Test on Black English as a Distinct Language

Question 1: In England, an individual's accent is generally ineffective in revealing their social standing, such as their family background or education.

A. Ano

B. Ne

Explanation: To open one's mouth in England reveals one's parents, youth, school, salary, and self-esteem, meaning accents are very effective in revealing social standing.

Question 2: According to the provided text, what typically occurred when white Americans adopted terms and phrases originating from Black English?

A. They often purified or changed the original meaning of the terms.

B. They adopted these expressions without hesitation or qualms.

C. They consistently preserved the original, specific meanings and contexts.

D. They used these terms primarily to submerge and control Black Americans.

Explanation: The text states, "Jazz, for example, is a very specific sexual term... but white people purified it into the Jazz Age," indicating a change in meaning. It also mentions "Sock it to me... has been adopted by Nathaniel Hawthorne's descendants with no qualms or hesitations at all, along with let it all hang out and right on!" This shows adoption without hesitation.

Question 3: The study materials suggest that the Beat Generation successfully achieved authentic funkiness by imitating the poverty experienced by black people.

A. Ano

B. Ne

Explanation: The text states that the Beat Generation was composed of middle-class white people "imitating poverty, trying to get down, to get with it, doing their thing, doing their despairing best to be funky," and contrasts this by saying, "which we, the blacks, never dreamed of doing — we were funky, baby, like funk was going out of style." This indicates the Beat Generation's funkiness was an imitation, not an authentic achievement comparable to that of black people.

Question 4: Black English emerged through brutal necessity, with its rules determined by the specific messages it needed to convey, including warnings of danger from white slave owners that they could not understand.

A. Ano

B. Ne

Explanation: The text states, "A language comes into existence by means of brutal necessity, and the rules of the language are dictated by what the language must convey." It further elaborates, "There was a moment... when my brother... had to convey to me... the danger in which I was standing from the white man standing just behind me, and to convey this with a speed, and in a language, that the white man could not possibly understand."

Question 5: According to the provided text, what crucial factor, stemming from the origins of slavery, created a brutal necessity for the formation of Black English?

A. The adoption of foreign tongues from European enslavers.

B. The deliberate isolation of individuals from their tribal communities to prevent communication.

C. The fact that enslaved people from different tribes could not speak each other's language.

D. The master's encouragement of new language development through Congo Square and the Bible.

Explanation: The study materials state, "Blacks came to the United States chained to each other, but from different tribes: Neither could speak the other's language." This inability to communicate with each other created a brutal necessity for a new language to form, which was Black English.