Reflection of what we understood from the guideline of the next (2nd project) project.

First reflection about Language.

Here is the link to this website: https://kbrinda.wixsite.com/mysite

Here is the link of this video; it’s related to the website. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=od6H5eC8ZZ4&t=118s

Brinda Kemgne 

English 

Naomie Jean Pierre 

October 17, 2019 

Inquiry Source Essay 

Motivational quotes are words from people that inspire others. Those quotes can either boost peoples’ energy or make them slow down. Both ways it’s good. For example, this quote from Oscar Wilde: “Life is too important to be taken seriously.” This can make you slowdown in your life by making you stop overthinking about the past and the future, just live the present. It can also boost your life by finally convincing you about life not being that serious. You don’t need to always be right or always be the best, you can also enjoy by playing. This paper will explore how popular motivational quotes impact world progress. Although, many people think motivational quotes are just peoples’ opinion, honestly motivational quotes are a need in our society because they are the wisdom of lived experiences. This paper investigates and highlights the impact of motivational quotes via five different viewpoints — Black women’s empowerment, sexual harassment, global climate change, entrepreneurship, and Cameroon’s nickname. Through these different points, not only will readers see how motivational words empower others, they will also see how motivational quotes impact human progress.  

Black Women’s empowerment 

The first theme that will be explore in this essay is Black Women community. Nina Simone, born Eunice Kathleen Waymo, was an African American singer, songwriter, musician, arranger and a civil rights activist. She was born on February 21, 1933 and died on April 21, 2003.  Even though she died, her words will always remain. She had one of the best quotes ever, it says: “You’ve got to learn to leave the table when love’s no longer being served.” This means that black Women / people must acquire a knowledge of where there is not love, there’s nothing more to do there.  

The first source that will be explored is an article from the website V Magazine, titled “Heroes: A reflection on Nina Simone.” The author, Lynette Nylander, is giving her audience a biography of Nina Simone and the problems that she faced during her lifetime. The author says: “She was a sonic activist too, who galvanized her community and brought people together through song in a time of hatred and civil unrest, during an era when black Americans so desperately needed something to soothe the wounds of racial subjugation and violence at the hands of a white ruling class.” This is saying that Nina Simone was a hero for her community when times were bad for them. It says she made people feel happy and secure.  

Nina Simone also came with another brilliant quote in her song Mississippi Goddam, that she wrote in the year of 1964: “You don’t have to live next to me / Just give me my equality.” This means that Nina Simone and her community wanted freedom just like White people even if Whites refused to stay next to them. Lynette Nylander also a black woman states: “Lyrically she discusses the ways black female appearance has been magnified and ridiculed, and social mobility thwarted by the country’s history of slavery.” Unlike many black women and men, Simone had a power. And that power was music by which she could express herself loudly and represent her community. 

Ava DuVernay, an African American filmmaker. She was born on August 24, 1972. DuVernay also has one of the best quotes ever: “We have so much coming in as sisters, when is our interior life ever put at the forefront? We constantly want to give to other people … Too much of not caring for yourself is not a good thing. We’re bad at that as achievers. Self-care is a priority and we have to do it more.” Ava DuVernay is telling her community that they need to stop giving out to other and start caring for they own self. She also says that they never put themselves first always last and that need to change. 

The second source that is being use in this essay is an article of a genre scholarly from Jstor. Published by Indiana University Press. It says: “In her or his own way, each filmmaker counseled a social advocacy role for film on behalf of black self-empowerment. DuVernay continues in this advocacy, practicing the on-going precept and tradition in the long history and struggle for black representation” (Indiana University Press) Saying that black people were not put in film but DuVernay and other black people wanted to fight that, and they actually did it. DuVernay just follow the path of the people who did fight this issue before her. Through this, the author has for purpose to educate her audience who are the public how DuVernay fought and still fighting for black community. The author also says: “In Part One, she enunciates six organizing principles of her practice, the raison d’être for and mission of her production company Forward Movement, and distribution collective, AFFRM.” This is informing that DuVernay did and still do what she can to develop black entertainment in the filmmaking. She went still creating the AFFRM which for black people to do in their own ways. Those two women are some of the other women that fight for Black women empowerment and Black men. 

