If you want to piss me off, ask me that question. Why do you talk/act white? I ALWAYS get this question. I always thought as I got older, people would quit asking me this dumb ass question. Seriously, I thought grown ass people would know better, but they don't. It really irks me. I don't talk "white". I talk like myself. Honestly, why is it that black people like to stereotype themselves sometimes, is it because they feel they have to? Why put yourself into the category of a stereotype. To me, that is nothing short of sad. We have a distinct culture, but that culture goes beyond how you talk, does it not? Or is the black american culture that shallow that we can't get beyond the stereotypical ebonics, hip hop/r&b culture?
51 comments:
I think people are very confused about me.
I grew up in the ghetto/hood but I listen to rock music and I love combat boots.
It's alright though I like being an enigma.
It's a shame that a lot black people have such low expectations of themselves and our race.
There's so much more to us and our culture than the stuff on B.E.T.
Well, depending on who's asking, I'll often feign ignorance and answer, "I wasn't aware talking came in colors" and proceed to ignore said ignorant person until they come correct!
My usual answer: 'cause my parents would've killed me if I came home talking like I didn't understand simple grammar.
Come to think of it, neither my parents nor grandparents on either side used ebonics. Nor did they have that slight twinge you hear when people who have spoken that way most of their lives suddenly switch to "speaking white." *shrugs*
Hehe, my boyfriend says the ghetto comes out of me when I get genuinely angry. Not annoyed, but super duper pissed. I can't hear it, but I don't listen to myself when I'm ranting >.>..
I hate that stupid question.
I dismiss people who ask me that, I know right away that we could never be friends and that they are a waste of time. Most of my friends are like me, people who speak proper English, like to read and realize BET is garbage. Growing up in the inner city I also had non blacks ask me the same thing.
What's really bad is white people here this and it reinforces a sense of superiorty, since acting white is usually positive, going to college, speaking English, etc. all considered white? I guess no one told the Asians, Latinos etc.
It's a shame that a lot black people have such low expectations of themselves and our race.
There's so much more to us and our culture than the stuff on B.E.T.
Boom,
I think so too, but many people don't seem to understand that. The other day on youtube, some woman said that black people feel the need to talk white to sound educated. She didn't quite define what talking white meant, but I took it as an insult, as I talk the way I do because of my surroundings and not too trick people into thinking I am white. I am blacker than Yaphet Kotto. I can't pretend I am white, even if I wanted to.
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Well, depending on who's asking, I'll often feign ignorance and answer, "I wasn't aware talking came in colors" and proceed to ignore said ignorant person until they come correct!
That is what I need to do.
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My usual answer: 'cause my parents would've killed me if I came home talking like I didn't understand simple grammar.
That is my usual answer. I can't talk ebonics to my parents. They will kill me.
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Most of my friends are like me, people who speak proper English, like to read and realize BET is garbage. Growing up in the inner city I also had non blacks ask me the same thing.
A lot of white people ask me that too. I know I dated a few guys who used to ask me why I talked the way I do. I just looked at them crazy as hell and dismissed them.
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What's really bad is white people here this and it reinforces a sense of superiorty, since acting white is usually positive, going to college, speaking English, etc. all considered white? I guess no one told the Asians, Latinos etc.
I was listening to something on NPR a while back ago about "Acting White" and latino kids get it worse than blacks. There is a threshold apparently of what grades are ok to get, and what grades that are too white. Making A's too white, but if you are Latino you act too white if you get A's and B's. You have to get Cs to be hispanic, but black kids can get some Bs and not get made fun of. I hope I can find that story.
Here is a washington post story about Latinos and their own struggles with "acting white".
I honestly don't understand why this is an issue in 2008, have we not realized that we can evolve and change and that we as black people have varied interests, ideals, and tastes? I don't understand why some black people hold on to the whole white is better mentality and that by doing things such as going to school, studying, and using proper english is still a white thing. UUUGGGGGHHHHHH
Strangely enough before I came over I never knew that black people spoke differently from whites. It was when I got here that I heard the ghetto accents and ebonics. It was a shock. I was like, why are these people speaking like this?
