Engl 1100 - from Outside In

VIRAJ VAGHANI

ENGL1100

YAYING ZHANG

Summary of Barbara Mellix’s,”FROM OUTSIDE IN”

In Barbara Mellix’s article FROM OUTSIDE IN, she explains us about two different languages and how she grew learning both of them: Black English and Standard English. Black English has different type of accents and slang in it and Standard English is the correct form of English and a form that is widely accepted. In this article Barbara learns which type of English to use for different situations, For example, she would speak Black-English when she was at her house with her entire family. Mellix also describes how it was important to speak the correct English at the appropriate time. For example, she says that when she spoke proper English to her brothers and sisters, they would tease her because Black-English was their native language. The only time Mellix felt somewhat comfortable speaking Standard-English was when she was with Strangers. When she was at home with certain relatives and friends, she would speak Black-English, and when she was with those whom she doesn’t know much, she would prefer to speak proper English but end up making a mixture between the two distinct languages.

In the article she explains how in her tender age she use to feel embarrassed, to speak her language In front of people who spoke standard English. Barbara felt by using proper English she started making friends in the college. Barbara has described standard English as a language of others” because she felt she was forced to use the language and it was not her own language, but as she grew up she realised how important it was to use standard English. Barbara got a job working at an office writing business letters, it was difficult for her to get used to writing the Standard English, it was difficult because, she had used two type of English her entire life and ends up mixing both of them.