Study Notes on Marlene NourbeSe Philip's "Discourse on the Logic of Language"

Identity: Born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago; now a Canadian poet, novelist, playwright, essayist, and short story writer.
Notable Work: She Tries Her Tongue (1989) - an award-winning book.
- Focus: Search for a new path to redirect and rearrange the logic of her literary tongue.
- Described as a “linguistic and feminist odyssey” by Phil Hall, which documents her triumphs over oppressive white forces associated with the English language, Christianity, and tradition.
- Discusses themes of language, culture, black loss, exile, and resistance as articulated by Claire Harris.
Context: Philip's perspective as a writer within a colonial society (Canada) contributes to understanding her literary framework and interpretations.

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o's Concept: "Decolonising the Mind" emphasizes how language shapes perception and views of the world.
- Language: Universally crucial to humanity.
- Function: Means of communication and a carrier of culture.
- Role in shaping historical and realistic perspectives as a "window".
Impact of Colonialism and Slavery:
- Created social hierarchies by establishing English literary education as dominant while local narratives and oral histories were silenced.
- Mechanisms of silencing included stigma and punishment toward the “mother tongue” of the colonized, rendering it unimportant and shameful.
- Result: Disconnection from one's cultural identity and history, referred to as “taking us further and further from ourselves”.

Personal Reflection on Language: Philip reflects on English as both her mother and father tongue, complicating her identity.
- Key Quotes from Philip:
- "A mother tongue is not…" - This indicates the struggle with identity; multiple pronunciations reflect cultural roots.
- "I must, therefore, be tongue dumb" - illustrating feelings of being voiceless within a dominant language.
- Contradictions: The simultaneous embrace and rejection of English as part of her identity leads to confusion and struggle in articulating self.

Critical Areas in the Brain: Speech production and comprehension rely on two key areas named after Doctors Wernicke and Broca.
- Wernicke's Area:
- Located in the left temporal lobe.
- Responsible for understanding and recognition of spoken words.
- Broca's Area:
- Located in the left frontal cortex.
- Forms verbal responses and sends signals to the motor cortex, which controls speech muscles.
- Historical Note: Dr. Broca believed in racial superiority linked to brain size; he used flawed studies to claim that white males were superior to marginalized groups, contributing to racist ideologies surrounding intelligence.

Edicts: Historical decrees aimed at controlling language use among enslaved populations.
- Edict 1: Encouraged linguistic diversity to prevent slave communication and rebellion.
- Edict 2: Punished slaves for using their native tongues, instilling fear to discourage native speech.

Hypothetical Scenario of Birth: Illustrates the intimate connection between mother and child through the mother’s tongue.
- Key Imagery: The mother licks the child clean, symbolizing the transmission of language and heritage.
- Blowing Words: The act of blowing words into the child's mouth connects generations and showcases the urgency of passing on cultural language.

Physical Attributes of the Tongue:
- Described as “a tapering, blunt-tipped, muscular, soft and fleshy organ.”
- Functions include taste, articulate speech, and serving as a symbolic organ of oppression and exploitation.
- Comprises a bundle of striated muscle running in three planes and is fixed to the jawbone. It has a mucous membrane cover and contains approximately ten thousand taste buds; interestingly, none of which are sensitive to foreign words.
Mechanics of Speech Production:
- Coordination of the lips, tongue, and jaw is necessary for producing intelligible sounds.

Space in Poetry: Philip argues for a redefinition of poetic space by cramping its traditional boundaries.
- Integration of Themes: Poetic expression is merged with discussions of women, words, silence, the edicts restricting African voices, and the scientific legacy of racism.
- This approach questions the tongue not just as a physical organ but also as a crucial concept in understanding identity and oppression.

Philip’s Reflection: Emphasizes the transformative power of artists to create images that resonate with the collective consciousness of a community.
- This ability to alter perceptions and articulate new narratives highlights the essential role of the writer in societal change.