Caribbean Culture Essay1694 Words   |  7 Pagespeople have, overall, enthusiastically adopted the notion that racial and cultural mixture defines this regions national identity (Samba 1). This region consists of a very historic background which has shaped the beliefs and customs of celebration, music and dance. Sugar cane was brought to the new world by Christopher Columbus on his second voyage in 1493 (Umbilical 99). The introductionRead MoreThe Impact Of Hip Hop Music On America1491 Words   |  6 Pages As furthest back that we can recall, there was Africa. It is from Africa that all of today’s Black American music whether it be Jazz, Rhythm and Blues Soul or Electro music etc., is either indirectly or directly descended from all African culture and tradition. Today, Hip-hop music in America is generally considered to have been pioneered out of New York s South Bronx in the early 1970’s by a Jamaican-born DJ Herc. By the time mid-1970s, New York s hip-hopRead MoreThe, Mexican Feminist Theorist Gloria Anzladua s An Analytical Framework For Considering The Relationship Between Minority Faces,3216 Words   |  13 Pagesof â€Å"the border† to contextualize conversations of music and culture pertaining to American slavery. An zaldua’s work differentiates between the â€Å"border† as a geographical space and the â€Å"Border† that is the intellectual and culture production that happens in the aforementioned geographical space (Anzaldua, 9). As such, I seek to historically and racially broaden Anzaldua’s lens in order to define the plantation as the â€Å"border† and the culture and music as the â€Å"Border† when analyzing American slaveryRead MoreCharacteristics of Nigerian English1941 Words   |  8 PagesThe second dispersal took place during the 18th and 19th centuries. It is connected to the colonization of Asia and Africa and resulted in the development of L2 varieties of English called â€Å"New Englishes†. The history of English in Colonial Africa is interesting since it has two different patterns depending on whether we refer to West or East Africa. English incursion into West Africa was caused by trading, slavery and missionary activities.[2] Nigerian English- the variety I have chosen- belongs toRead MoreMusic Is A Form Of Humanly Organized Sounds1819 Words   |  8 PagesIn the world history the lives of the people have an important window in the form of music. Music is known as â€Å"humanly organized sound† or â€Å"organization of sound†. In the historical records many different types of music are present. Music is in the form of song lyrics, music recordings, spontaneous tunes, written music, the music performances in social life and staged music performances. In the historical perspective, music is present as an elementary thing of human experience and a divine phenomenonRead MoreWomen Of Hip Hop Culture Essay1723 Words   |  7 Pageswhose voices have been relegated to the margins of public discourse.† Their voices are in constant dialogue with the public and men rappers about sexual promiscuity, emotional commitment, infidelity, the drug trade, racial politics and black cultural history. If we pay close attention to female rappers, we will notice that they address questions of sexual power, economic opportunities and the pain of racism and sexism. Women rappers has been promoted as sexually progressive, antisexist voices becauseRead MoreWhat Makes Us Human?1905 Words   |  8 PagesHumans have made tremendous strides in learning about our early ancestors, but many questions remain about how and why we are what we are today, and there are as many theories. Chris Stringer, author of Lone Survivors, attempts to answer some of those questions. The question of â€Å"what makes us human† is a complicated one, with many different answers. Human beings evolved into what we are today not only through evolutions in genetics, brain size and body size, but also through our behaviors. So muchRead MoreJazz Music : The Jazz Age1985 Words   |  8 PagesIn the 1920s, jazz music started to gain popularity in America. Taking place during the Harlem Renaissance, jazz music helpe d define this time and the 1920s as the â€Å"jazz age†. The new upbeat and exuberant style of music attracted many young people looking for change. Jazz broke the customary rules of classical music and allowed musicians to improvise. Famous artists like Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, and Louis Armstrong took the country by storm with their talent. Soon speakeasies around cities

Cuban Missle Crisis Essay Research Paper StartThe free essay sample

Cuban Missle Crisis Essay, Research Paper Start The Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962 was one of the turning points of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. At that clip the two world powers came near to war, perchance with atomic arms ; after it, both states began to seek ways to set to each other, in peculiar, to forestall the usage of atomic arms. The events of the Cuban Missile Crisis demonstrated the adulthood of the U.S. intelligence community, particularly in its ability to roll up and analyse information. The important functions of human intelligence ( HUMINT ) and photographic intelligence ( PHOTINT ) in the Cuban Missile Crisis have been known from the beginning. Documents declassified and released in 1998 now reveal that signals intelligence ( SIGINT ) besides played an extremely of import portion in pull offing the crisis. It should be said at the beginning that signals