I get that often, I tell them I speak proper English.
However, I have heard something similar from some White people, "You have a firm grasp of the English language." Interesting how they choose to make that observation about myself but others that look like themselves. ;-)
Vegan Momma
To all Americans I talk fuunny anyway. My accent is undecided between African and British, so its really wierd. As long as someone understands what I am saying, to hell with what they think, English is not my mother tongue anyway. I would be more concerned if I could not speak my mother tongue with the right accent.
"I honestly don't understand why this is an issue in 2008, have we not realized that we can evolve and change and that we as black people have varied interests, ideals, and tastes? I don't understand why some black people hold on to the whole white is better mentality and that by doing things such as going to school, studying, and using proper english is still a white thing. UUUGGGGGHHHHHH"
Its not that simple. Its more about cultural preservation. I would be irritated if I had kids and they had no sense of their cultural foundations and where adopting into White culture by "acting" white. Simply because no matter how much they speak and "act" white, they will never assimilated. Just speaking proper Englsish is not acting white.
Truth is there are many culturally lost people out there that actually try to get rid of their cultural roots and attempt to assimilate into white culture behaviourly. Whether you agree or not, its true.
Now I know many Africans with especially British influence, who upon meeting them you would think they are trying to act British, but if you found the same person in their own culture environment you will see that they actually are rooted in who they are. IMO, its achieving a healthy balance of cultures that is key. Regardless of what one chooses, their background is a crucial part of who they are. Denying it is ridiculous. Its this lack of self pride that people are usually pointing to when they accuse people of acting white.
White people too call each other out on others acting black or Latino, so it is much deeper than we are assuming in here.
NEVER actually got asked this question but you know when you get that look and know people are thinking it?
I TALK WHITE BECAUSE:
I have a lot of white friends.
I do not soley listen to rap, rnb and hip hop i love rock and all other types of music.
I like to read books A LOT !!(and appreciate jane austen) perhaps prefer reading to clubbing.(oh dear, not good for my public image at all).
My accent is pretty standard but i do not talk slang and i use big words.
I do not dress "ghetto" and do not ever want to because i feel comfortable in jeans and a normal plain top.
My favorite movie as an 80's kid was Valley Girl.
My Valley Girl voice is like, ya know, totally wicked awesome.
I like to use it when people as a question as stupd as "Why do you act/talk White?"
And those people, of course, are usually Black people.
SMH
I often get that question too and it pisses me off. My usual answer is that I like sounding intelligible.
I do think that the best response I've read so far is just to show them my rear end leaving the room.
I think the worst version of this question I've heard was when a white person asked me, "You speak so well. Are both your parents black?" I asked her, "Do I need to have a white parent to speak well?" and she looked contrite as well she should be.
Siditty,
Oh snap! I am so upset that you still get that. I got that in high school and also hoped it would go away.
Okay, i see what I have to look forward to should I ever come back to the states! lol
I think they ask that question out of an attempt at peer pressure. So that everyone will talk like them, dress like them, move like them, etc etc etc. I think its also slight jealousy really.
Quite frankly, black people who say this are ignorant, white people say, you are different from other black people, you think it is a compliment, it is an insult, there are many of us around, but we don't get the exposure. The thing about these so-called 'keeping it real' guys, they continue to keep it real, while they don't live in the 'hood' they live in affluent areas and they are on the Forbes Rich list. They have cleverly brainwashed a whole set of people white and black and we are in confusion. The keeping it real guys came out and the same time to counteract Public Enemy. P Diddy was never from the 'hood' but he cleverly played on it, even his ex-children mother Kim Porter, she is not from 'the hood'. BET, MTV base and many others all help in the brainwashing process so that they can rake in millions from the black community get rich themselves off BC and black people from not achieving. Re-affirms the old doll test, black is bad and white is good.
its achieving a healthy balance of cultures that is key. Regardless of what one chooses, their background is a crucial part of who they are. Denying it is ridiculous. Its this lack of self pride that people are usually pointing to when they accuse people of acting white.
