There are two concepts in Gee's writing that were intriguing to me. The first one has to do with the fact that language is not just language it "often suggests grammar" (Gee 525). He makes a great point that you can't just being able to say something, you have to know how to say it ("It's not what you say, its how you say it".) He gives the example of how you speak to your bar buddy. Although you may be asking for a match, something you would normally ask your bar buddy for, if you don't say it in the right context you aren't saying it "right". Its all about the situation you are in. Along with knowing how to say something the "right way", you also have to act the "right way" when you say something. Gee gives the example again in the bar when asking your bar buddy for a match you say something along the lines of "Gimme a match" and wipe your bar stool off so you don't get your pants dirty you aren't presenting what you're saying. These two ideas show that just because you are using correct language or correct grammar doesn't mean you are using either right, or presenting yourself right while using them right.
The second concept I liked reading was that of "D"iscourse. I put the 'd' in parenthesis because Gee believes in this context it should be capitalized. He explains Discourse as something that is acquired, and acquired in experiences and situations throughout your life. In this case, you can teach someone a certain thing, the example Gee gives in linguistics, but you can't teach someone to be a linguist. You may know all the concepts of linguistics, but you cannot be taught how to be what you learned.
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I completely agree with this. I found it fascinating how true what Gee spoke about. Many people dont realize how important "how you say something" really is. Most of the time we don't think about how we say something because it just comes naturally. In this blog however I would have liked to hear more about discourse and linguistics. It was described very simply but summarized well! The last sentence however You may know all the concepts of linguistics, but you cannot be taught how to be what you learned." confuses me a little bit. I understand what the blogger is trying to say but I think maybe an example would have helped. "Discourses are ways of being in the world; they are forms of life which integrate words, acts, values, beliefs, attitudes, and social identities as well as gestures, glances, body positions, and clothes." (p526) I think this quote really explains what Discourse is all about. That you learn a certain Discourse when your young and you may gain other discourses as you grow but you cant learn to act a certain way it just happens.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you 100 percent, that moast time we focus so much on the grammar of what we say rather than the content of what's being said. To me, this what then goes back Frankfurt and the concept of "bullshit." You can something in perfect grammar, as Gee stated, but it have no substinence. On page 526, Gee states "what is important is saying writing- doing- being- valuing- beleiving combinations."
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, and it is something that happens alot in everyday life. it is kinda what we were talking about at the beginning of the semester about how we have different voices when we are with different people and at different places. In certain circumstances certain language can be wrong, I agree with Gee on this topic.
ReplyDeleteGee's realizations in "Literacy, Discourse, and Linguistics" emphasize a very important point that we didn't learn in grade school. Gee shows when and where, so called, "proper" grammer and "proper" presentation are accepted. When a person is with his/her white collar coworkers, obviously, "proper" grammer and "proper" presentation are necessary for being respected. However, if the same person is with his/her blue collar friends, speaking in "proper english" could make them loose their friends respect. At the very least, that person would be made fun of for an hour. So really, what Gee is saying is that "proper english" is a relative product of one's environment. What is accepted in one context may not be accepted in another.
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