I find myself on both sides of the fence when it comes to hearing scholars speak of themselves in a 'members only' way. When Bartholomae writes in Inventing the University about "--in the privileged language of university discourse--", about "[students] must learn to speak our language", it makes me think that scholars are stuck-up people who think they're better than everyone else. On the other hand, I know that completing school is a challenge and something to be proud of, and that it does kind of launch you into new territory and a new class of people. I guess I'm one who prefers equality in all things, and I don't like to seem as though I am putting myself above others.
Along with the equality thing I sure wish it were equally easy for me to write academically as it seems to be for others. If only the transition from childhood writing to scholarly writing came easily and swiftly, I'd be made. Though I have inherited the language with which the words for essays and assignments come, the form and organization in which they are put from mind to paper is just learning to walk. This new language of academia is, well...new. I'm hoping I can begin to learn a rudimentary form before too long or I'm going to be struggling for awhile.
I completely understand where you are coming from. I also feel somewhat overwhelmed in my writing. How do I go from not writing a thing since my freshman year in college in 2003 to now? how do I write without bullshitting my way through it? There is honesty in writing? I am so glad I am not the only one that feels insecure, but I have a feeling that by the end of the semester we will be able to gain the knowledge we need and use it through the rest of our academic career. Have a good weekend!@
ReplyDeleteAlthough I have never thought of it that way, I completly agree with your comment about scholars being stuck up. Who says they're writing the "right" way? Is it just because they use big words and form sentences that have to be read numerous times to understand the meaning? For example, the epigram in "Inventing the University" was very hard to understand. Even when we went over it in class with all of our minds together it was still a struggle to grasp the meaning. Personally I like reading something that's simple and gets the point across. As a reader I lose interest if things are too hard to understand, so it sometimes confuses me why we are supposed to write scholarly when I don't even like to read scholarly writing.
ReplyDeleteI admit I'm much more into the fluff of stuff than in serious academic reading and writing. After a long day with my kids and at school I would much rather read a few chapters of Harry Potter and snap off the light, rather than be reading about academic discourse and learning how to do it myself. *laugh* But here we are and I'm confident it will pay off in the long run. Then I get to move on to passing all of this shite on to my students. :oP
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