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I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings – Maya Angelou

VARIETIES OF LANGUAGE

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We encounter many different varieties of English (and even Spanish!) in Maya Angelou’s autobiography.  Try to be aware of these as you read and record examples of each – with page references.  Use the chart below as a way of tracing who speaks what.
 
 

	Southern Black English	Northern Black English	Standard US English	Biblical English	Literary English	"Pig Latin"	Textbook Spanish	Colloquial Spanish
Maya
Bailey
"Momma"
Mother
Father
Rev. Thomas
Miss Flowers
Grandmother Baxter

 

Frankie Meehan