On "Mommy, what does 'Nigger' mean?"

Gloria Naylor in her essay “Mommy, what does ‘Nigger’ mean?” emphasizes implicitly or explicitly some characteristics of Modern Linguistics, specifically the one concerning the view of language “…as a dynamic, changing system that varies with time and according to social, geographical and even individual contexts…” (Antonini, 1987, p.8) The other characteristic states the primacy of spoken language over written language.

Besides, this essay shows clearly one of the characteristics of language: arbitrariness. As Naylor says when she introduces the essay, words are innocuous; consensus is what gives power to them. The conflict in the essay is given by the fact that the girl is alien to a consensus out of her world. That is why she cannot understand the meaning of the word in a context different from her family’s.

In this particular case, two social groups have established different consensus toward the same word, one opposing the other. In a way, we are dealing with semantic and pragmatic constructions of the same word, one to attack and the other to react.

MT

This Blog is aimed at sharing views and ideas discussed at "Seminario de Escritores Contemporáneos en Inglés" taught at Universidad Pedagógica Experimental Libertador - Instituto Pedagógico de Caracas. Participants in the seminar will be contributing with entries dealing with what has been discussed during the seminar sessions. The contents of the seminar are given below in the activities calendar. Feel free to leave comments!

Course Calendar2008-I

DATE Activity

WK1
10-03 · Introduction to the seminar
· English in its global context
· The role of Literature

WK2
24-03 · Poetry:
· Janet Anthony Hinkson
· Villager’s Independence James Berry
· Prose:
· Short Story: “Mommy, What Does ‘Nigger’ Mean?” Gloria Naylor
WK4
31-03 · Poetry:
· Third world views (for Grenada) Jean Binta Breeze
· Language Marc Mathews
· Prose:
· Poetry T.A. Bright & G.P. Morgan
Exercise on poetry writing

WK5
07-04 · Poetry:
· Bajan Anthony Kellman
· a caribbean exorcism poem Kendel Hippolyte
· Prose:
· Essay: The Battle With Language Grace Nichols
· Short Story: My two Dads Marie G. Lee

WK6
14-04 · Poetry:
· Patriot Cyril Dabydeen
· Being Always Martin Carter
· Give T’anks Mevyn Morris
· Prose:
· Essay: The Media’s Image of Arabs Jack Shaheen
· Short Story: In the Hills Christine Craig

WK7
21-04 · Poetry:
· Phenomenal Woman Maya Angelou
· Sex Without Love Sharon Olds
· Prose:
· Burn Sugar Marlene Nourbese Philip

WK8
28-04 · Poetry:
· Another Fools’s Day touches down: shush Jack Mapanje
· These Too Are Our Elders Jack Mapanje
· Prose:
· Short Story: The Return Ngugi Wa’ Thiong’o
Paper due (Analysis of short story chosen by participant)


WK9
05-05 · Poetry:
· Red Anger R.T. Smith
· Prose:
· Short story: True Trash Margaret Atwood
Individual Presentations

WK10
12-05 · Poetry:
· Songs: various artists
· Prose:
· Short story: A Spatter of Later Stars Nina Kriki Hoffman
Individual Presentations

WK11
19-05 · Poetry:
· Songs: various artists
· Prose:
Short story:Fermi and Frost Frederick Pohl
Individual Presentations
WK12
26-05 · Poetry:
· Songs: various artists
· Prose:
Short story:For The Life Of Sheila Morgan Dennis L. McKierman
Individual Presentations
WK13
16-06 Individual Presentations
· Prose: Discussion on Leave It To Me
Paper due (Analysis of Novel Leave It To Me Bharati Mukherjee)
WK14
23-06 Closing
Discussion of papers
Evaluation of seminar