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The
Case For Appalachian Studies
page 16
By giving Appalachian students an awareness of the structure and origin
of their own particular speech patterns, and at the same time giving them
instruction in standard English, which might necessarily be taught much
as one would teach a foreign language,
they could deal with writings and other communications from
outside the region but would not be forced to adopt speech patterns
alien to them unless and until they so choose. This method of
dealing with these children is superior to the present method (and
usually unsuccessful one) of forcing these youngsters to adopt alien
speech patterns and teaching them to be ashamed of their background and
that of their parents.
Sadly, Appalachians are also taught to apologize for their music.
Just watch how apologetic (not defensive, apologetic) these
mountain young get when for the first time (and the second, the
thirty-first and the hundredth) they are outside the region and the
"outsiders" (e.g., the New Jerseyites) start "making
fun" of their mountain music. Had these young mountaineers been
exposed to these ballads and "pickins" from an early age by
sympathetic and appreciative teachers who told them of the beauty and
background of their native music, then, when they were, years later,
confronted with the basically hostile forces of the outside world, they
could and would stand up for and/or at least be able to intelligently
discuss the relatives merits of their culture's music, and certainly
have a more healthy outlook.
But, as it is, most of the mountain youth never really learn about their
culture, and thus lurk silent and apologetic when it is attacked, or, as
an alternative, and probably more often, laugh with their
attackers. They give up their cultural identity so they won't be
oppressed, instead of learning what being Appalachian means and throwing
off the stereotypes.
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