社会言語学: アフリカンアメリカンスピリチャル、ジャズとブルースの中での、暴力時代の言語分析-言語戦争を通してのシビル・アクションと効果的なエフェクティブ市民と公民教育

抄録

This paper is a linguistic critical analysis by reflecting upon Robin Tolmach Lakoff's sociolinguistic analysis within her brilliant understanding of linguistics in her book, "The Language War". She portrays her understanding of linguistics though current events in time. She discusses about how politics and the people are entwined within the "Language War". Although her book was written in the year 2000, we are continuing her theory. We will add new current event issues to her theory while reflecting along with her book. According to Professor Lakoff, the purpose of linguistics is to translate and interpret the meanings of events for the next generation. Therefore, the writer of this article will follow Professor Lakoff's strategies while explaining past issues toward recent issues that are occurring in the news so we can understand the meaning of the "Language War". We must first look at the "Language War" in the testimony of violence within African American Blues, Jazz, and Spirituals. African American Blues, Jazz, and Spirituals are historical voices, resources, databases of witnesses, and victims of the past. These voices screamed out the inequality of generations. In a way, they are still surviving a "Language War" even today. They screamed for help in protest and yet due to those who perpetuated the violence of segregation, intimidation, and discrimination that took place, "no one" could help them but continued to avoid the problem. It was as if they were absent apathetic bystanders in denial and neglect. The reason is because prejudice and bigotry became the thorn of evil stuck in between the heart of empathy to produce apathy. Those who perpetuated violence under the power of mass persuasion acted in collective behavior. To understand the meanings and the backgrounds of many of these exquisitely deep profound lyrics or language of Blues, Jazz, and Spirituals, we must also understand the history of what happened to the African Americans. The United States is often viewed as a melting pot due to the history of the settlers who were faced with the difficulties in assimilating into the European society. However, these same apathetic amnesiac settlers then colonized the American Indians and their land to build what they thought was a paradise with slavery. Professor Robin Tolmach Lakoff, coined the process of what America was caught up in as the "Language War". In this "Language War", no one understood the cycle of harassment which just continued like a domestic violence. According to Professor Lakoff, the "Language War" triggered the importance of the civil rights movement in the late 60s. Out of the blues came forth a muse. Her name was Billie Holiday. This report is also to acknowledge the 100th year commemoration of the memory of Billie Holiday for the power of her voice gave birth to civil action that fought that Language War.