Short Essay Prompts Week 2- Kerry Phillips

5.
Language mixture is discussed in The Power of Babel, and mentions that not only the changes in its sounds
and grammar that transform but at the same time rampant vocabulary mixture with other languages (p.100).
Several examples of how languages mix and borrow vocabulary, usually through contact between cultures.
Japan has several examples shared and McWhorter states, In the past few decades, it has inhaled so many
American English words that grandparents find themselves literally unable to comprehend many modern
writings (p.101). I found the English vocabulary words that have transferred to Japanese, in addition to this
comment about grandparents misunderstanding of them, fascinating because it is a clear comment on
societys cultural shifts and adoptions. These new terms are very much rooted in American culture, yet have
been so influential that Language mixing has occurred. For example, the words baseball, t-shirts, boyfriend,
and apple pie all have Japanese equivalents now. These are words that imply that American culture is
influencing the Japanese language. In addition, the Japanese terms for these words closely align with their
English counterpart: beisuboru (baseball), T-shatsu (t-shirt), bouifurendo (boyfriend), appurupai (apple pie).
(p.102).

6.
Similar to language mixture, as described above, McWhorter says, the United States has a similarly
ambivalent relationship to the influence of English on the Spanish spoken by immigrants from Mexico, Cuba,
and Puerto Rico(p.119). Spanglish is discussed and vocabulary transfers are obvious in the example:
brecas for brakes instead of the original Spanish frenos. This shows how English is invading the Spanish
language and being altered to fit the newly created dialect of the speakers. It is made clear that this would
occur after examples of how prevalent the English language would be for someone that hears it often, is
around others that speak it, and is inundated with media in English, so naturally McWhorter asks why wouldnt
we expect [her] to begin peppering Spanish with English words?(p.120). These are the reasons that
Spanglish developed and is increasing in use of Spanish speaking communities in American cities, and why
the new dialect of Spanish exists.

7.
Pidgin English as described by McWhorter are used mostly as transitory tools for passing exchanges, he
goes on to add (about Pidgin languages), They are mere half-languages used on the side, a kind of spilling of
linguistic seed(p.137). This is an interesting perspective and one that is depicted in the example of someone
who might try an ethnic food for lunch, and then revert back to their standard American food of a turkey
sandwich. It emphasizes that Pidgin languages are not complete languages, but are simply a short-term
solution to communication. But Pidgin languages relate to the development of full languages because, as
McWhorter shares, in certain unusual situations, humans have been forced to use pidgins not as make-do
lingos but as primary languages in their lives (p.138). This is a fascinating concept and adds to the previous
topic mentioned in The Power of Babel as it relates to dialects and language mixture, and how language
seems to constantly be evolving; so, naturally Pidgin languages also contribute to the development of new
languages. This birth of a new language, or creole, is described as a Different Kind of Mixture on page 152,
and the concept of how a new language is structured is particularly interesting. McWhorter explains that a new
language is, built on a different plan from the language that lends its vocabulary words and sounds and are
structured into the grammatical patterns from the native spoken languages (p.152).
8.
John McWhorter explains that world languages are filled with fluff, but explains that a language does not need
evidential markers anymore than a car needs cup holders (p.181). This is emphasizes the frivolity of these
language additions, and clarifies that communication would still run effectively without these accessories. The
way English emphasizes possessives or even the use of numerous articles, is described as, another example
of language spreading its tentacles into spaces it need not (p.185). From personal experience, speaking
American Sign Language, and knowing Pidgin Signed English, and Signed Exact English, I understand the
variance in sophistication of language. Signed Exact English (SEE) is an exact translation of English, including
all of the articles, pronouns, possessives, etc., which is a tremendous contrast to American Sign Language
(ASL). ASL can sometimes be seen by hearing people as primitive because it lacks the complexity of
evidentiary markers, but it follows its own grammatical structure and has been used for effective
communication for 200 years. Pidgin English falls somewhere right in between these manual languages and
borrows from English, though uses the structure and tense rules of ASL. I think that my experience with the
range of all of these signed languages helps me to fully grasp, as McWhorter calls it the overzealousness of
language (p.179).