Climate change 

Climate change is a long-term change in the average weather patterns that have come to define Earth’s local, regional, and global climates. Climate change started in the 20th century. Francois Hollande was the France President from 2012 to 2017 that preceded Nicolas Sarkozy and now succeeded by Emmanuel Macron. He was born on August 12, 1954. He has one of the best quotes about climate change. He said, “We have a single mission: To protect and hand on the planet to the next generation.” He’s telling the reader the reason why God sent human in this world is to take care of the planet then hand on to our kids.   

The third source that use in this essay is an article from NASA. Published by Indiana NASA. It says: “Changes observed in Earth’s climate since the early 20th century are primarily driven by human activities, particularly fossil fuel burning, which increases heat-trapping greenhouse gas levels in Earth’s atmosphere, raising Earth’s average surface temperature.” Saying that Humans, instead of protecting the planet, they are the one who is making it worse over time. It also means that their activities such as factories, fossil fuel burning are causing climate. NASA also states: “Natural processes can also contribute to climate change, including internal variability (e.g., cyclical ocean patterns like El Niño, La Niña, and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation) and external forcings (e.g., volcanic activity, changes in the Sun’s energy output, variations in Earth’s orbit).” Therefore, not only humans are causing climate change but nature too. Things in life that are causing climate change are volcanic activity, ocean patterns, etc. Through this, the author has for purpose to educate their audience about the different things that cause climate change. Therefore, if we protect our planet just like François Hollande said, we could be able to hand on to the next generation much better than if we keep destroying it.  

Cameroon’s Nickname  

The third theme that is being explore in this essay is Cameroon’s nickname. Cameroon is a country in central Africa. Cameroon has this famous name that people sometimes refer to as: “Africa in miniature.” Meaning that Cameroon is a country in Africa but different from other countries in Africa because it has all the other countries of Africa in it.   

From this website called How We Made It in Africa, it states: “Cameroon is often called “Africa in miniature” due to its diverse landscapes that represent the continent’s major climatic zones. Natural features such as white beaches, mountainous areas, tropical rainforests, savannah grasslands, and sparse deserts can all be found in this Central African country.” Therefore, this is the reason why it’s often called Africa in miniature. Because of its immense diversity and its beauty. The article also says: “You have all of Africa in one country.” Meaning that Cameroon has all the things that other African countries have just in it, which brings one part of its beauty.  

Sexual Harassment  

The third theme that is being explore in this essay is sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is defined as behavior characterized by the making of unwelcome and inappropriate sexual remarks or physical advances in a workplace or other professional or social situation. Not only women are being sexual harassment but also men.    

We have this quote from a sexual harassment quote that says: “You took away my worth, my privacy, my energy, my time, my safety, my intimacy, my confidence, my voice, until now.” Meaning that when a man or woman is sexually abused, the now that abuse her/him take away in the person everything. The following source that is being used in this essay is an article of a genre scholarly from Jstor. Published by University of Chicago Press Journal. It says: “The results of this study reveal that male sexual harassment influences not only the level of female mating propensity but also the daily pattern of female mating behavior.” People from the University of Chicago did research about sexual harassment and found a lot of things. For example, this excerpt from that article means that when Men abuse women, it doesn’t only change the female mating propensity but also the way she acts. This supports that quote by the fact it also says that when someone is abused, his/her soul is taking away, their joy of living from that person because their personal space has been violated by the abuser.   

We have another quote from a ‘sexual harassment quote’ that says: “It’s not consenting if you make me afraid to say No.” This is telling it is not her will to say no if you force her to do so. Again, from the same article, it states: “Together, these results show that females are exposed to more intense harassment when initially introduced to sexually rested males and particularly in the evening when males are closer to females and more eager to copulate.” Meaning that after their investigation, they found that male sexual abuse women when they refuse to have sex with them. Through this article, the author has for purpose to demonstrate the effects of sexual harassment on the victims.  

