Weinrich 1
Robin Weinrich
Dr. Hapsatou Wane
ENGL 7630
12 November 2022
Topic: My topic explores how language and identity are portrayed through the major
historical shifts in Africa via African Literature. I am interested in this primarily because
language is not only a universal method of communication among humans but because it is
constantly changing and is integral to cultural meanings and values. Literature is a form of art
that expresses language through its writers, and the voices of these writers reflect their cultural
symbols. I find it fascinating to experience many different viewpoints through the art of
literature, such as narratives, poetry, and lyrics. Skilled writers use language and its elements to
bring the reader their perspectives to make connections and enhance lives with the art of words
and grammatical structures. Figurative language, regional vernaculars, and measured meters all
serve this purpose. Identity is a universal human desire to belong and be identified appropriately
within one's culture. People learning their language allows them to see their relationship with the
world and how that perspective is expressed in social, political, and economical ways. After
studying the depth of the history of the African continent through the voices of African writers, I
have found inspiration in sharing their voices with my students and colleagues by designing a
survey course in the hope that my college will offer it.
Research Process: Much of my process for this topic and my final project was
embedded in my notes and reflections during the semester. Along with my notes and ideas, I read
multiple scholarly articles pointing to more articles for reading. By using specific points from
Weinrich 2
these assigned readings, I could narrow my topic based on my interest and the points made by
many of the writers notated here in my bibliography. I will also add that my experiences as an
English and Literature instructor for the last 15 years were part of my process, as it quickly came
to me to read and dig deep into many types of sources. This helps me expand my understanding
and ideas, and I love discovering new ones. Most of my sources are gleaned from the scholarly
articles' references to other articles and bibliographies. I tend to lean toward writers that don't
feel it necessary to use the most educated word choice but to express their viewpoint in practical
and efficient word choices and sentence structures. It is much easier to read and absorb when I
do not have to look up every other word used in an article (there have been a few this semester).
Annotated Bibliography
Canagarajah, Suresh, and Sandra Silberstein. "Diaspora Identities and Language." Journal of
Language, Identity & Education, vol. 11, no. 2, 2012, pp. 81–84.,
https://doi.org/10.1080/15348458.2012.667296.
The authors of this article claim that language is essential in shaping the diaspora
identity as well as the connections to a homeland. However, they point out
that not all diaspora identities are stable or tied to the homeland, as many studies
have shown that dispersed people do not always want to return. They continue to
show evidence of how connections are made and retained because of language
and how a person adopts language to navigate the dynamics of group
relationships within the community. The writers also discuss hybridity and how it
influences community members through multilingual resources. This adds to my
interpretation of the importance of language and its effects on the diaspora
person and their experiences. "If language sometimes embodies these tensions, it
Weinrich 3
also serves as a resource to reflexively ponder tension, textually resolve them,
and represent them all for analysis" (83). Since many of my students are 2nd and
3rd generations away from diaspora communities, it is crucial to understand the
multilayered complications in identity when talking about home.
Haryana, S. (2021). Identity and the Language in NoViolet Bulawayo's We Need New Names.
The Creative Launcher, VI(I). https://doi.org/10.53032/issn.2455-6580
This article uses Bulawayo's novel, We Need New Names to how the migrant
experience and the hybrid identities in a postcolonial context. The protagonist in
this novel is an example of a diasporic teenager who attempts to fit in with her
host culture and misses greatly her home country. She represents the
transnational identity that migrants share. Not only does this article give many
examples from the characters about my topic but it also supports teaching
moments for my class on literary elements Bulawayo uses—how she uses the
theme of "names" to exemplify the loss of these characters' individuality and loss
of culture and language.
Makoni, Sinfree and Barbara Trudell. "African Perspectives on Linguistic Diversity:
Implications for Language Policy and Education." The Languages of Africa and the
Diaspora. [Electronic Resource]: Educating for Language Awareness, edited by Jo Anne
Kleifgen and George C. Bond, Multilingual Matters, 2009, p. 32-45. EBSCOhost,
https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=cat06725a
&AN=pqe.9913733704902931&site=eds-live&scope=site.
Makoni and Trudell discuss the connections of language diversity to the social
and public policies made in African schools. This article piqued my interest
Weinrich 4
because of the points made on how the language of European rulers was imposed
on all the colonies, especially in the schools and government, and how indigenous
people worked to keep the individual languages alive. During this colonial period,
as we've learned this semester, keeping to the native language was tied directly to
keeping one's identity amid the colonizers. Even with independence, as the
authors point out, language diversity did not disappear but became central issues.
While I may not see material here that directly applies to my course content, there
is enough background information here to support the role of language in
multilingual societies.
McLaren, Joseph. "African Diaspora Vernacular Traditions and the Dilemma of
Identity." Research in African Literatures, vol. 40, no. 1, Mar. 2009, p. 97. EBSCOhost,
https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=edsglr&AN
=edsglr.A193408094&site=eds-live&scope=site.