White people too call each other out on others acting black or Latino, so it is much deeper than we are assuming in here.
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GRATA
That is all very very VERY true. I have to achieve a healthy balance when going back to nigeria. I even try to adopt the nigerian accent sometimes. (you should read the near end of my post on my blog about Language= Power) :-). If you speak correctly because that is the way you were brought up to speak it is not your fault but i would completely understand if i decided to completely abandon everything african about me. That would be horrible. But afro-americans do not really have a culture ( please do not attack me here ) so they fabricated one= BET. So if u act different to that it is like denying "your culture".
Strangely enough before I came over I never knew that black people spoke differently from whites. It was when I got here that I heard the ghetto accents and ebonics. It was a shock. I was like, why are these people speaking like this?
Yeah usually on television, in TV shows, most the people, black or white, speak proper English, or close to it. For some however that is a fallacy of mainstream media trying to white wash black people.
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However, I have heard something similar from some White people, "You have a firm grasp of the English language." Interesting how they choose to make that observation about myself but others that look like themselves. ;-)
I hate that as well. I was once told by an ex I used big words, as he was impressed with my vast vocabulary. I explained to him my vocabulary is due to the amount of books I read, and that in this day and age black people can actually read, and sometimes even enjoy it.
My husband's grandfather told me I was very articulate. That was his way of complimenting me. I just looked at him crazy. He was even more impressed I could answer SOME questions on Jeopardy (his favorite show). He thought I was the best after that.
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Its not that simple. Its more about cultural preservation. I would be irritated if I had kids and they had no sense of their cultural foundations and where adopting into White culture by "acting" white. Simply because no matter how much they speak and "act" white, they will never assimilated. Just speaking proper Englsish is not acting white.
Grata:
That is the point, my cultural preservation as a black person does not begin and end in hip hop or the ghetto. That is what frustrates me. People say I talk like a Valley Girl. No matter how I sound, the color of my skin will tell people what and who I am, a black woman.
Truth is there are many culturally lost people out there that actually try to get rid of their cultural roots and attempt to assimilate into white culture behaviourly. Whether you agree or not, its true.
There are people who do this, and the annoy the living hell out of me. I don't think as a black person I can do that, simply because in this country my appearance, no matter how hard I could try to hide it (which I wouldn't), would give me away. If I dyed my hair blonde, put in some blue contacts, and the best Beyonce weave out there, I would just look like a crazy black woman with contacts, dyed hair, and weave, nothing else.
Its this lack of self pride that people are usually pointing to when they accuse people of acting white.
I think people assume me not to have self pride because of the way I talk, my appreciation from music from outside the "black realm" of music (I have seen fishbone a few times, and I rarely if ever find other blacks there supporting them, I digress).
I do think other cultures call out others for acting a stereotype. The problem is that a lot of these people are acting out stereotypes and not really embracing the culture.
Pretending to be a gang member does not make one black, it makes them a pretend gang member, but people are quick to assume when one does this they are acting black.
Your right, it isn't just blacks with this issue.
Asians have the White Washed vs. Ghetto Asian Discussion
White washed asian female
FOB vs. Twinkies
Bananas
Hispanic self identification
Coconuts use the internet
I actually grew up with many hispanics who are what would be considered white washed. They would pretend and swear up and down they were more spaniard than indian. Some of them were darker than me and using derogatory names for hispanic people, saying they were different than the others.
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I think the worst version of this question I've heard was when a white person asked me, "You speak so well. Are both your parents black?" I asked her, "Do I need to have a white parent to speak well?" and she looked contrite as well she should be.
LOL that was classic.
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But afro-americans do not really have a culture ( please do not attack me here ) so they fabricated one= BET. So if u act different to that it is like denying "your culture".
Suesue:
The sad thing is BET is not reflective of ALL black american culture. Black american culture was created way before BET ever existed, and it didn't begin and end with hip hop.
no such thing as "talking white". usually leveled for speaking correct english. it's insane really.