Entrepreneurship  

Entrepreneurship defined as the capacity and willingness to develop, organize, and manage a business venture along with any of its risks to make a profit. Jenny Britton Bauer is an American ice cream maker and entrepreneur. She was born on September 29, 1973. She is one of the most prominent entrepreneurs in the US. She states: “If you know too much before the start, then you will get overwhelmed. Come up with an original idea, and don’t copy because there will be no passion. You need that otherworldly passion. Just start.” -Jeni Britton Bauer, founder of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams. Meaning that at the beginning, you shouldn’t be supposed to know a lot; if not, you failed. You need an idea, and that idea will while you run your business. The following source that is being use in this essay is an article of a genre scholarly from Jstor. Published by International Journal of the Commons. It says: “According to Schumpeter (1975), entrepreneurs embody the driving force needed to develop an economy. They carry out a process of ‘creative destruction’ whereby – after identifying a commercial opportunity and organizing resources to exploit it – innovations are propagated, rendering previous ventures obsolete (Schumpeter 1975 cited in Martin and Osberg 2007).” Meaning that entrepreneurs are those people who build a business from an idea. And often make a lot of money from that small idea put into a business. 

Quotes don’t motivate 

Some people say that quotes don’t motivate them at all. According to the owner of the website: “These quotes fuel a raging beast inside me. But this doesn’t change the fact that I bought a 6 months gym pack on New Year’s Eve and struggled to went there for a week. And the next day I proceed to do the same old stuff as I did before.” He’s saying that quotes don’t really motivate him. He says that it will help him for a short time period then after those days he doesn’t keep him pushing hard.  

Work Cites 

Black Women’s empowerment 

Martin, Michael T. “Conversations with Ava DuVernay—‘A Call to Action’: Organizing Principles of an Activist Cinematic Practice.” Black Camera, vol. 6, no. 1, 2014, pp. 57–91. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/10.2979/blackcamera.6.1.57.                                                                   Scholarly  

Nylander, Lynette. “Heroes: A Reflection on Nina Simone.” V Magazine, 13 May 2018, https://vmagazine.com/article/heroes-a-reflection-on-nina-simone/.                     Magazine 

Climate Change 

“Overview: Weather, Global Warming and Climate Change.” NASA, NASA, 28 Aug. 2019, https://climate.nasa.gov/resources/global-warming-vs-climate-change/.     Website 

Cameroon’s Nickname 

“Cameroon: ‘Africa in Miniature’ Offers a Diversity of Business Opportunities.” How We Made It In Africa, 27 Nov. 2015, https://www.howwemadeitinafrica.com/cameroon-africa-in-miniature-offers-a-diversity-of-business-opportunities/48766/.                           Website 

Sexual Harassment 

Løvlie, Hanne, et al. “Sex in the Morning or in the Evening? Females Adjust Daily Mating Patterns to the Intensity of Sexual Harassment.” The American Naturalist, vol. 170, no. 1, 2007, pp. E1–E13. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/518180.                                          Scholarly 

Entrepreneurship 

Lobo, Iván D., et al. “Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Collective Action: a Case Study from the Colombian Pacific Region.” International Journal of the Commons, vol. 10, no. 2, 2016, pp. 982–1012. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/26522895.                                                         Scholarly 

Quotes don’t motivate 

“Why I Don’t like Motivational Quotes.” By, https://hackernoon.com/why-i-dont-like-motivational-quotes-9ff056f42345.  

Quotes 

Shine. “13 Powerful Quotes from Black Women About Self-Love.” Shine, https://advice.shinetext.com/articles/quotes-from-powerful-black-women-all-about-self-love/. 

YouTube, YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ25-U3jNWM.  Nina Simone 

Brinda Kemgne 

English 

Naomie Jean Pierre 

09 Septembber19 

 

 

                                                      Source Based Essay: Language in Cameroon’s Politics 

 

Cameroon is a country in central Africa. An estimated population of 25.3 million. Cameroon was colonized in 1884 by the Germans who ruled Cameroon till 1916. During the 1st World war, Germans were defeated, Cameroon was categorized as a mandated territory of the League of Nations and given to France and Britain to rule it. France and Britain split Cameroon into two parts with France having 3/4 and Britain 1/4. These two colonial masters ruled Cameroon till 1960 when she gained her independence, and since then English and French are used as the official languages of Cameroon. The President of Cameroon is Paul Biya. This paper will explore the language in Cameroon’s politics. In this essay, the exploration of four different sources on politic in Cameroon. This essay will also explore the different rhetorical terms such as author, audience, genre, tone, purpose, medium, and stance.  

