Jason Perry’s article about “talking black” and “talking white” was completely correct. Assuming that an entire race talks one way is ignorant and perpetuates stereotypes that holds white people to a higher standard. And what’s worse about that is that black people are the ones who use these phrases most often. When you say that talking the right way is the “white way”, what you are really saying is that black people don’t have the capacity to be educated or to do things the right way. You’re setting a low standard for your own people. There is no way that the race can see progress if we can’t believe in ourselves.
The way that someone talks should not and does not depend on his/her race. It always has and always will depend on where that person grew up and the environment that he/she is around most often. If a white child grows up in a mostly black urban area, of course he will mostly use African American Vernacular English. It does not mean that he is trying to be black and it does not make him any less white. It is just what he is used to and it is how he communicates with the people he sees the most often.
Just as AAVE has different lexicons and semantics as Standard American English, so does White Vernacular English. If you want to be technical, “talking white” is just as different from SAE as “talking black” is. There are certain words and phrases that are only used in WVE just like there are words and phrases only used in AAVE. No matter what race a person is, no one really uses Standard American English all of the time.
Another reason why talking white or black makes no sense is the fact that the standard is always changing. Both AAVE and WVE contribute to changes made to Standard American English every year. Words and phrases are added to the standard every year. Therefore no matter what dialect you use, as long as the message received, it is correct.
The way that someone talks should not and does not depend on his/her race. It always has and always will depend on where that person grew up and the environment that he/she is around most often. If a white child grows up in a mostly black urban area, of course he will mostly use African American Vernacular English. It does not mean that he is trying to be black and it does not make him any less white. It is just what he is used to and it is how he communicates with the people he sees the most often.
Just as AAVE has different lexicons and semantics as Standard American English, so does White Vernacular English. If you want to be technical, “talking white” is just as different from SAE as “talking black” is. There are certain words and phrases that are only used in WVE just like there are words and phrases only used in AAVE. No matter what race a person is, no one really uses Standard American English all of the time.
Another reason why talking white or black makes no sense is the fact that the standard is always changing. Both AAVE and WVE contribute to changes made to Standard American English every year. Words and phrases are added to the standard every year. Therefore no matter what dialect you use, as long as the message received, it is correct.