The Logic of Baldwin's Argument

James Balwin, an author and participant in the Civil Rights Movement, made good points in his essay “If Black English Isn’t a Language, the Tell Me, What Is?” on why Black English is a language. He starts by comparing it to other languages in different nations. Saying that “a Frenchman living in Paris speaks a subtly and crucially different language from that of the man living in Marseilles: neither sounds very much like a man living in Quebec” and so forth. By describing this parallel he shows the reader that such language difference exist in other languages and that it is commonly accepted as another form of that language. He goes on to further this argument by explaining why these differences arise. He essentially says that each region or group of people has their own very different life, and therefore requirements from the language they use. From these needs, a new language is created from the old one, one which the speakers can use for their specific needs.

In describing the state of the French language he implies a large reason why Black English wouldn’t be considered a language. He does this when he says that language can be a political issue. He implies that we cannot fully accept Black English into our culture because we have not accepted them into the history of our language and have little interest in preserving the black experiences. He argues this by showing his readers the many effects that African Americans have had on White English. By doing this, the audience can see that the two languages are indeed different and interwoven, both as culturally important as the other. Overall, I believe that Baldwin does a excellent job at logically arguing why Black English is a language.