 

The first source is a video about an interview with Hank Cohen. The video title is: “Hank Cohen on the Political Future of Cameroon.” The genre of this video is an interview that has for author one member of CGTN America. He’s interviewing Hank Cohen who is somehow the author of information in this video. In the video, Hank Cohen is telling the international world who are his audience about the different political problems that Cameroonians encounter. He’s telling his audience about the anglophone crisis, how mistreated they are by the francophones. He is also talking about the different wars in Cameroon. The Islamic terrorists (Boko Haram) in North Cameroon and the West, Francophones fight a battle from the English part of Cameroon. 

Cohen is also talking about the reason why Biya has been in power so long. He said, “that’s because his ethnicity is representing 10% of the population. Therefore, they control the military, and they control the security, so they were in power strictly by rigging elections”. which confirms Cohen’s stance. His stance is that Cameroon politics is corrupt by those people. They control the country. They do whatever they want with it, like making older adults work and let young people in poverty. This medium introduces the audience to this rhetorical term call language. Language is presented in this part when Cohen says: “It’s because his ethnicity is representing by 10% of the population”.  Because Paul Biya’s ethnic group speaks another language (Beti) besides English and French, those groups of people and others who learn the tongue are the only ones who can understand the language. Cohen also has a stance about Anglophones’ problems. His position is that: “Cameroon needs to negotiate with the anglophone people so they can return to the old system before 1972”. He is saying that with such a severe tone. He stresses the word “need” because for him after Cameroon negotiates, the war in the South will be behind, and the Anglophones will start a new life. Via his interview, Cohen has a purpose. His purpose is to let the entire world know how bad Cameroon’s situation is right now. 

 

The second article is from JSTOR. The title of the article is “The Anglophone problem in Cameroon.” The genre of this article is a scholarly article because it says ‘Journal Article’ at the top of it. It is by the author of Cambridge University Press. The author is informing the world of the different problems and history of Anglophone. The author is giving to his audience (world) details about how the Anglophones came to unite with the Francophones. They say all those details with a tone. They are giving to the world all that happened to Cameroon without leaving any important thing.   

They say: “It was Southern Cameroon which voted in the 1961 United Nations plebiscite for reunification with French Cameroon rather than integration to Nigeria” (Cambridge University Press, 3). It is saying that it was Anglophones who wanted to be with Cameroon. They didn’t want to be with Nigeria; therefore, Cameroon reunited with them. Through all his said, the author has the purpose of demonstrating to his audience the different situations of Anglophone. It states: “What was expected to mark the start of a unique federal experiment in Africa soon turned out to be <more shadow than reality>” (3). It is showing the reader how in shadow Anglophone is, and it educates the world of the pain Anglophones encountered after reuniting with Francophones. The Anglophones have a different language from the Francophones. In the article, it says: “Anglophones movement have boycotted the celebration of the national feast day on 20 May, the ‘day of the1972 glorious revolution’, declaring it a ‘day of mourning’ and a day of shame’” (Cambridge University Press, 11). It informs the reader of the difference of stance between the Anglophones’ interpretation of Francophones ones. The author closes his article by saying: “The Government’s continued denial of any ‘anglophones problem’ in Cameroon, and its determination to defend the unitary state by all available means, including repression, could lead to an escalation of anglophone demands past a point of no return” (23). Therefore, if they keep refusing the fact that Anglophones have issues with Francophones, Cameroon might be in more significant trouble in the future. 

