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Do you know what really irks me...?
It's when I am talking to someone, and they don't use slang. I'm not ig'nant or anythaaang, but neither is calling chinos khakis--provided you know that khaki is not pants--it's a color--I mean, come on, people. Slang was one of the first things you learned in public school.
You know what I said the other day...? Someone was chillin' at my crib, and they said something smart-ass, so I was like, "Ay yo' dawg, SKIP YOU". That's some straight 5th-GRADE bullshit, right thurr. Another thing is when I'm just speaking, and everyone has this bubble over there head like "...what kind of an accent...?"(Everyone seems to think I have a bit of a Californian accent, with a British edge. I've never been to Cali in my life) and then, they interupt my sentence with "Hey man, use English. We don't all know a lot of big words". And I'm like, ...Wtf...? It IS English. Where were you...? I'm not even able to have a decent conversation for too long with a lot of people, because they somehow expect me to dumb down three-syllable words. http://www.bobnewell.net/nucleus/med...5-hopeless.jpg Funny how you type 'hopeless' into Google Image search, and you still get Selena Gomez... There was this movie I saw once, I can't remember what... but to sum it up, there was a guy who was talking a perfect, common sense explanation of something or another to a small group, and they just stared... and he kept going, and then said "You don't understand any of this, do you." And they nod no, and he says good day. I'm sorry I can't post it. This really fits, though, I believe... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0j2dVuhr6s Check it out, and tell me I'm wrong. |
I can't look at the youtube link as I'm at work.. but as for the rest of your post - I enjoy the correct use of language, but I'm also aware not only of my privilege, but that language is used to express ideas on a number of levels. Part of this expression is the use of things such as slang, vernacular and jargon.
I enjoy communicating with people, and won't begrudge someone agency over their own forms of communication. As for the accent thing - I always get asked where I'm from, and often am asked when I moved here from South Africa. I was born in Australia and lived here my whole life.. the rest of my family have Australian accents. I don't know what happened with my speech, but I can hear what people are referring to.. it isn't a South African accent, but there is definitely a lilt that is different. |
Kind of, yeah. I actually change my dialect when I talk to most people or when I read and write. It's a little annoying that I have to in order to keep from being racially stereotyped as ignorant or uneducated.
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I always laugh at those who have the FOR REAL Kentucky accents--like in Madison County. But I cain't think of 'em as ign'ant--they have something unique.
Personally, I think after doing too many Squidbillies impressions, I went through a period of being stuck with an 'Early Cuyler' thing--now THAT was scary. HA! :D |
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