Suesue sd:
"But afro-americans do not really have a culture ( please do not attack me here ) so they fabricated one= BET."
AA's DO have a culture (NOT BET). It may not be their original (African) culture as that was lost in slavery but they DO have one. They formed one in the "new world".
"My husband's grandfather told me I was very articulate."
I have heard the "A" word so many times that I have grown to hate it! In fact, when a WW recently explained how much she adores Obama, she said the "A" word. I replied, wow I guess Hillary is pretty articulate as well. She looked at me in shame when she realized her ignorance was showing.
"But afro-americans do not really have a culture ( please do not attack me here ) so they fabricated one= BET."
I know you meant no harm, but I hope you'll examinine the hundred years of black American history that existed before BET.
Authors:
Langston Hughes
J. California Cooper
James Baldwin
Music:
Muddy Waters
Billie Holiday
Mahalia Jackson
We gave America Jazz, Blues, and Gospel. A body of literature, and yes, even some uniquely American gastronomy: Sweet Potato Pie, Pecan Pie, Red Velvet Cake and a host of other creative foods made from table scraps.
Although there is disagreement over the topic of religion and faith, it cannot be missed that black Americans' interpretation of Christian worship is unique and awesomely moving.
Please get to know us more.
First of all to C1, I grew up in a predominately hispanic area and they are one group (especially Puerto Ricans) that are very similar to blacks. The ones from the hood will accuse other Puerto Ricans of trying to be white. I grew up with Latinos. I like them a lot but believe me they are very similar to blacks in a lot of ways. They are a lot different than Asians.
Also, I think that "talking white" is such an ignorant conversation. I dont care about someone who "sounds" white. The only thing that matters to me is what in the persons head and heart. I attended a historically black university and there were a lot of black people who "sounded white" yet they were very afrocentric. The same with lighter skinned people. Some of the most afrocentric people at school and in my life were lighter skinned people. We need to get over that stereotyping in the black community.
Most of the people who've told me that I don't act black were not black themselves.
Go figure.
And this coming from the ignorance that uses the non-word :conversate...geeze!
I have been called out for this as well and for the most part I do not let it bother me.
I will acknowledge a few instances of code-switching that I think are inherent in most black women's lives but for the most part, I speak in a manner comprable to my background and education.
I understand your post and can relate. The thing is Im Nigerian and my accent is a mixture of Nigerian and American.... you can tell I have an accent once you hear me speak. Ive had a lot of Americans (mostly white) tell me that I sound British. But a lot of black Americans on the other hand always feel the need to tell me that I sound 'white'. Ive been called 'whitegirl' in the past also, by some ignoramuses.
True that I have modified the way I speak subconsciously to 'assimilate' into the American culture, but back in Nigeria, we speak the Queen's English. I just speak like myself and I dont speak to please others... I speak so people can understand me clearly.
"I actually grew up with many hispanics who are what would be considered white washed. They would pretend and swear up and down they were more spaniard than indian"
LOL! My ex European friend married a Mexian guy who claimed before they got married that he was Spanish. He claimed he was half french and Spanish but his mum curiously only spoke Spanish and not English. Normally Europeans do speak English. He also claimed his name was Rodrigues, spelled with an S at the end not a Z. Anyway she discovered he was Mexican when she was already married. This same guy damped a sister for this girl. And I didn't feel sorry for im when it ended in a nasty manner.
"But afro-americans do not really have a culture ( please do not attack me here ) so they fabricated one= BET. So if u act different to that it is like denying "your culture"."
Suesue,
Big Big mistake. American culture is fairly influenced by black culture. What is culture anyway? Every group has one. Infact African American culture may be much stronger than some African cultures. Sometimes I think culture is in the genes, some stuff with AAs is too familiar with African cultures. Take blues for example, its a duplicate of my traditional music, only in a different language.
