3 ways to speak English
JAMILA LYISCOTT
00:12
Today, a baffled lady observed the shell where my soul dwells
00:18
And announced that I'm "articulate"
00:23
Which means that when it comes to enunciation and diction
00:27
I don't even think of it
00:28
‘Cause I’m "articulate"
00:31
So when my professor asks a question
00:33
And my answer is tainted with a connotation of urbanized suggestion
00:37
There’s no misdirected intention
00:39
Pay attention
00:40
‘Cause I’m “articulate”
00:43
So when my father asks, “Wha’ kinda ting is dis?”
00:46
My “articulate” answer never goes amiss
00:49
I say “father, this is the impending problem at hand”
00:53
And when I’m on the block I switch it up just because I can
00:56
So when my boy says, “What’s good with you son?”
00:59
I just say, “I jus’ fall out wit dem people but I done!”
01:04
And sometimes in class
01:06
I might pause the intellectual sounding flow to ask
01:09
“Yo! Why dese books neva be about my peoples”
01:12
Yes, I have decided to treat all three of my languages as equals
01:16
Because I’m “articulate”
01:20
But who controls articulation?
01:23
Because the English language is a multifaceted oration
01:26
Subject to indefinite transformation
01:28
Now you may think that it is ignorant to speak broken English
01:31
But I’m here to tell you that even “articulate” Americans sound foolish to the British
01:37
So when my Professor comes on the block and says, “Hello”
01:40
I stop him and say “Noooo …
01:43
You’re being inarticulate … the proper way is to say ‘what’s good’”
01:47
Now you may think that’s too hood, that’s not cool
01:50
But I’m here to tell you that even our language has rules
01:53
So when Mommy mocks me and says “ya’ll-be-madd-going-to-the-store”
01:58
I say “Mommy, no, that sentence is not following the law
02:03
Never does the word "madd" go before a present participle
02:07
That’s simply the principle of this English”
02:09
If I had the vocal capacity I would sing this from every mountaintop,
02:13
From every suburbia, and every hood
02:15
‘Cause the only God of language is the one recorded in the Genesis
02:19
Of this world saying “it is good"
02:21
So I may not always come before you with excellency of speech
02:25
But do not judge me by my language and assume
02:27
That I’m too ignorant to teach
02:29
‘Cause I speak three tongues
02:30
One for each:
02:31
Home, school and friends
02:33
I’m a tri-lingual orator
02:35
Sometimes I’m consistent with my language now
02:37
Then switch it up so I don’t bore later
02:39
Sometimes I fight back two tongues
02:41
While I use the other one in the classroom
02:43
And when I mistakenly mix them up
02:45
I feel crazy like … I’m cooking in the bathroom
02:49
I know that I had to borrow your language because mines was stolen
02:56
But you can’t expect me to speak your history wholly while mines is broken
03:01
These words are spoken
03:03
By someone who is simply fed up with the Eurocentric ideals of this season
03:08
And the reason I speak a composite version of your language
03:11
Is because mines was raped away along with my history
03:15
I speak broken English so the profusing gashes can remind us
03:19
That our current state is not a mystery
03:22
I’m so tired of the negative images that are driving my people mad
03:27
So unless you’ve seen it rob a bank stop calling my hair bad
03:31
I’m so sick of this nonsensical racial disparity
03:35
So don’t call it good unless your hair is known for donating to charity
03:39
As much as has been raped away from our people
03:44
How can you expect me to treat their imprint on your language
03:48
As anything less than equal
03:50
Let there be no confusion
03:52
Let there be no hesitation
03:54
This is not a promotion of ignorance
03:56
This is a linguistic celebration
03:59
That’s why I put "tri-lingual" on my last job application
04:05
I can help to diversify your consumer market is all I wanted them to know
04:09
And when they call me for the interview I’ll be more than happy to show that
04:12
I can say:
04:13
“What’s good”
04:14
“Whatagwan”
04:15
And of course …“Hello”
04:18
Because I’m “articulate”
04:21
Thank you.
04:22
(Applause)