John McWhorter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John McWhorter
|
|
|---|---|
McWhorter in 2017
|
|
| Born |
John Hamilton McWhorter V
October 6, 1965 |
| Education |
|
| Occupation | Academic and Commentator |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions |
|
| Thesis | Toward a New Model of Genesis (1993) |
John McWhorter (born October 6, 1965) is an American linguist. A linguist is someone who studies language. He is a professor at Columbia University. There, he teaches about language, American history, and music. He has written many books about language and how people from different backgrounds get along. He also shares his ideas as a writer for The New York Times.
Early Life and School
John McWhorter was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He grew up in Philadelphia and Lawnside, New Jersey. His father was a college leader. His mother taught social Work at Temple University.
He went to Friends Select School in Philadelphia. After tenth grade, he went to Simon's Rock College. There, he earned an Associate of Arts degree. He has said that his family was part of the Black middle class. He also believes his Quaker school helped shape his ideas.
Later, he studied French at Rutgers University. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1985. He then got a Master of Arts degree in American Studies from New York University. In 1993, he earned his Ph.D. in linguistics from Stanford University. His main study was about Saramaccan, a language spoken in Suriname.
What He Does
Teaching at Universities
Starting His Career
From 1993 to 1995, McWhorter taught about language at Cornell University. After that, he became a professor at the University of California, Berkeley. He worked there from 1995 to 2003. He then joined the Manhattan Institute, which is a group that studies public policy.
Teaching at Columbia University
Since 2008, McWhorter has taught at Columbia University. He teaches linguistics, American studies, and other general education classes. The language department at Columbia had closed in 1989. So, he first taught in the English department. Now, the language program is part of the Slavic Languages Department.
Other Courses He Teaches
McWhorter also teaches courses for "The Great Courses" series. These courses help people learn about language. Some of his courses include "The Story of Human Language" and "Understanding Linguistics." He also teaches about English usage and different language families.
Writing and Sharing Ideas
Writing for News
McWhorter has written for many well-known publications. These include Time, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. He has also written for The New Yorker and CNN.
He was an editor at The New Republic for many years. He is also an editor at The Atlantic. Since 2021, he has been a regular writer for The New York Times.
He also hosts a podcast called Lexicon Valley. This podcast talks about language. It was first on Slate and is now with Booksmart Studios.
Books He Has Written
McWhorter has written many books. Some are about language, and others are about how different groups of people interact. His books include The Power of Babel: A Natural History of Language. He also wrote Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue: The Untold History of English. Another book is Doing Our Own Thing: The Degradation of Language and Music and Why You Should, Like, Care.
His Ideas About Language
Much of McWhorter's work focuses on creole languages. These are languages that form when different languages mix. He often studies Saramaccan, a creole language from Suriname. He also looks at how learning a second language can change a language.
He believes that languages naturally become more complex. But when adults learn a new language, it can make the language simpler. Creole languages are a good example of this. He says that languages like English and Mandarin Chinese have also become simpler over time. He has explained these ideas in books like What Language Is.
The Languages of Flores Island
McWhorter has studied languages from the center of Flores Island in Indonesia. These languages are unusual because they don't use many prefixes or suffixes. Prefixes and suffixes are small parts added to words to change their meaning. He thinks these languages might have become simpler because adults learned them.
He connects this idea to old stories on Flores Island. These stories tell of "little people" who lived there long ago. These legends are strongest in the middle of the island.
The Language Hoax
McWhorter does not agree with the idea that language completely controls how we think. In his 2014 book The Language Hoax, he says that language does influence our thoughts a little. And culture is shown through language. But he believes language itself does not create totally different ways of thinking.
How Many Languages He Knows
John McWhorter is very good at English, French, and Spanish. He also knows some Russian and a few other languages.
Different Views on His Theories
Some other linguists have different ideas than McWhorter. For example, Mauro Giuffré from the University of Palermo thinks McWhorter's ideas about language simplicity might be too general. They point out that there are exceptions to his ideas.
His Views on Society
McWhorter describes himself as a "cranky liberal Democrat". He supports many ideas often linked with Democrats. For example, he supports gay marriage. He also believes the "war on drugs" is harmful.
Views on Fairness and Race
How Words Are Used
In 2015, McWhorter talked about the word "thug." He said that when some people use it, it can be a hidden way to talk about Black people in a negative way. He explained that the meaning of words can change depending on who says them.
Technology and Fairness
McWhorter believes that computer programs themselves cannot be unfair. He says that programs do not have feelings or intentions like humans do. If a program seems to show unfairness, he thinks it's a mistake in the code. He believes these mistakes should be fixed.
Education and Fairness
McWhorter has talked about how education can be made fairer. He has criticized some teaching methods. He believes that discussions about fairness in education should be thoughtful. He also thinks that help for students should be based on their needs, not just their background.
Views on Anti-Racism
McWhorter has discussed how people talk about anti-racism. He has said that some ideas, like "microaggression", can be misunderstood. He believes that it's important to be clear about what racism is. He also thinks that some anti-racism ideas have become very strict, almost like a religion.
Woke Racism
In his 2021 book Woke Racism, McWhorter explains his ideas further. He argues that some anti-racism ideas act like a religion. He says that people who follow these ideas are called "the Elect." He suggests that instead of arguing, people should focus on practical ways to fight unfairness. He proposes ideas like ending the "war on drugs." He also suggests teaching children to read using phonics. And he supports free vocational education, which teaches job skills.
His Life
John McWhorter has two daughters. He enjoys playing the piano. He has also performed in musical theater shows. He is an atheist.
