English? spanlish? Frenglish?

I did some research on what people thought about English as a lingua Franca online. Also how they felt as English being the primary language of science, technology, and commerce. I never thought too much on it but I found many debates people have had on it.

            People need a common language to communicate subjects such as science, technology, business, and academics. This common language is referred to as a "lingua franca". This term describes a language serving as a regular means of communication between different groups.

            People feel that it would be a bold move and do not really agree with it. Some people think that English should not be the primary language in America or even globally. But then there are those people who think yes English should be the primary language.

            My personal opinion goes both ways. I feel that globally the lingua franca should be the language spoke most of the people. We should take a poll and find out which language is speaking dominantly. Whether it is English, Spanish or any other language, it should be the one that is more common.

            People say that English is not a language but a bunch of different languages put together. Yes English is a language that derives from many different languages, but you think that it would give us a better reason to have it as the primary language since it is a combination of others. English has Latin, French, Spanish, and many other languages in it. I think that it would be best if English were the lingua franca.

            Another topic that is brought up is English as the official language in America. I think that we should have an official language and that it should be English. I do not hate other languages, in fact I enjoy learning other languages, but I believe that it is the most common. English is a very common language so I believe that we should keep it that way so that we can have an official language. You here people call America a melting pot. America is where all different kinds of culture are blended together. America does not really have it's own root but many roots from many different places. Now did we not just say that about the English language? That it was a combination of many different languages. So if America is a melting pot why not have a melting pot as a language too. It makes sense to me. If we are going to accept the melting pot we should not pick Spanish, French, or any other language as our official language because that would go against our theory of accepting everything else and everyone else.

            As for technology, science, and commerce, I think that the primary language should be the easiest language. I do understand that English is very difficult to learn. I have talked to many different people who have English as their second language and they said that English is very complicated. So if it is complicated then let's make something else the primary language. To me though it sounds like the best option.

Prompt #3 Essay hints

In chapter two the authors are helping us and giving us hints on our own writings. The one that was most helpful to me was Patricia T, O'Conner. She wrote Saying is Believing. In her essay she had thirteen main points that are common problems in our essays. It is exactly what I needed as she says it is "to guide you through the writing blunders many students make". O'Conner says, "the simplest and clearest writing had the greatest power to delight, surprise, inform, and move the reader." I find this very helpful. I find myself many times putting too much thought into an essay. I do not stick to just one topic and I go off on tangents in my paper. It could be confusing and too much for the reader. I found five rules to be especially helpful.

            Rule number two states: Stop when you've said it. I find that I continue and continue sentences. If I have a thought I run with it until I cannot run any farther with it. This rule shows me that I need to say it and then stop do not keep going on.

             Rule number five says: Be direct. I find myself beating around the bush trying to say stuff. When what I really need to do is just say it. In this rule I like the point where she says, "As in geometry, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line."             Rule number six reads: Don't make yourself the center of the universe. Apparently I like being the center of attention in my papers too. I always want to say how I feel. I want to give my opinion and tell you what I think and make you understand why I think what I think. I need to use fewer first person pronouns.

            Rule number nine states: Watch out for pronounitis. I have pronounitis. I could write a sentence such as: She told him about it and that they did that. It is such a good example of lack of communication. O'Conner says, "Don't let the reader guess."

            Rule number twelve says: Put your ideas in order. I will write down a thought then think of another one write that down then think about something else to a previous thought then write it down. When I write an essay I have to write out an outline first because if I don't then I am all over the place in my essay with my ideas. I could take her advice and go through my essay after I write it and rearrange my ideas where they are in order.

            In conclusion, this essay was the most helpful to me out of all the ones in chapter two. The other rules were: Say what you have to say, Don't belabor the obvious, Don't tie yourself in knots to avoid repeating a word, Put descriptions close to what the describe, Put the doer closer to what's being done, Make sure there's a time and place for everything, imagine what you're writing, read with a felonious mind. I loved all of the principles. I felt like they were direct and easy to understand. I enjoyed reading this essay and feel like it is going to be helpful in all the other essays that I intend to write.

