Most of the languages of western Africa sought of Sahara are now believed to be related to the vast Bantu family of languages. ... Afrikaans, is one of the 11 official languages of South Africa, or Cape Dutch, is principally derived from the Zuid-Holland dialect of mid- 17th century Dutch settlers in South Africa. It gained loanwords from English, French, and German and from African languages and underwent grammatical simplification. In The Languages of Africa (1963) the linguists traced the historical origin and development of African languages, and classified them into four major groups: Ni...

• Word Count: 1183
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Christianity, western European languages, and Imperialism benefited underdeveloped regions through improved transportation, education, and medical care. ... This was known as the Scramble for Africa. The French invaded Western Africa, while the British were taking over Egypt. ... This replaced the trading relations between Africa and Europe. ... When Africa was invaded some people welcomed the invaders as allies against local enemies. ...

• Word Count: 673
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

The African perception of life, religious believes, political ideologies, literary insights and thought patterns were best represented in these African languages as initiated by the African ancestors. ... The implication of relegation of African languages by these foreign languages on the African continent is an unfortunate loss of one of the paramount ingredients of the African cultural and racial identity. In precise terms, African languages have been significantly lost to English and French languages among others. ... Therefore, without the use of African languages in works of art, African ...

• Word Count: 796
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

There was never a single language, religion, or "great tradition," such as Confucianism in China and Hinduism in India. ... They even developed a language to further widen communication among traders, and called it Swahili. ... This growth of trade resulted in thriving African cities, such as Timbuktu, and helped develop new social and political patterns in a wide stretch of Africa below the Sahara. ... This was the first of the very wealthy Islamic areas of Africa. ... Islam was still not a majority of Africa, but was fully integrated with its trade and politics. ...

• Word Count: 1114
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

This nineteenth century imperialism often referred to as the "scramble for Africa" was the second phase of exploitation in Africa, enacted by Europeans. ... Imperialism subjugated African resources to every extent. ... Thereafter there was the intrusion of English law and language in Africa, upsetting African societies. The natives not only had to struggle to preserve their beliefs and languages, their land was also in jeopardy. ... Africa is still struggling to recuperate from imperialism and slavery....

• Word Count: 897
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Non-native French speakers are distributed throughout many parts of the world, the largest numbers of who reside in Francophone Africa. ... Many of these African countries were French colonies and as a result, adopted French as their lingua franca. ... Former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obansanjo (1999-2007) was denied the role of Chairman of ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) because of his inability to speak French. ... It is evident that certain languages are adopted as a second language far more than others. ... " Nevertheless, the increasing use of languages such as ...

• Word Count: 919
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

For example, an African and Afro-Caribbean, usually consume foods rich in meat, rice and wheat (S Dindyal 2003). ... Moreover, ethnic diversity affects society in terms of language people speak. America has become enriched by a cornucopia of different languages, symbols and cultural paraphernalia (Korgen 154). ... " while the other languages like Spanish are seen as minor languages because those who speak are Hispanics. ... Despite having an African-American president America still languishes in notions of racism until now. ...

• Word Count: 879
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Some bilingual programs are designed to develop full bilingualism, or the ability to use two languages proficiently; others use the native language to facilitate the acquisition of English. ... Keywords Bilingualism; Developmental Bilingual Education; Dual Language Immersion; English Language Learners; English Only; Linguistically Different Learners; Transitional Bilingual Education; Heritage Language; Sheltered Content Instruction Overview The education of "bilingual" students in the U.S. has always been closely tied to political, economic and social concerns. ... In the political climate of ...

• Word Count: 1190
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

From the music of African slaves in the United States through the music scene of the 1960's, Jones traces the influence of what he calls "negro music" on white America - not only in the context of music and pop culture but also in terms of the values and perspectives passed on through the music. In tracing the music, he brilliantly illuminates the influence of African Americans on American culture and history. ... The "white Negroes" adopted black clothing styles, black jive language, and black music. ... Motivated by political and racial concerns, jazz critics during the Harlem Renais...

• Word Count: 530
• Approx Pages: 2
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

"The Use of Black English" The use of standard English creates controversy among African Americans and other American people. The main goal of many African Americans is to acquire control of standard English. In my opinion, I strongly disagree with the Americans or others who deny African Americans the usage of Black English in their personal lives and culture. ... Not every country in the world uses the same standard language. ... As a final point, the acceptance of dialects and variation in a specific language are essential; indeed, they generate changes either in language or customs. ...

• Word Count: 599
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

African Americans were present in the United States as a result of slavery. ... For example, African Americans were forced to sign labor contracts with white landowners. ... In order demonstrate their attitude toward segregation without violence, African Americans would perform sit-ins and boycotts. ... Just like African Americans, Mexican Americans secured legal protections for civil rights but the inequality of their outcomes remained. ... "Mexican Americans achieved a major victory in 1975 when Congress expanded the Voting Rights act to cover "language minorities....

• Word Count: 1191
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

What should or should not be done in the teaching of language in our schools? It has been the language of playgrounds, neighborhoods, and churches since African slaves were brought to this country hundreds of years ago. Ebonics - a term combining "ebony" and "phonics" - has been the subject of a bitter and contentious national debate since the school board in Oakland, Calif., voted last to treat black English as a second language in its classrooms and to begin instructing African-American students in the tongue as a way to build reading, writing and language skills. ... But prop...

• Word Count: 825
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

First of all is their identity as "true Africans" that springs from the belief of their "purity", unlike other cultures places in Africa like Kenya or Tanzania that experience an immense influence from Western culture, the Maasai are proud of their ability to maintain their purity, by sticking to their traditions. ... Also important to note, that the language of the Maasai is loaded with rich metaphors and descriptive words. ...

