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ATIREK SARKAR

MA ENG

(19 DEC, 2024)

Black British poets as 'Vernacular Cosmopolitans'

Vernacular cosmopolitanism, an oxymoron that joins contradictory notions of local

specificity and universal enlightenment, it’s a combination of belonging to the world and also

suggest rootedness in local culture. Homi Bhabha, who possibly coined the term vernacular

cosmopolitanism, is uneasy with Martha Nussbaum’s image of the self as at the centre of a

series of concentric circles, with universal liberal values privileged above family, ethnic

group or nation. In ‘The Vernacular Cosmopolitan’ (2000), he writes of ‘the double life of

British minorities’ as ‘making them ‘vernacular cosmopolitans’, translating between cultures,

negotiating traditions from a position where ‘locality’ insists on its own terms, while entering

into larger national and societal conversations’ . In the context of Black British poets, this

term can be applied to poets who draw from their own cultural backgrounds and experiences

as part of the African diaspora, while also incorporating diverse influences from other

cultures and traditions.

The use of non-standard language forms by Caribbean, Black British and Asian British

writers in the 20th century has been one of the most important revolutions in contemporary

British poetry. Black British poetry is the province of experimenting with voice and recording

rhythms beyond the iambic pentameter. The idea of poetsonian in black British poets suggests

the dedication of poet towards his Caribbean heritage. Indeed, in a British diasporan context,

the vernacular resource of Nation language is continuing to change and develop, as speakers

and writers continue to experiment with the resources of Caribbean creoles and Standard
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English. From its very beginnings, Nation language has been closely associated with orality

(claypsonian) and the spoken voice. In the case of Black British poetry it is useful to take

account of an oral literary continuum of literary practices in which both orality and writing,

audio and print text feature. David Dabydeen has argued that: In the brokenness of language

resides…the capacity to be experimental with a language; it is almost like Shakespearean

English. The brokenness has a capacity to convey a greater sense of tragedy and pain, of

energy, but you can also reconstruct it in your own way, you can play with the language with

a greater degree of freedom. The critics of multiculturalism in vernacular cosmopolitanism

often argue that while multiculturalism emphasizes the coexistence of diverse cultural groups

within a society, it may inadvertently lead to the reinforcement of cultural stereotypes and the

essentialization of identities.

The use of Creole language in Black British poetry can also be an act of resistance against

colonialism and linguistic imperialism. By reclaiming and valorizing Creole dialects, poets

challenge the dominance of Standard English and assert the validity of non-standard

linguistic forms. In Black British poetry, the use of Creole adds texture and depth to the

language, enhancing the sensory experience for the reader. The history of Caribbean

vernacular voices is one of repeated denigration and disavowal: firstly by external observers,

secondly by the colonial masters and thirdly through the agency of a powerful colonial

educational apparatus. Everywhere the British went they implemented colonial systems of

government, law and education, all of which publicly upheld the primacy of a standardized

form of English. This history of high status for Standard English and low status for

vernacular voices has had tumultuous consequences for the emerging literary use of creoles.

Language is used as an articulation of reality and it’s a collective consciousness of one’s

identity. Let’s take an example of a poem where poet uses the theme of vernacular

cosmopolitan:
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Listen Mr. Oxford Don" by John Agard is a powerful poem that embodies the element of

vernacular cosmopolitanism through its fusion of various linguistic and cultural influences.

Agard's use of Caribbean dialect in the poem is a significant aspect of vernacular

cosmopolitanism. The poem is written in lively and rhythmic Caribbean-inflected English,

which reflects Agard's Guyanese background. This linguistic choice not only adds

authenticity to the voice of the speaker but also celebrates the diversity of English language

varieties. By juxtaposing the academic prestige of Oxford with the everyday language and

experiences of Caribbean culture, Agard challenges the notion that one culture or dialect is

superior to others. By asserting the validity of Caribbean language and culture within the

context of academia, the poem asserts the right of marginalized voices to be heard and

respected. This celebration of hybrid identity is central to the concept of vernacular

cosmopolitanism, which embraces the interconnectedness of diverse cultural traditions.

Much of the poem's power derives from Agard’s playful exploitation of the imagined rather

than actual threat to the English Language. The speaker is incredulous that a ‘concise,

peaceful man like me ‘should be accused of ‘assault/ on de Oxford dictionary’. However, he

like many other black British poets does exactly this: harnessing the peaceful but also

powerful medium of words in order to subvert the hegemony of Standard English from

within. The irony, of course, is that the ‘immigrant’ is also British and the English language

has always been subject to change – indeed it continues to evolve as does the OED and

notions of ‘de Queen’s English’. However, the poem offers a powerful insight into the ways

in which language variety and language choice signal are perceived to signal – a threat to

hegemonic identities. The speaker juxtaposes an immigrant who is “only armed with his

human breath,” and an anonymous Oxford don speaking in “Queen’s English.”. oxford don is

seen as a gatekeeper of queen’s English here. The immigrant is accused “of assault / on de

Oxford dictionary,” yet, in his view, he is not competing with it in any sense. He is confident
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that English Caribbean Creole is unique and should not be judged against the matrix of

Oxford English as both varieties should be viewed as self-sustained and independent

languages enabling a full-fledged communication. They should be evaluated as complete,

correct, adequate and valid geographical varieties of English.

To conclude, Agard in his poetry offers poignant interpretations of colonial and postcolonial

British immigration. His poetry is imbued with new interpretations of the past from the point

of view of the immigrants, especially from the Caribbean. Overall, "Listen Mr. Oxford Don"

exemplifies the element of vernacular cosmopolitanism through its celebration of linguistic

diversity, cultural critique, embrace of hybrid identity, and global awareness. "Vernacular

cosmopolitanism" in Black British poetry encapsulates the dynamic interplay between local,

diasporic, and global cultural influences, as well as the negotiation of identities within these

complex frameworks. Through their poetry, Black British writers navigate and challenge

notions of belonging, citizenship, and cultural hybridity, offering nuanced perspectives that

contribute to broader conversations about race, identity, and social justice.

Works Cited

1. Bhabha, Homi (2000). ‘The Vernacular Cosmopolitan’. In Dennis, Ferdinand &

Khan,.

2. Sebba, Mark (1986). ‘London Jamaican and black London English’. In The Language

of the black Experience, eds, David Sutcliffe & Ansel Wong, Oxford: Blackwell, 149-

167.

3. Dabydeen, David (1989). ‘Interview with Wolfgang Binder’, Journal of West Indian

Literature, 3.2: 67-80.