He had a Dream, Do I?

When prompted to think about Martin Luther King Jr.'s most famous speech, which is "I Have a Dream", all I think about is change. This was definitely an example of "language that inspired change". His speech is all about change and leaving the past and starting a new future. The African American race was treated so poorly that they all saw no bright future ahead of them and had no hope for change. That all changed when Martin Luther King Jr. gave his speech. He gave them a sense of freedom. They all felt a need for change but this speech gave the means for change. He found a way to reach his audience where every single person of every race heard it.


Martin Luther King Jr. gave his speech on the Lincoln Memorial. This memorial represented freedom and unity. This was honored through Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech, where his whole speech was about unity between races and the freedom of the African Americans. I do not think that he could have picked a better place to deliver his speech. I think that this location served its purpose very well and gave a deeper meaning to his speech and spoke to his audience.

In his speech he prompted many changes towards civil rights and the way people viewed them. Martin Luther King Jr. said in his speech, " is not an end, but a beginning", prompting that this is not the end to anything but that we are just starting something new. The start of something new is change. Martin Luther King Jr. also stated, " The Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny." This proves that he was talking to both Whites and African Americans. Both needed to have a change of heart, which he was planting the seed for. The fact that he mentioned that white people were there meant that change had already started and he was reaching their hearts. In his speech he said "Knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed." This helped everyone believe that change not only could happen but also would happen. I think that everybody knew change could happen but did not know that it would happen. This speech helped everybody have hope that it actually would happen. When hope is felt, change is possible. With no hope felt nobody is going to have the means for change.

I believe that if I were there while Martin Luther King Jr. was delivering his speech, "I have a dream" I would have been moved. His speech was well written and well communicated. If I were a White person in that time I would have been touched and set up for change. His speech reached so many people and still affects us today. Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech is still felt today as we go through out our lives. The fact that we still feel his speech now, many years later, means that it did in fact inspire change. I start to think about myself and what would I stand up for and be willing to speak on. If given the opportunity would I be able to inspire change or would I even be heard?

Let Language set you free

Helen Keller writes that the acquisition of language "set her free." I agree. I feel that language provides us with a sense of independence and freedom. I agree with Leonard Michaels who wrote the essay My Yiddish. He states that we sometimes focus intently on language. We can express ourselves through our language. We can show our intellectual level, and our personality.


The first amendment in our constitution is the freedom of speech. We have been given the freedom to express ourselves through our language. I think that sometime people take it for granted. We will sometime keep our mouths shut in order to not express ourselves. When you have the opportunity let language be your expressive means. I also think that we can over use this right. Sometimes since we think that we can say whatever we want, we say things that hurt other people. There is a fine line between expressing yourself and hurting others. We sometimes just do not think and it becomes an unconscious activity where is does not really express who we are because we are not consciously doing the speaking.

I think that language can also be a barrier to our freedom. When there are many different languages it makes it difficult to communicate with others. For example imagine being a person who only spoke Spanish who came to America for freedom. You hear about these kinds of stories all the time. Just imagine thinking you are going to be free then coming here and not being able to really express yourself because you don't speak English. The freedom you once thought you were going to find is not there due to a lack of being able to communicate. Fortunately people are becoming bilingual which opens many paths of freedom.

Language is unique and different to every person. I look at my friends and yes we all speak the same language but we speak differently. Some people speak politically correct. Some use slang. One thing I noticed is that we all have our own little catch phrases that express us. I hear my friends saying "low key", "For sure", "ight", "right", or "all bad". Just their little phrases that make them who they are, they each are different I think it is expressive. They can show you that they have a personality and they are not like everyone else. I think that if we all spoke the same way that life would be boring. Some of my personal catch phrases are "for real" and "bad news". These are just little quirks about me that make me unique with my language.

In conclusion, I think that, yes, language does provide us with freedom. Language is unique. It was not the same for Helen Keller as it was for Malcolm X. They both used language very differently. Even though Helen Keller had many boundaries set on her she still found her own language that set her free. So do not let boundaries hold you back. Find your language and roll with it. Let it set you free.