 

The third article is from The Guardian. The title of the article is “Cameroon arrests opposition leader who claims he won the 2018 election”. The genre of this article is a newspaper article because it says ‘News’ at the top of it. It is by the author Ruth Maclean. The author is informing the world of the detention of Maurice Kamto. One of the opposition leaders in the 2018 election. The author is giving to his audience (world) details about how the arrestation of Maurice Kamto and several other opposition figures. They say all those details with a severe tone because of the precise words of some of the population. They are giving to the world all that happened to Maurice Kamto without leaving any important thing.    

They say: “The Cameroonian opposition leader who claims he won last year’s election has were arrested” (Maclean). It is telling that the arrestation of Maurice Kamto was due to the fact he proclaimed that he was the winner of the 2018 election. Therefore, the government didn’t like what he was spraying his energy, so they put him in jail. Through all this, the author has the purpose of informing his audience, Maurice Kamto, and other people’s situation. It states: “Police arrested Maurice Kamto on Monday along with several other opposition figures. Including one who was pulled out of his hospital bed. Where he was recovering from gunshot wounds sustained at a protest against the central African country’s longtime president, Paul Biya” (Maclean). It is showing the reader how inhuman Cameroon’s government can sometimes be. And it educates the world of the pain Cameroonians can encountered with this type of government in power. The government of Cameroon has a different language from some of Cameroonians. In the article, it says: “Kamto and his party, the Cameroon Renaissance Movement, claim that they won the election in October. But the official figures showed them winning only 14% of the vote, in second place to the 85-year-old Biya, who has been in power for 36 years” (Maclean). It informs the reader of the difference of stance between the Cameroon government and some of Cameroonians because Kamto and his armed are hundred percent sure they won the 2018 election. However, the results have shown that Paul Biya won. It brings us to the point that we all wonder if the election were rig. 

 

The fourth and final source is an article about Paul Biya absentee in Cameroon. The article title is: “Paul Biya: Cameroon’s ‘absentee president. “The genre of this article is a newspaper because it says ‘News’ at the top of it. The author is one member of the BBC. The author is informing the world of the problem of Cameroon President. The author is giving to his audience (world) details about how the Cameroon President doesn’t stay in his country, that he is always out of the country. They say all those details with a severe tone. They are giving to the world different times Cameroon President been out of the country.  

They say: “while the amount of time he spends out of the country has stirred international comment” (BBC). It’s saying that his absence attracted not only the attention of Cameroonians but also those of the outside. Through  his said, the author has a purpose of educating his audience of the problem Cameroonians have with this kind of person at the head of the government. It states: “Some 60% of Cameroonians are under 25 and so were not even born when President Biya first came to power. There is a massive demand for jobs and viable livelihoods.” (BBC). It is showing the reader how in shadow Cameroonians (mostly the youth) are, and it educates the world of the sufferance Cameroonians encountered with this type of person in power. Through all this, the author also proves their claim with photos and videos, which bring the reader to the medium of this article. They show pictures where Paul Biya was with other presidents not for a problem in Cameroon but just for fun to him. The author closes his article by saying: “So, the so-called absent president had to show a firm hand while also preparing to loosen his grip” (BBC). Therefore, if he keeps taking trips away from the country, He might come one day that everybody will turn back to him.   

 

In conclusion, the author of this writing talked about the different rhetorical terms she found in each source. The various rhetorical times she used are author, audience, language, medium, stance, and purpose. She gave a piece of evidence for each rhetorical term, and she explained them. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                 Citations Page
 

• America, CGTN. “Hank Cohen on the Political Future of Cameroon.” YouTube, YouTube, 7 Oct. 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPHjJdHUQrY.  
• Konings, Piet, and Francis B. Nyamnjoh. “The Anglophone Problem in Cameroon.” The Journal of 

Modern African Studies, vol. 35, no. 2, 1997, pp. 207–229. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/161679.  

• Maclean, Ruth. “Cameroon Arrests Opposition Leader Who Claims He Won 2018 Election.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 29 Jan. 2019, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/29/cameroon-opposition-leader-maurice-kamto-claims-won-2018-election-arrested. 
• “Paul Biya: Cameroon’s ‘Absentee President’.” BBC News, BBC, 5 Oct. 2018,     https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-43469758.