McLaren's article truly inspired me to press further into this topic. His ability to
connect the linguistic elements, included "Africanized English" as an accurate and
authentic representation of the Diaspora was enlightening. The development of
black language styles is directly related to the vastness of identity issues
especially for those removed from their homes. Also, the examples of how
European languages that have been varied and "Africanized" gives deeper
reflection into the outcomes of this language element. For instance, McLaren
claims, "Ebonics has become an authenticating element in literature of the
Diaspora, a sign of the actual language patterns spoken by characters in fictional
works or by the speakers in poetic discourse . . . "(98). He continues to make the
Weinrich 5
case of grammatical differences embedded in the various languages that are the
carryovers from cultural meanings. I enjoyed this article because of his
connections to the African identity and the additional sources he used to support
his points. One source was from Ngugi wa Thiong'o, a Kenyan scholar and writer,
who described the "Diasporan African" losing his "inherited languages and the
imposition of those of the conqueror by creating new languages . . ." (100) which
further diminishes the confidence in one's identity. This connection between
language and identity is the basis of the course offering and how African writers
portray their characters' ongoing search for their true identities. McLaren also
brings to the discussion how grammatical structures and sound rules affect the
linguistic diversity. He refers to the verb patterns of to be, and I immediately was
reminded of Zora Neale Hurston's talent for writing dialect in her novel Their
Eyes Were Watching God and her short stories. She uses this linguistic element to
grant identity to her characters and make them believable. This is a great example
that I will use with my students as we study the connections. I found Joseph
McLaren's research the most compelling for my work.
Parry, Kate. "Languages, Literacies and Libraries: A View from Africa." The Languages of
Africa and the Diaspora. [Electronic Resource]: Educating for Language Awareness,
edited by Jo Anne Kleifgen and George C. Bond, Multilingual Matters, 2009, p. 80-93.
EBSCOhost,
https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=cat06725a
&AN=pqe.9913733704902931&site=eds-live&scope=site.
Weinrich 6
While most of this article focuses on literacy and the availability of public spaces
for reading, Kate Parry also focuses on the diversity of language and how people's
choices are made according to the power and influence they exist. She recounts a
class of boys she taught in Nigeria and how they spoke at least three languages.
The language of home (not a home language, but the language communicated in
the home and intimate relationships, the elders in their village), the common
African language used outside the home, and the colonizer's language mostly
English. With that information, it is helpful to support my students' discovery of
the language connection to economic prosperity and success. Parry states, "Any
attempt to withhold English, then, however justified in terms of cultural identity,
will be interpreted by those who are least influenced by European and American
culture as an attempt to prevent them from getting ahead in the world" (83). How
does this connect to finding identity when language choices become more about
professional status or political power?
Taylor, Jack. "Language, Race, and Identity in Adichie's Americanah and Bulowayo's We Need
New Names." Research in African Literatures, vol. 50, no. 2, June 2019, p.
68. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.2979/reseafrilite.50.2.06.
This article was another fascinating read and gave great insight into the topic I'm
exploring with my new course. By using the novels Americanah and We Need
New Names, Jack Taylor discusses how the themes of cultural hybridity and the
use of language intersect and help define identity. I like that he uses the novels to
address the factors of culture that are reflected in contemporary African literature
such as the issue of immigration by choice, the complexity of racism in host
Weinrich 7
countries, and Afropolitanism. He refers to linguistic elements and how "language
functions as a marker of difference and highlights the pressure placed on
immigrants to assimilate to the level of speech intonation fully" (70). He claims
that language and cultural hybridity help shape an identity that is not solely based
on geographical locations, according to Chielozona Eze's definition. He
references Eze's view that Afropolitanism does not reject ". . . African identity but
are calling for a reevaluation of African identity that places them within the
context of the entire world akin to the cosmopolitan forbearers" (71). As Eze and
Taylor state, navigating a new culture requires attention to the language and what
cultural traditions shape identity. Taylor continues to give concrete examples
from the novels on how language shapes one's identity. This is valuable research
to support my lectures regarding this connection for the various conversations we
will have after close reading of specific passages in the novels. I enjoyed his
discussion about how language is related to the race issues in Americanah—racial
identity is a recurring theme in all the novels we will study and therefore other
connections of how shifts in language will also affect one's search for identity.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie uses her character, Ifemelu's blogs to make her voice
heard and parallels her viewpoints. Students will explore these highlights to find
the cultural identity markers and discover the complexity of finding identity in
fictional narratives and real life.
Weebe, Christine. "Lead Me to Life: Voices of the African Diaspora." SAPIENS, 2 Aug. 2022,
https://www.sapiens.org/culture/african-diaspora-poetry/.
Weinrich 8
While we focused on the novel genre this semester, I was interested in pursuing
the voices of African poets to offer my students another type of literature
exploration since this will be a survey course. This was a remarkable resource of a
group of writers that pulled together the voices of poets and their perspectives on
the African Diaspora. Many of the featured artists in this article display their
personal and autobiographical views of their family histories and how they
express their themes of racism, colonialism, and postcolonial observations. I will
further research the various artists showcased in this article and see how to curate
them into my course offering.
Yasin, Jon. "Using Hip Hop as an Educational Tool." The Languages of Africa and the
Diaspora. [Electronic Resource]: Educating for Language Awareness, edited by Jo Anne
Kleifgen and George C. Bond, Multilingual Matters, 2009, p. 270-285. EBSCOhost,
https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=cat06725a
&AN=pqe.9913733704902931&site=eds-live&scope=site.
Hip Hop is an excellent linguistic tool that speaks to the current generation of
students and with my research into developing my thesis into an actual course,
there will be activities that I want my students to participate in for relevancy and
connection. The connection of Hip Hop/Afrocentric music draws on elements of
culture and empowerment strategies that reflect on the power of oral traditions
and linguistic skills. One application Yasin points out is how marginalized people
worldwide use Hip Hop Discourse about social injustice. He writes, "The African
American Hip Hop generation has supported the struggles of the international Hip
Hop community and identifies in particular with the social injustices suffered by
Weinrich 9
members of the African diaspora around the world" (278-9). He also discusses
the musical rhythms and sounds created by words and syllables that are
pronounced within the beat. This supports my interest in sharing how language
makes a difference in encoding spoken and written communication such as Hip
Hop and ultimately the connections to diasporic identities.