✨A Tip For my Self-Improvement girlies,
Don’t be ashamed of your regional dialect and vernacular.
I’m talking to you girlies with the Caribbean patois, you girlies with the Spanglish, you with the AAVE, creole, ect. Ladies, you have nothing to be ashamed of. You don’t speak broken English. Any linguist will tell that your dialect is linguistically distinct, with its own grammar rules and features. You speak a form of English that the majority of English speakers do not understand, and that’s okay. The purpose of language is to be understood, and the girls who get it, get it! The girls who don’t, don’t. It’s not your fault others can’t understand your mother tongue. Be proud of your roots!
That being said, it is in your best interest to learn and master standard English. The world is a big place, and standard English is the current “lingua de franca” (which means, it’s the language and dialect you want to know to make the best connections.) Having one basic dialect that everyone knows is essential. It allows us to communicate with each other without difficulty. So while you don’t have to completely shelve your home dialect (use it with your close friends and family!), if you want to feel comfortable social circles of a higher caliber, it’s time to code switch.
How to learn standard English.
1. Read books and articles: I’ve code-switched all my life. I grew up going to a school that strongly discouraged AAVE, so I learned to use standard English at a young age. However, I’d say I code-switch even more seamlessly than the average person because I was a big reader. I read books and articles constantly. My vocabulary expanded from that alone, and I was able to gauge proper grammar from all the books and articles I was reading. This is not only great for your vernacular, but excellent for developing your mind. 10/10 recommend.
2. Watch and observe: Another easy way to learn standard is to do something you’re probably already doing: watch tv. I’ll never suggest you spend too much time watching tv. But an hour so watching TV or a movie won’t kill you. Watch movies where the characters are speaking standard english. Bonus points if they’re in a professional setting.
3. Practice diction: Practice makes perfect, so speak, speak, speak! Put the new words and grammar you’ve learned to use. Record yourself reading or repeating dialogue you heard on TV. Use standard English the next time you go to the bank or grocery store. Don’t be embarrassed. You'll won't be the best at it at first, but with time you'll be a fluent speaker.
Code switching isn't a bad thing. It doesn't mean you aren't proud of your roots. It's just another tool in your tool box to survive in professional life and social circles. View it as something to be proud of! You're becoming bi-dialectal, which is more than most can say!
Wishing you all the best. Good luck growing!✨
Note: I am talking here about dialect and vernacular, not accent. I’m not asking you to sound like you are a white girl born and raised in the Midwest. What we’re discussing here is grammar and diction only.
