When the red pen comes out, writers shiver in fear of errors, corrections and missed marks — an anxiety that is engrained in us from childhood. English grammar is full of intricate constructions, making it difficult to master due to the variety of pronunciations, dialects and slang terms. Students in the U.S. education system are taught that correct grammar is what makes a well-articulated and “professional” writer. The system is wrong.
The conversation around grammar often unearths a metaphorical bar that writers feel they need to live up to, and from there, encourages a level of perfectionism that is unhealthy in academic spaces. In Writing Centers, this unrealistic bar is often referred to as standard English, which was created and is spoken by white, upper-middle-class men. Grammar rules, like many of the other rules of our country, were constructed under the guise of white supremacy and used to exclude members of society from entering jobs, clubs or social opportunities. The theoretical framework of linguistic justice provides a lens to view language practices in a way that uplift the diverse uses of English heard on a daily basis.
Linguistic justice, as defined by April Baker-Bell, Detroiter and associate professor at the University of Michigan, is the idea that there has never been a uniform version of English. Baker-Bell says that the attempts to standardize English as a practice, to emphasize perfection through grammar, is to erase the cultural complexity that is brought to the language via its diverse speakers and writers. Baker-Bell said, “If y’all actually believe that using ‘standard English’ will dismantle white supremacy, then you not paying attention!” She specifically highlights the ways that linguistic justice, when used as a pedagogy, “listens to, honors and centers the voices, stories and linguistic virtuosities of Black students.”
Grammar as a graded concept inherently subscribes itself to the idea of standard English, and as a result of that, the white supremacy that has dictated the use of English in academic and professional spheres to this day. Stepping away from the notion that correct grammar is what makes a well-articulated and professional writer will take time, but organizations such as the Writing Center at Michigan State University are already taking the steps needed to acknowledge and dismantle these harmful practices. The MSU Writing Center said in their commitments, “we challenge the notion of standard English, we meet writers wherever they are in their writing, we address writers’ concerns and support them in advocating their language practices, [and] we respect writers’ choice of languages, pronouns, and stories.”
Linguistic justice is a tool that can be used to dismantle a white homogenous English practice that discriminates against those that do not fit the dominant narrative. By fostering pride in people’s identity and supporting the outward expression of their full and authentic selves via their uses of language, linguistic justice acts as a tool against oppressive forces in the classroom.
The next time you encounter a red pen “correcting” your work, whether in the classroom, workplace or your daily conversations, consider what parts of yourself are also being morphed to fit the biases of your institution. Standard English was designed to control you — make yourself heard in unapologetic ways, set yourself free.
Mia Wertheimer is a junior studying English and professional and public writing. In her free time you can catch her junk journaling or cuddling with her cat, Drogo.