intelligence did non supply any direct information about the Soviet debut of violative ballistic missiles into Cuba. We will write a custom essay sample on Cuban Missle Crisis Essay Research Paper StartThe or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page However, in the more than two old ages before that fact was known, SIGINT analysts exhaustively studied the Cuban military buildup. Once the violative missiles were discovered, SIGINT provided direct support for daily direction of the crisis. This is the narrative of SIGINT in the Cuban Missile Crisis. When Fidel Castro took power in Cuba by subverting the old dictator, Fulgencio Batista, he was hailed as a liberator by the Cuban people themselves and became a hero to the American people as good. However, Castro shortly took actions unfriendly to American involvements and aligned his state publically with the Soviet Union. The U.S. populace and authorities were soberly concerned about the creative activity of a Communist province and member of the Soviet Bloc merely seventy myocardial infarctions lupus erythematosuss from its southern shores ; this job became a major focal point of the new Kennedy disposal when it took office in January 1961. In response to the possible menace and the disposal # 8217 ; s involvement in it, the U.S. intelligence community began a new focal point on information about Cuba. The National Security Agency besides beefed up its coverage of Cuba and Soviet support for the island state. In Havana, one of the effects of its alliance with the USSR was fright that the United States might step in against the new Cuban authorities. This fright materialized in subsequently 1961 when Cuban exiles, trained by America # 8217 ; s CIA, staged an invasion of Cuban district at the Bay of Pigs. Although the invasion was rapidly repulsed, it intensified an weaponries buildup that was already under manner. Q # 8217 ; s One job shared by intelligence analysts and disposal policymakers likewise was the nature of the military bringings. Most of the military equipment could be described accurately as defensive, but much of it could besides be used in taking the discourtesy. The primary inquiries for Americans was: would the Soviets introduce violative missiles into Cuban district? End A Navy SIGINT way happening cyberspace in the Atlantic located the Soviet ships by stoping and triangulating messages that they were directing back to the Soviet Union. The ships were stopped dead in the H2O, outside the ring of American naval vass waiting for them. A confrontation had been averted, one that might hold precipitated war. The president, his cabinet, and the American people could take a breath a small easier.Later, one time the Soviets agreed to take the ballistic missiles from Cuba, NSA studies besides provided grounds to the American authorities that the Communist Bloc besides considered the crisis over.

Zulu and Yoruba Religions an Example by

Zulu and Yoruba Religions The Zulu consider real anything that holds power, but particularly the supreme God of the Sky, the ancestors (whom the Zulu revere), and medicine. Diviners (who may be either male or female) are particularly real because they diagnose problems, offer solutions, and mediate between the Zulu and the divine forces, and the ancestral spirits determine their roles and status (not every Zulu is entitled to mediate between spirits and humans). In addition, herbalists (who are mostly male) enjoy special significance; though most Zulu have some familiarity with herbal medicine, only a select few can attain special proficiency and status. Need essay sample on "Zulu and Yoruba Religions" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed Students Very Often Tell EssayLab writers: Where can I get help for writing macbeth essay? EssayLab specialists advise: Here Is Your Life Vest! 5 Steps To An EssayHow To Write An Essay FastBuy 1000 Word EssayResearch Paper HelpWrite My Paper For MeCollege PapersCoursework Writing ServiceCustom Essay Writing Service The Zulus' most important religious purposes include rooting out sources of destruction and social disruption, because the Zulu value harmony and order; thus, having a sense of control over their lives (as a group rather than as individuals) is vital. Their rituals are thus geared toward this maintenance of order and control, and refusing to properly worship these forces represents a serious threat to their society, not simply a breach of practice. At the personal level, they value the intricate social relationships that exist in their villages, as well as the ties to their ancestors (whom the Zulu believe live in the earth, the main reason why cattle enclosures at the center of each village are sacred). The Zulu consider witchcraft and sorcery dangerous because witches "derive their power from, and base their operations in, a shadowy world that is neither that of the ancestors nor that of the God of the Sky" (37). They defy the ancestors by ignoring the proper rites and rituals, as well as threatening public order. Among the more desirable aspects of Zulu religious and social life are praise (frequently part of their rituals), harmony, solidarity (as expressed in the role of ritual), maintaining proper relations to their ancestors, and the sense of control over their destiny and environment that their religious life helps them attain. The Yoruba share key aspects of their religion with the Zulu, but their more urban-based, decentralized society