My own people are immigrants originally from the horn area, we lost our culture along the way and adopted the cultures of those around our new homes. Culturally my tribe is so weak, we can't go back 200 yeas with our history while those around us have thousands. I think that is what make me relate to AAs more, we had to reinvent ourselves somewhat. Those around us look down on us as foreigners, immigrants and intruders and since we seem to have no real strong culture, we are like infidels.
Hello,
I have never asked some one this question. i find this question to be very ingnorant. i may not always spell correctly or say the right things but to ask this question makes one look incredibly stupid. why comment on some ones speach unless you can not understand them and even then just try to find a way to communicate.
I KNEW I WAS GOING TO BE ATTACKED !!!
I didn't mean just BET but generally the rest of the world now gets that hip/hop is AA culture. I don't live in the States i have only visited so i would not know. I am giving you the view of an outsider.
Siddity:
The sad thing is BET is not reflective of ALL black american culture. Black american culture was created way before BET ever existed, and it didn't begin and end with hip hop.
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Yeh !
I moved from Vermont to North Carolina when I was eleven, and I got this question all the time in middle school, from the black kids. It really wasn't until the latter part of college that I started to sound like somewhat of a southerner. It took me forever to become comfortable with saying "ya'll." Being able to speak "properly" has served me well job and careerwise. I can flip between southern and northern vernaculars pretty well now. But mostly, I still talk "white." LOL!
I should add that though there are some black southern expressions I am comfortable with, I still have a difficult time relating to certain black people because of the way I speak. But then again, I have a difficult time with some white people for this very reason as well, because I don't think they expect me to speak so articulately (even though I got my bachelor's and master's degrees in English and write reports for a living). Life is funny.
"I KNEW I WAS GOING TO BE ATTACKED !!!
I didn't mean just BET but generally the rest of the world now gets that hip/hop is AA culture. I don't live in the States i have only visited so i would not know. I am giving you the view of an outsider."
I'm sorry that you interpret a response that was meant to educate you as an attack. In my book, a response is not an attack unless your called a name or belittled. I'm not using exclamation points or capitals.
Please accept my encouragement that you get to know us more before making these types of claims. They don't portray you in the best light and I sincerley bet you are a highly educated person.
The rest of the world over the age of 40 knows a lot more about black Americans' contributions to U.S. culture and the world. Hip hop is youth culture. A lot happened before BET spread hip hop around the world.
There's a reason the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, and a host of British rockers cite many black American jazz and blues artists as influences on their music.
France has always loved and embraced the blues. Jazz and Blues festivals are common in many developed countries beyond the U.S. and they recognize the roots of the music in black Americans' innovtions.
The Harlem Renaissance is well documented in literary history.
Elvis copied rock and roll from black Americans and it's well documented.
Sorry for the long comment Sid, but I hope we can dispell such claims by sharing some knowledge.
When I was a kid, blacks would ask why I talk white. Now that I’m older I get asked by all kinds where I from. Like I can’t be from Los Angeles. I was talking to my Asian coworker about my mom who is from Panama and she was like ‘I knew you weren’t from here, you don’t sound American’.
Yeah, I do. I just don’t speak Ebonics.
I never had this experience. I was always the clever one in class and the African American children adored me. Perhaps my generation has evolved slightly further than yours? If these are your experiences, then I am certainly glad that black people with the United States have made improvements.
Perhaps my generation has evolved slightly further than yours? If these are your experiences, then I am certainly glad that black people with the United States have made improvements.
Honestly, I don't think things have evolved all that much. Per the study I posted earlier in the comments, it seems black kids are still getting that peer pressure. The study did note though, that this teasing was more prominent at predominantly white schools, than black schools. At black schools, this type of teasing wasn't considered the norm. I found that really interesting.
ie ,
I am 32 years old, not 90. Don't age me too much LOL
When I was a kid, blacks would ask why I talk white. Now that I’m older I get asked by all kinds where I from.
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Yes, I get that "Where are you from?" question A LOT, especially from white people! LOL! When I tell people I'm originally from Vermont, it clicks in their heads: "Oh! That's why..."
