I will be in the Zoom room on these dates at 2pm if anyone has questions or needs a place to come and work or have a snack. Please take some time to rest, see loved ones, eat something delicious, and otherwise not stress about school work, at least not for my class.
Please make sure you have posted at least 7 digital receipts!
If you have submitted your work on the course site, you are in good shape grade-wise! If you cannot submit work on the course site, email me ASAP at jessericeevans@gmail.com
Are complaints about writing deteriorating because of digital technology are simply part of a history of complaining about the worsening grammar, writing, mechanics, or style of younger generations?
This document “Backpacks vs. Briefcases: Steps: toward Rhetorical Analysis” by Laura Bolin Carroll is about how people like to make tough decisions and conclude on everything based on visuals, actions and auditory sense, another word called Rhetorical Analysis and it mentioned making Rhetorical Analysis on media is necessary and useful because on media there is tons of information and we constantly have a time to buy something, act in some way, believe something to be true, by applying Rhetorical Analysis we can quickly eliminate all the information that unrelated with the goal that we want to achieve. Making rhetorical analysis is very important for daily life too, people can only use information that they are informed to analyze and understand situations quickly and effectively. I used a lot of rhetorical analysis when I was searching for everything that I needed on the internet. As I mentioned before there is a ton of information on the internet. If I spend time investigating every single piece of information, I will never achieve the goal that I want, so in this situation Rhetorical Analysis is necessary, useful and effective. Especially when you try to buy things online which you never know how the thing is. So, I need to read the product comment and how buyers react to the product to analyze and make a decision to buy or not.
A language does not define an individual; it separates them from their cultural community. As childhood emerged, my extended Dominican family made me proud of my heritage and culture. Yet, language was something that made me feel like an outcast within my community. As a Spanish speaker, a lack of knowledge of my native language kept me from deeper connections and building close relationships with my family and Spanish kids my age. As a result of these judgments, I began to doubt my ethnicity.
An article showing Hispanics questioning themselves due to their lack of native language:
In New York City, I live in a Hispanic-populated community. As a result, I deal with the disadvantages of my Spanish-speaking every day. For example, when I have to translate for my mom, I get anxious because I’m not giving the proper translation from both ends, which leads to confusion and mix-ups. In Washington Heights, a stranger can come to me asking for directions in Spanish. I don’t dare to help them.
Based on my resume, it can be troubling because I can’t consider myself bilingual due to my issue and past occasions. Therefore, I don’t put it in my skills section. As looking for a job, I question whether a manager can rely on me, so I don’t try to apply for jobs for bilinguals, which have more options and pay.
The Dominican Republic was the destination for a month-long visit of my family last year. Since I hadn’t been there in years, I was excited to return to my home country. As we landed, nervousness set in. It was overwhelming to experience such a different environment, climate, and language. We got to our temporary apartment and went to a mall in the city. As a first-time restaurant customer in the country, I ordered several times because the worker was confused. My embarrassment took over after that because I tried to mask myself as a native but failed miserably.
During our trip, we slept over at the family’s house. I found communicating with them challenging, but they were extremely friendly and tried their best to make me feel at home. At the local park, my aunt and I went for a walk. Our conversation focused on my plans for college and my future career. Despite my broken Spanish, I remember being able to converse comfortably. Also, I learned more about the country. The grocery store is called Colmado, Soda is called Refresco, and my favorite fast food to buy is Pica Pollo, which is fried chicken with a side. My Spanish improved and somehow made me feel I belonged here. My family’s connections and the learning opportunities I encountered during the trip did not get deterred by the language barrier.
My Spanish does not make me any less Hispanic. When I visited people from the country, I learned that my fear isn’t as big as I had thought. During those memorable experiences, I realized I still belong in my community no matter what. I own my truth and continue to learn and love my heritage. I grew more confident in my speaking ability and developed the courage to step out of my comfort zone and try speaking with people even if it seemed daunting.
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