reflects in their religious beliefs and practices. It is more complex, prompting Earhart to joke, "The diversity of Yoruba thought and practice is so great that some scholars - tongue in cheek - recommend studying its art instead" (Earhart 61). The most real aspects of Yoruba religion are the holy Nigerian city of Ife and the dominance of the deities orisa (who are approachable through ritual) and olorun (a remote, supreme god approachable only through mediators). In addition, lesser spiritual power exists in villages, all physical objects, and in people as well. They consider discovering and living according to their destiny most important, as shaped by their adherence to ritual, deference to authority, and maintenance of group solidarity. (Like the Zulu, the Yoruba value herbal medicine and diviners, though any Yoruba can be a diviner and Yoruba herbalists have more of a divine role than their Zulu counterparts do.) In addition, they value. The Yoruba consider witches and sorcerers dangerous because they defy traditions, social harmony, and religious conventions. In addition, the trickster god Esu can be dangerous because he is fickle; thus, he must be recognized and respected in Yoruba rituals in order to win his favor and that of the olorun. In addition, unbalanced people who fail to properly revere the ancestors, gods, and earthly authorities. They consider being spiritually balanced (through honors to ancestors and gods, such as the fickle Esu) a desirable object in life, because such people heed divine forces and thus help bring good fortune to themselves and their people. Divinity and community for the Zulu are more spatially concentrated, since they center on two chief locations - the kraal, or cattle enclosure around which Zulu villages form a ring, and on the hills surrounding Zulu villages. Because they believe that their ancestors reside in the earth, the kraal around which circle-shaped Zulu villages are built is sacred ground, the location of most Zulu religious activity and social rituals. Major events in life, such as marriages, coming of age, death, and others, involve rituals that take place in this space, which symbolizes the contact and constant presence the Zulu feel with their ancestral spirits. In addition, the hills surrounding Zulu villages are important because they are sites where the Zulu can directly commune with the God of the Sky, their supreme deity. Zulu communities place village headmen at the top of not only the secular hierarchy but also in control of religious life. They serve as priests as well as playing social and political roles, mediating between the worshippers and spirits and leading in both the religious and secular realms. According to Earhart, "These ancestors require reverence and devotion, and the [village headman] ensures that both in attitude and in act the members of the community . . . perform their religious duty" (Earhart 35). Adhering to the headman's authority is a key component of maintaining proper relations with ancestors as well as with fellow villagers. In a society where balance and respect matter utmost, their sense of community is defined by the networks of social relationships that bridge the earthly and spiritual, tying the living to the ancestors and gods. Among the Yoruba, whose society is more physically dispersed and significantly more urbanized than that of the Zulu, both divinity and community are more complex. Not only does it have a somewhat more abstract sense of community, with a sacred central city and lesser power dispersed from this site throughout the Yoruba world, but it also operates on more levels, with more layers of mediation between worshippers and deities than the relatively less complex Zulu religion. The Yoruba community, on the other hand, is more physically dispersed and decentralized, with Ife the most important religious site because of its connections to the god Orisa-nla, whose first acts of creation occurred there (Earhart 61). (This is somewhat similar to the importance of Jerusalem in the major Western faiths, being the spiritual center of their world.) In addition, many other places in Yoruba society have a lesser but nonetheless vital spiritual importance. The Yoruba believe that their towns and local chiefs derive their power directly from Ife, which exerts a powerful spiritual influence throughout Yoruba lands and determines who should wield such power. In addition, Yoruba divinity takes place in a variety of sites, not simply in the kraal or hills as in the Zulu tradition. Yoruba homes often have shrines where family-centered worship occurs, and the town has a higher level of spiritual and social importance (under the chief's spiritual leadership), demonstrating a more complex social hierarchy and corresponding religious practice. The ancestors are not shared in such a broadly common way among the Yoruba, because ancestor worship is centered more at home than in a common holy space. As with the Zulu, the Yoruba depend on religion to maintain a strong sense of community and seek harmonious relations with divine forces. However, they differ on spatial and hierarchical grounds; the Zulu world is more village-centered, with simpler spiritual and religious hierarchies. The Yoruba reflect their more dispersed and urbanized society in their religion, which has more levels of deities and spiritual practices and protocols. Reference Earhart, H. Byron. Ed. Religious Traditions of the World. New York: HarperCollins, 1993.