Uptake Post #9

  I would have never thought about whether or not “English” is singular or plural before this class. At first I immediately thought singular because English is exactly that, but I realized that due to sign language being different in different “languages” like we specifically have American sign language which i would consider to be a version of English. So, although I did not think of English being plural in the same way before taking English 101 as I do now, I did think of it as plural the entire time. My definition has changed to include more now that I have been introduced to terms like multimodality, understanding multimodality expanded my perception of English beyond just spoken or written words. It includes a spectrum of communication modes, from text and speech to images, gestures, and beyond. This broader understanding added to my view of English as a dynamic and adaptable system that goes beyond traditional linguistic boundaries. Translingualism is another class concept that led to me realizing how English is a plural form. It expanded my concept of English beyond a single, static entity, and instead it embraces multiplicity and embraces the fluidity of language itself. By recognizing and celebrating linguistic diversity, we gain a deeper appreciation for the complexities inherent in communication and language use. As well as learning about multimodality and translingualism we also just learned about how broad the more singular version of English can be with terms like CHAT map. I did not find global Englishes hard to understand, but I would like to know more about what all it encompasses.