"I KNEW I WAS GOING TO BE ATTACKED !!! "
Suesue,
I don't think you are being attacked. Simply being informed. You have not seen "attacked" yet. You may not survive it. I was was once foreign too but understood Black American Culture to be more than Hip hop.
Grata and Caligirl94177, THAT was an attack. I am NOT going to apologise for what i said cause it is true and do not need to be informed !!!! I KNOW a lot happened before BET !!! i am not an idiot i DO know about the blues etc.. I just gave a generalisation according to the topic of the post why people may assume black people "talk/act" white.
I know AA have a culture but the general perception of what that culture is TODAY is similar to the one portrayed on BET. I should have made myself more clear and now i have.
Suesue said:
"I don't live in the States i have only visited so i would not know. I am giving you the view of an outsider"
Then Suesue said:
"I am NOT going to apologise for what i said cause it is true and do not need to be informed !!!! I KNOW a lot happened before BET !!!"
I didn't ask for anything, least of all an apology.
(Shrugs with raised eyebrow and walks away from outburst SMH). 'nuff said on the subject. Some folks just have to be left alone.
I will acknowledge a few instances of code-switching that I think are inherent in most black women's lives but for the most part, I speak in a manner comprable to my background and education.
I think most black folks do that. You kind of have to on occasion LOL
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LOL! My ex European friend married a Mexian guy who claimed before they got married that he was Spanish. He claimed he was half french and Spanish but his mum curiously only spoke Spanish and not English. Normally Europeans do speak English. He also claimed his name was Rodrigues, spelled with an S at the end not a Z. Anyway she discovered he was Mexican when she was already married. This same guy damped a sister for this girl. And I didn't feel sorry for im when it ended in a nasty manner.
That is so crazy to me. Why lie, why would it matter. I guess he wanted to be European really badly.
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I didn't mean just BET but generally the rest of the world now gets that hip/hop is AA culture. I don't live in the States i have only visited so i would not know. I am giving you the view of an outsider.
Suesue:
I don't think anyone was attacking you, but rather we are trying to figure out why BET or hip hop culture is the only subset of African American culture that folks tend to focus on.
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I moved from Vermont to North Carolina when I was eleven, and I got this question all the time in middle school, from the black kids. It really wasn't until the latter part of college that I started to sound like somewhat of a southerner. It took me forever to become comfortable with saying "ya'll
Everyone in texas, regardless of race says Yall LOL. It seems like too much work to say "you all" or "you guys" lol. I say yall and people still haven't figured out I am from Texas. No one can ever figure out my accent. I have a very generic sounding voice LOL
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Sorry for the long comment Sid, but I hope we can dispell such claims by sharing some knowledge.
No problem, I think the background info is important in this conversation, so that everyone can learn.
I think it's a legitimate question. A lot of black kids grow up in areas and schools so segregated that their only contacts with whites are authority figures, store clerks, school and TV. Back in slavery and post-slavery, talking white to whites could you beaten by them for acting 'uppity'.
We're now in the 21st century and seeing remnants of this, but at this point it's part of the culture from our music. I don't mind ebonics at all. I love it. It's ours and I claim it. It flows in a way that 'white' language doesn't because it has a certain rhythm to it.
At the same time, it's important to be able to speak and write 'white'. When someone black asks you this, tell 'em it's all about the money, the jobs, the edu-ma-cation. Betcha they can relate to that.
"Grata and Caligirl94177, THAT was an attack. I am NOT going to apologise for what i said cause it is true and do not need to be informed !!!! I KNOW a lot happened before BET !!! "
Interesting tone considering you said this previously. (And no one is asking you to apologize, did I miss something?)
"But afro-americans do not really have a culture ( please do not attack me here ) so they fabricated one= BET. So if u act different to that it is like denying "your culture"."
You actually had a hunch that something was wrong with your statement.
"I know AA have a culture but the general perception of what that culture is TODAY is similar to the one portrayed on BET. I should have made myself more clear and now i have".
Still don't add up to me but that's ok. Moving on.
