English in America: A Linguistic History Season 1 Episode 7 Ethnicity and American English

English in America: A Linguistic History is a documentary series that explores the evolution of English language in the United States. Season 1 episode 7 is titled Ethnicity and American English.

This episode focuses on how ethnicity has played a crucial role in the development of American English. The show delves into how different ethnic groups, such as African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans, have influenced the English language and created their own unique dialects.

The episode takes us through the history of various ethnic groups in America and how they have contributed to the American English language. We get to see how African American English has been influenced by the West African languages brought over by slaves during the slave trade, and how Latino English has been influenced by Spanish and has many unique features such as using inflections to indicate emphasis.

We also learn how Native American languages have contributed to American English. Many words in English language, such as "tomahawk," "moccasin," and "powwow," were borrowed from Native American languages. Additionally, English has absorbed many Native American grammatical features such as the use of verbs to indicate direction.

Throughout the episode, we get to see how ethnic groups have also contributed to the slang and colloquialisms that are popular in American English. We see how African American slang, such as "cool" or "hip," have become a part of mainstream English, and how Latino English has popularized phrases like "no problemo" and "que pasa."

The show also explores how some ethnic dialects have been stigmatized and looked down upon. For example, African American English has often been dismissed as uneducated or improper English. The episode discusses how this stigma has affected the way we perceive ethnic groups and their language.

Overall, "Ethnicity and American English" is a fascinating exploration of how ethnicity has shaped American English. It shows how the language has been influenced and enriched by the diverse ethnic groups that have made America their home. The episode also highlights how language is intertwined with culture and how it has the power to bring people together or set them apart.