pragmatics
African American students often employ a call-and-response pattern when interacting with classroom teachers (Swisher & Schoorman, 2001). This back-and-forth style of interaction is not meant to be disruptive. Instead, it reflects a learning style common to African Americans that favors acknowledgement of what the other person is saying and the addition of personally relevant information (Swisher & Schoorman, 2001). Through this pattern of acknowledgement and disagreement African American students are actually displaying their interest and attention to the conversation (Rivers, Hyter & DeJarnette, 2012). This tendency to be very participatory extends beyond the classroom. It is a common practice in African American churches and in other situations where some cultures favor more of an observational style.
In addition, there are a number of speech acts common among African Americans that are not as prevalent in other American cultures. One example is playing the dozens. This is a practice common among African American children, especially boys, that involves exchanging insults under the watchful eye of a peer audience (www.about.com). These insults are typically targeted at each other's mothers or other female family members (www.about.com). It is essentially a game made up of insults and the objective is to be quick on your feet and come up with the most witty retort.
Another popular speech act is signifying. This is an indirect way of insulting someone. The negative comment is made in a voice just loud enough that the other person can hear it, but not loud enough that he or she can appropriately respond (www.about.com). Other forms of verbal jousting exist such as dissin', rappin, cappin and snappin (Rivers, Hyter & DeJarnette, 2012). While these exchanges might seem unpleasant or negative to someone outside of the culture, they are often, in fact, playful banter among friends.
Rivers, Hyter & DeJarnette also highlight the fact that storytelling among African Americans often follows a topic associative pattern (2012). To a listener from a different cultural tradition, it may appear as though the speaker is switching topics too frequently or a way that is confusing; however, careful observation will generally reveal an association between topics that exists. The preference for this narrative style stems from the tradition of oral storytelling that runs through many generations of African American families, but it can be mistaken as a problem with organizing narratives or sequencing events (River, Hyter & DeJarnette, 2012).
In addition, there are a number of speech acts common among African Americans that are not as prevalent in other American cultures. One example is playing the dozens. This is a practice common among African American children, especially boys, that involves exchanging insults under the watchful eye of a peer audience (www.about.com). These insults are typically targeted at each other's mothers or other female family members (www.about.com). It is essentially a game made up of insults and the objective is to be quick on your feet and come up with the most witty retort.
Another popular speech act is signifying. This is an indirect way of insulting someone. The negative comment is made in a voice just loud enough that the other person can hear it, but not loud enough that he or she can appropriately respond (www.about.com). Other forms of verbal jousting exist such as dissin', rappin, cappin and snappin (Rivers, Hyter & DeJarnette, 2012). While these exchanges might seem unpleasant or negative to someone outside of the culture, they are often, in fact, playful banter among friends.
Rivers, Hyter & DeJarnette also highlight the fact that storytelling among African Americans often follows a topic associative pattern (2012). To a listener from a different cultural tradition, it may appear as though the speaker is switching topics too frequently or a way that is confusing; however, careful observation will generally reveal an association between topics that exists. The preference for this narrative style stems from the tradition of oral storytelling that runs through many generations of African American families, but it can be mistaken as a problem with organizing narratives or sequencing events (River, Hyter & DeJarnette, 2012).