Jasmine C Davis

22 March 2018

Professor McGovern

TED 407

A Language Autobiography:

“You Speak Good for a Black Girl” by Jasmine C. Davis

This was derived as a response to a young man, after making several comments about how
“unblack” and “different from typical black girls” I was behaving during a dinner date.
1. “Wow, and you speak good for a black girl?” he said to me.

2. “Oh, do I? Well thank you.”

3. You seem to not know what you've done, or you find no harm in your words.

4. So let me take a moment to educate you.

5. Beside the fact that you’re stereotyping me,

6. And your microaggressive compliment is unappreciated;

7. I take honor in my race, in my gender, in my speech.

8. It took me a while to achieve this.

9. This confidence.

10. A lifetime of dedication.

11. A never-ending education.

12. My roots stem from a highly educated mother and father that take pride in the knowledge

they've instilled in our minds.

13. My father, qualified with a Graduates Degree in Communication, still teaches me to this

day.
14. Since birth, a strong foundation in language development has been drilled into our minds.

15. He would say, “You must learn that language is your power.”

16. We were taught to use our words, not our fist.

17. Our race goes nowhere when we decide to lift our hand, even slightly, as an act of

reciprocation.

18. “Be careful” my mother would say, “Fix your face! You don't want to be labeled as an

angry black woman, it's a stereotype you can't shake once you get it.”

19. Why's that?

20. “Watch your mouth” my father would say, “your words cut deeper than your actions.

21. So if you're going to say something think twice and be sure when you say it.”

22. So let me show you how sure I am.

23. I am sure.

24. That the power in my language has created a presence that allows me to speak my mind

in front of any audience.

25. I am sure.

26. That it is the preciseness of my words that prevent you from questioning my word choice.

27. I am sure.

28. That it is the dictation in my voice along with my presence being visually appealing that

has created a powerhouse of a young woman you see before you today.

29. I do not sugar coat my feelings, I do not ignore my culture and I speak with pride.

30. Nor do I neglect to include my extensive academic lexicon.

31. When I speak, I can't help it, people listen.

32. So yes, I speak good.

33. Lisa Delpit (2016) said it best, “Let us not become so overly concerned with the language

form that we ignore academic and moral content.”

34. “Access to the standard language may be necessary, but it is definitely not sufficient to

produce intelligent, competent caretakers of the future.” (Delpit, 2016)

35. So does my speech have anything to do with the fact that I am a black girl?

36. Is the color of my skin a barrier that blocks your receptive sound of mind when it comes

to listening to what I have to say?

37. Does an image created based on a negative stereotype have an adverse effect on a

language developed for a culture?

38. Does a culture have a choice in how they relate a message or is there a forced pathway

created in order to illustrate a message to a dominant culture that refuses to take the time

to learn the language of another?

39. What right does one have to try to change the language of an entire culture that speaks a

language, other than english, that allows them to thrive within their community?

40. What right does one have to say the dominant language is English, and if you speak

another language to go back to your country?

41. What right does one have, to go visit another’s home and make them change how they

have only ever known?

42. Does anyone have a choice?

43. My race, my gender, unchosen.

44. My reaction, my voice, my language, my choice.

45. A black girl is how they define me, it has become a part of what I am.

46. It does not affect my speech.

47. And my speech is excellent but it should not change the way you perceive me.

48. Because you shouldn't have created a judgement about me prior to getting to know me.

49. You're surprised?

50. I get it.

51. It’s a norm.

52. A sad result of living in a judgemental world.

53. A dominant, competitive based culture that profits on the negative, constructive criticism

of others.

54. Since I'm speaking about constructive criticism, let me grammatically correct your

“compliment”; it's “well”.

55. It's “you speak well”.

56. And that should be it.

57. Get rid of the microaggression against my skin color and gender.

58. It’s not necessary.

59. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate “the verbal adroitness, the cogent and quick wit, the

brilliant use of metaphor, the facility in rhythm and rhyme, [that is] evident in the

language of black vernacular”; and it shines bright in my response to your ignorance.

(Delpit, 2016)

60. And I hope you can feel it.

 References

Delpt, L. (2016). The Real Ebonics Debate: What Should Teachers Do? ​Rethinking Schools

Online.​ 1-4