How do insiders asses Rachel's Performance?
The main consensus was that she was impolite. When we asked African American women whether or not her behavior was impolite to get an insiders view, their automatic response was YES!! There was no doubt in their mind.
BUT
These women believe it wasn't all her fault...
Things to consider:
Even Good Morning America's Josh Elliot says Rachel "got a grilling by the defense".
And ABC's Matt Gutman said her "testimony [was] the biggest thing standing between George Zimmerman and an acquittal" and "that's one reason his defense team worked so relentlessly to discredit her."
BUT
These women believe it wasn't all her fault...
Things to consider:
- Rachel wasn't coached by lawyers, or if she was, it wasn't sufficient enough.
- Lawyers did not try to understand her background
- How many days was she questioned prior to this court appearance?
- They were asking irrelevant questions and questions that no person would possibly remember the answer to (no one would remember a phone call from a week ago)
- How long did they wait to question her after Trayvon and her phone call occurred?
- She is only a CHILD
Even Good Morning America's Josh Elliot says Rachel "got a grilling by the defense".
And ABC's Matt Gutman said her "testimony [was] the biggest thing standing between George Zimmerman and an acquittal" and "that's one reason his defense team worked so relentlessly to discredit her."
What specific linguistic practices mark Rachel Jeantel's behavior?
EBONICS
Vocabulary
1. Cracka
not calling Zimmerman it directly, but just updating a friend
used to insult white people, opposite of N-word
2. N-Word
in group pride, can be used in many contexts
re appropriating it to give it a good meaning
Rachel even points out to Don West that it is slang
Grammar
1. he told me he ø at the back
zero, ø, shows where the couple (is or are) is absent
2. He ø at the back of his daddy fiance house
absence of is, zero copula again
3. I never Been there
unstressed form
equivalent to "has/have been" in mainstream English
1. Cracka
not calling Zimmerman it directly, but just updating a friend
used to insult white people, opposite of N-word
2. N-Word
in group pride, can be used in many contexts
re appropriating it to give it a good meaning
Rachel even points out to Don West that it is slang
Grammar
1. he told me he ø at the back
zero, ø, shows where the couple (is or are) is absent
2. He ø at the back of his daddy fiance house
absence of is, zero copula again
3. I never Been there
unstressed form
equivalent to "has/have been" in mainstream English
How were those practices evaluated, especially by insiders?
It is all in her background, which no one took into account.
They just portrayed her as a stereotypical, uneducated Black girl.
They used her Ebonics and background against her.
ABC's Chief of Legal Affairs, Dan Abram, says "she doesn't seem educated but don't underestimate her. She was still smart."
They just portrayed her as a stereotypical, uneducated Black girl.
They used her Ebonics and background against her.
ABC's Chief of Legal Affairs, Dan Abram, says "she doesn't seem educated but don't underestimate her. She was still smart."