• Word Count: 460
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Many valid points are made between the language and literary discrimination and realistic historical depiction. ... Is it fair to compare language in today's society to the spoken language during the 1840s? ... Jim's characterization is found to African Americans to be extremely offensive because he is passive, uneducated, and superstitious. They believe the language of Jim's speech is difficult to understand portraying stupidity and ignorance. ... Others believe this novel promotes racism through the language and character usage. ...

• Word Count: 640
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

A concrete example of C Wright Mills sociological imagination is the underdevelopment of African American. ... Those are the people of Africa. Even though all these bad things were happening to them they keep their African heritage their darker skin their uniquely rhyme and languages and their culture. ... For example I can go back to the history of African American which will lead me back to Africa. ... A whole century passed and I see a little change for the African American people. ...

• Word Count: 1119
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

She later met the renowned African American dancer and choreographer Alvin Ailey with whom she formed the unsuccessful dance team ˜Al and Rita'. ... For two years after that Angelou appeared with a production of the opera ˜Porgy and Bess' on a twenty two country European tour sponsored by the United States State Department and it was here that she started her quest of mastering the language of every country that she visited. ... While in Ghana, Angelou also secured jobs as a writer for "The Ghanaian Times", a feature editor for "The African Review", and as a freelance ...

• Word Count: 884
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

By adding more depth to the surrounding, with not only a complicated plot, but with intense language and tone, casts a sense of social ambience, and can be seen in a specific passage in the novel. ... First of all, Pap uses the common slang names in this time for the African Americans, signifying the racist South. ... Many more men were the same as Pap, not displaying any respect for African Americans, Twain purposely inserted a character like Pap, and used colloquialism to point out how these men saw the African Americans as disdainful, enhancing the setting furthermore. ... "They said h...

• Word Count: 795
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

His characters are usually underprivileged white people and black Africans-ordinary people caught in racial and social traps. By dramatizing their interactions, he exposes the quality of life in South Africa, not only for oppressed black Africans but for all races as wellPostcolonial Theory Discussed in Things Fall Apart and Gracelan The effects of colonialism are varied. ... They try to change the original colonized culture by transporting their own colonial language and religion. ... What Achebe seeks to argue is the idea that the African native is a blank slate aforementioned to the attack ...

• Word Count: 709
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

France has succeeded in colonizing many nations, most of which were in the continent of Africa. ... It was the first significant French colonial territory in Africa. ... In fact, "mission civilisatrice" as it soon came to be known in France, was intended to spread French culture, thereby increasing French influence abroad The colonies in North Africa which included Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia were considered more prominent than the French colonies in Sub-Saharan or "Black" Africa. ... The great majority of the colonized societies retained their own languages, customs, cultures...

• Word Count: 680
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

In Africa, female circumcision has been an integral part of society for centuries. ... When women rights activists flock to Africa with a mission to successfully convince African women of the harm and violation behind the procedure and falsify common cultural myths such that "uncut clitorises would grow branches" and prevent pregnancy, then and only then is the call for change rational. ... Language, religion, politics, legal systems and social customs are the only the successful legacies that stand the test of time. ...

• Word Count: 879
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

The Natives are so primitive that they are denied language. ... This omission of language suggests that the Africans are not sophisticated enough to have anything important to contribute to the plot. ... Like the stereotype that all Africans are indistinguishable formless shapes, so too is Africa a structure-less continent. ... Like the men, Africa is comprised, not of clear or distinct lines, but of formless elements like mud, sludge, and roots and both Africa and the Africans are portrayed in terms of death and disease. Since Africa and Africans are only framed in this context of death, Marl...

• Word Count: 1173
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Throughout the novel, readers learn the culture, customs, and language that were commonly used among southern people during the time period that Twain wrote the novel. The language that they were so commonly use to speaking then, is viewed as unacceptable today. Such language that was custom of nineteenth century America was the racial slur, "nigger," which was utilized as a degrading term for African-Americans. ... African-American students might read the, "n-word," and feel separated and hurt, because of its negative connotation. ... Renton High School's student, 16-...

• Word Count: 837
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Every culture has its language, its means of expression. ... Immigrants such as the African slaves were socio-economically the weakest were the ones who were the first ones to get integrated into the colonial system especially because they did not have enough freedom to develop their own separate economic sub-communities. The free immigrants speaking minority languages found it advantageous to shift to the economically dominant language. ... The African slaves had to adapt as the local colonial vernacular was their only linguistic tool. ... When the speakers of a language die, all traces of th...

• Word Count: 1038
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

In his essay, "Cool Like Me," Donnell Alexander uses several different literary devices to prove his claim that African Americans embody all that "cool" entails, inherently. ... Some of the descriptive language Alexander incorporates also portrays this new meaning of "cool" to the reader as well. ... He also uses some a variety in language such as, " niggas invented the shit,"(369) or "That's a black thang, baby." (368). When using language like that, he is actually instilling his cool into his writing to create a more convincing tone for his audience to prove his coolness. ... And th...

• Word Count: 1153
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Discrimination and prejudice integrates into our ever-evolving society like a recognizable language. ... Tracing these behaviors back to the early stepping stones of our country, we discover it was not just a language, but more so a way of life. ... African servants, who were stripped of their heritage and forced to embody a new set of beliefs, were seen as the best candidates for the demand in workers, thus the stigma was born. ... And if 50 million Africans, by the 1800's, are greeted with enslavement and/or death, it is more of lifestyle of disposable assets. With the turn of the cen...

• Word Count: 628
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate