Date of Award
7-1994
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
First Advisor
Dr. Shirley Drew
Keywords
Black English, African American Vernacular English, English Language Social Aspects, Intercultural Communication, Sociolinguistics
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to describe the use of the Black communication style by African Americans in an organizational environment. The research method was qualitative in nature and involved a multimethod approach of data collection in the field using direct observation, obtrusive observation, and semi-structured interviews. The subjects were employees of a large Midwestern health care institution. The investigation findings indicate African Americans use the Black communication style in this organization. The investigation delineated the Black communication style variables observed in this organization into variables tending to be discordant and variables tending to be nondiscordant. Contrary to theoretical projections found in the literature--that organizational members of diverse ethnicity will adopt the communication styles of the greater corporate culture--this investigation has shown that it is more complicated than that. Although the Black employees in this organization, in general, felt as if they were changing their communication style to fit the organizational norms, the observation was they continued to rely on the cultural norms underlying the Black communication style.
Recommended Citation
Corsini, Vonnie, "A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY OF THE USE OF THE BLACK COMMUNICATION STYLE BY AFRICAN AMERICANS WITHIN AN ORGANIZATION" (1994). Electronic Theses & Dissertations. 512.
https://digitalcommons.pittstate.edu/etd/512
