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Post by ReignMan19 on Mar 20, 2012 13:05:22 GMT -5
This topic stems from the twitter slander that Atty Ben Crump (lawyer for Trayvon Martin's family) received during today's press conference due to his southern drawl.
For those who know about Atty Crump, know he is a BIG deal. You can google all the BIG time civil cases that him and his partner Darryl Parks have won throughout the years. Many folks who were unfamiliar immediately questioned this man's competence to lead this case because ...
of the way he spoke.
Now we all know the "country bumpkin" stereotype. I know it well because I'm usually on the receiving end of it. Many believe that "if you can't speak well, than you don't kno nuffin".
Some of the most intelligent, dope, thorough people I know have Southern accents that they have mastered great control over to assimilate in the professional world. I know I'm constantly on pins and needles while presenting at work not because I don't know my content but because I don't want to sound like a bama.
So I say to the OOA, does having a certain dialect give the preconceived notion of stupidity.
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Post by ReignMan19 on Mar 20, 2012 13:06:05 GMT -5
and before anyone says it .. yes the title is on purpose.
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Post by Coldfront06 on Mar 20, 2012 13:13:00 GMT -5
So I say to the OOA, does having a certain dialect give the preconceived notion of stupidity. It definitely does. I have a friend from New Jersey who simply admitted that whenever she encounters a person with a Southern accent, she thinks they are stupid or slow. When I moved away from Alabama, I was also very conscious about my accent when I was giving presentations, speaking to co-workers, etc. Its not as much of a concern when I'm in Alabama because we all sound alike. My sister (also from Alabama, but lived in Brooklyn so long that she lost her accent) heard this lawyer talking and the first thing she said was "he sounds like he doesn't know anything...they need a new lawyer." I guess I just listened more closely to what he was saying instead of how he said it. |
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Post by ReignMan19 on Mar 20, 2012 13:42:56 GMT -5
I get it.. Trust me I do.. but..
I get so tired of checking my speech in front of others. It takes away from focusing on my points. I end up sounding all stilted, delayed and broken because my mind is doing too much at one time.
It was very telling that this great attorney was judged in 2 mins flat off of his accent.
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Post by Chal™ on Mar 20, 2012 14:00:51 GMT -5
Unfortunately, that's the way it is. To many people southern dialect is equated to stupidity.
I mean, when people found out that not only was I born and raised in the south, but also that I'm originally from a small country town in Georgia, they seem utterly and truthfully shocked. They then feel as though it is a great compliment to say, "Oh, but you're so smart," or, "You don't sound southern."
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Post by 123Diva on Mar 20, 2012 14:04:49 GMT -5
For me, it is less dialect and more grammar and simply the ability to speak well. I absolutely HATE the phrases "on tomorrow" and "on yesterday". HATE. It is honestly difficult for me to pay attention to what is said after those phrases. One example. I'm sure I have more. I cannot help it.
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Post by LejaOMG on Mar 21, 2012 8:23:29 GMT -5
Like Diva, I have a problem with professionals who use bad grammar or pronunciation outside the norms of Standard American English (querstion, strimp, etc.) but a person's accent--especially if it is moreso a cultural vernacular-- should have no bearing on how intelligent they appear.
I took offense to a tweet regarding Ben Crump. It said "THAT is the Martin family's attorney? No, a big firm should be repping them. They need the best!" I asked the person why they assumed Ben wasn't the real deal. Why did they assume he wasn't the best? Because he has a southern accent? Had he been more whitewashed (or even actually white) would people be more inclined to give him a chance? iCan't with the self-hatred.
At any rate the author replied that "ok, fine. I guess Crump's kinda a big deal. But he needs media training. The world is watching." Beg pardon? What is involved in media training? Forcing him to sound like a mid-western newscaster? Y'all better do like Spike Lee say and wake up.
I realize that my accent is more mainstream, so I'm speaking from a privileged vantage point, BUT...I ain't changing my accent for nobody. Not nobody. And I can't exactly be mad if other successful minorities refuse to do it either.
I've been putting my sociolinguistics minor to use all week, lol.
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Post by Rare_Commodity on Mar 21, 2012 12:48:05 GMT -5
So I say to the OOA, does having a certain dialect give the preconceived notion of stupidity. I believe it plays a major role in the way others judge you. Unfortunately, I think the most negative judgement comes from those in the South because we sometimes have a thick drawl, say yall, and a host of other regionally attributed linguistics that may come off as dumb or ignorant to another. I have been on the receiving and judging in as well. I do find myself, when in professional settings, trying to talk more proper...which I get told all the time I am sounding "white". |
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Post by nyunupe on Mar 21, 2012 15:24:50 GMT -5
For me, it is less dialect and more grammar and simply the ability to speak well. I absolutely HATE the phrases "on tomorrow" and "on yesterday". HATE. It is honestly difficult for me to pay attention to what is said after those phrases. One example. I'm sure I have more. I cannot help it. 100. Dialect and the ability to articulate are two different things. |
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Post by nyunupe on Mar 21, 2012 15:26:34 GMT -5
Now let's talk about that FINE ASS woman who is the family attorney for the Martin's from FAMU who also is an adjunct professor of law at there.....gotdamn!
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