"At the same time, it's important to be able to speak and write 'white'. When someone black asks you this, tell 'em it's all about the money, the jobs, the edu-ma-cation. Betcha they can relate to that".
Kit,
Exactly. I tell many minorities that the English language should simply be looked at as a survival too. And speaking it well is part of the picture. Resisting it will not help you especiall careerwise. IMO, someone can speak "white" all they want as long as they don't deny their founding selves.
"But afro-americans do not really have a culture ( please do not attack me here ) so they fabricated one= BET. So if u act different to that it is like denying "your culture"."
A stupid comment from an Ignoramus
I don't think anyone was attacking you, but rather we are trying to figure out why BET or hip hop culture is the only subset of African American culture that folks tend to focus on.
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That is what YOU are doing !!! That is what I was asking !!!!! Which is fine. They were defending something i was not criticising !
Before BET and TODAY BET are very different things Caligirl.
It is funny how people pick at things read on the internet and just run with it. It shows narrow mindedness.
I do not understood how Siddity understood what i meant when you did not and she wrote the post !!!
suesue, relax. Just agree to disagree.
I've gotten the "Why do you sound/act White?" a lot. It saddens me how shocked Black people act when I tell them that I'm not British or African, their reasoning as to why I don't use Ebonics.
Another question I've gotten was if I had a White parent because of my light skin color. Why do I have to be mixed to talk the way I do and like the things I like? It makes no damn sense.
""I think it's a legitimate question. A lot of black kids grow up in areas and schools so segregated that their only contacts with whites are authority figures, store clerks, school and TV. Back in slavery and post-slavery, talking white to whites could you beaten by them for acting 'uppity'.
We're now in the 21st century and seeing remnants of this, but at this point it's part of the culture from our music. I don't mind ebonics at all. I love it. It's ours and I claim it. It flows in a way that 'white' language doesn't because it has a certain rhythm to it.
At the same time, it's important to be able to speak and write 'white'. When someone black asks you this, tell 'em it's all about the money, the jobs, the edu-ma-cation. Betcha they can relate to that."""
I agree with you 100%. This is a very sad thing for me to admit, but I am in my mid-20's and I never realized that I didn't speak "properly" until I got my first career job. In school I was always an honor roll student, performed fairly well in college and very involved with my community. I never thought anything was wrong with my speech until I was hired for a position at a very prestigious university.
The guy who hired me was black. He spoke very "proper". He was brought up in a "suburban" area and attended a majority white school. Two weeks after I started, he called me into his office and told me that he was impressed with my work but, I needed to work on my grammar because it's very poor. He told me that I pronounce words incorrectly " birthday = birfday", "library = libary", bathroom = bafroom". He even went on to say that my grammar usage is bad "me and my friends" vs "my friends & I". You all my laugh, but, I was so used to speaking in "cultural language" that I didn't even realize that it was making me look bad. It hurt my feelings so bad and I am still frustrated when I speak, because, I am trying to make sure that I say everything correctly. I think back to all of the past jobs and even job interviews that I had and wonder if anyone ever thought that I wasn't intelligent because of the way that I speak. I grew up in an all black neighborhood which people might say is the ghetto - but I don't think so and everyone spoke the same as me (or I???). I remmeber my grandmother used to always get on me about my grammar - I remember answering the phone when someone asked for me and I'd reply "this is her" and my grandmother would yell "THIS IS SHE". I always thought she was being old school.She is from the south and her mother always got on them about speaking properly.
I guess what I am trying to say is - for as much as people want to make fun of or make ignorant responses to people who articulate themselves correctly (sorry for those of you who hate the "A" word)I wish that I could go back and just learn the whole language over again. It seems that I've forgotten. While I love being African American and I love my culture, I have now learned at the age of 27 what it means to turn it on and off. You have to have a balance and I don't think that makes anyone act "black" or act "white". It's not about trying to be "black" or "white".
It's all about your language, and how you present yourself to the world.
Per Ralph Nader Obama "Talks White"
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