Sounding real

Sounding Real

I do believe that one can learn a lot about a person by listening to his/her speech. As a teacher I feel like this is an area that I don’t not address enough. I feel like so often kids are encouraged to write people and dialogue as they think a teacher will want to read it as, what I mean by this is that the grammar needs to be correct, the sentences complete, etc. This isn’t always how “real” people talk, and using plain English minus personality is just plain boring! So I’ll give this a try.

“How y’all doing? Oh sweetie, you’re lookin a little tired. I was just fixin to have some lunch. Why don’t you sit down here and I’ll bring us some sweet tea and we can catch up. I’ve been meanin to call you about this book I just read. You are going to die. I love it, LOVE it.”
-My southern belle English methods professor

“Ms J. dis kid, he be messin with me and my stuff and if I has to sit by him one more minute I is going to beat his brains out.”
-African American student

“Lisa, it has been such an extended period of time since we’ve had a chance to dialogue. Tell me, what literature have you and your fellow classmates been reading? Have you selected a topic for your thesis? Or is that dissertation? Have you had the fortunate experience of reading bell hooks in any of your course? You have. Don’t you just find her work so enlightening? Tell me, what is your prospect on her work?”
A friend with a tendency to overuse and misuse big words unnecessarily to come across as an intellect.

“Momma. Kaily just hit me and I told him not to hit and he said that he could hit but I couldn’t tell you because I’d be a tattle tale but I am not being a tattle tale, I am just telling you.”
Four year old child

“Ms. Johnson, I am sorry to have to tell you this but it is not good news. Based on my examination today and Friday’s blood work, it appears that the graft has failed. You are not thriving so it seems only natural to go ahead and get things in place to seek another cornea donor. I’ll talk to my tech and get your name on the list and we’ll go from there. Do you have any questions?”
Doctor