A Little Therapeutic Letter Writing...

[badstar]

Dear Motormouth,

I'm sure that you noticed that when I got on the bus, I was wearing headphones. And reading. No doubt you noticed that I had a book in front of my face. And while it's perfectly acceptabe to say "Hi, how are you" or other brief pleasantries, what on earth would posess you to launch into a full dissertation on your summers at camp as a kid and how pathetic you were at archery and how some camp counselor took pity on you and bought you a snowcone? And do you really think I wanted to hear about how you used to collect popsicle sticks? Oh yeah, and when I sit further back on the bus than where you are when I get on, following me isn't necessary. In the future, please refrain from such things.

All the best,

Fuego


Dear People Who Don't Bother To Speak English Decently,

(This is not directed at people who are still learning to speak English)

There is no "f" in "th" so it's not "Norf Avenue", "Luferville" or "souf"

Neither is there a "v" in "th". "Breathe" does not rhyme with "leave".

Please learn to conjugate "To be". It's not difficult. I am, you are, he/she/it is, we are, you all are, they are.

Oh yeah...and use the past tense when appropriate.

Saying "A'ight" makes you sound extremely stupid.

Words like "down" and "town" have one (1) syllable. Not "day-own" and "tay-own"


Cheers!

Fuego

Comments

[sunneyone.livejournal.com]

i don't say it all the time, but it has slipped out of my mouth at times. but the rest of that shit, i've never said, unless i was mimicking someone.

[fuego.livejournal.com]

talking like a moron in jest is one thing. somethign slipping once in a while is one thing...but people who just plain talk like that...ESPECIALLY the ones that i know are educated enough to speak properly and say, do so while talking to customers or managers at work...it's like taking a cheese grater to my last nerve

[sunneyone.livejournal.com]

i totally understand that. i've seen it myself.
i agree with you on that one.

[seaya.livejournal.com]

This is called code switching. Using one dialect or language in one context and another in a more formal or familiar context. Or sometimes, switching back and forth in the same conversation.

This is actually quite common and does not make someone uneducated.

Different language sets are appropriate with different people.

For example my friend D. speaks standard English with me, slang with his mom, and Gullah with his grandma.