Stuff From My Brain

A.J. Pallante
Prof. Boland
English 329
17 February 2009
Negotiable Negotiations

I never really paid any attention to the way I use language. Until now, I believed the way I spoke to be seemingly just a routine. I never really considered the way I switch codes as needed. After taking a few days to focus on the many ways that language negotiations are made, and incorporated, I noticed that I too am guilty of amending language to suit the circumstance. I found that there are two main contexts in which I switch the way I speak. The most common negotiation I make is switching from the way I speak normally to the way I speak at my jobs. The second negotiation I make is when I switch from the way I speak normally to the way I speak in an academic setting. Neither or the ways I utilize language are hard, so to speak. For, each of these negotiations is done without thought, and until now, have gone disregarded entirely.

My “everyday” speech is not too complex or impressive. When conversing with friends, there is no need for lengthy sentences and multi-syllabic words. I am a fan of short simple sentences. I am an even bigger fan of the multi-functional “F” word. So, needless to say, in a professional environment, I need to amend my speech. My first two jobs require a similar negotiation. I work as a tutor for Victor Valley College, and a substitute for Victor Elementary School District. The way I interact with the elementary students is almost identical to the way I speak with the students I tutor, as most of them are English Language Learners. I use simple sentences spoken at a slower pace, along with questions that assess comprehension. However, when I work my other job, the negotiation I make is completely different. I work security at Mountain High, so I get to use my favorite word quite often. I do not have to be sympathetic and understanding to any individual needs, which is reflected in the way I speak. I almost revert back to my “everyday” speech, except that in my “normal” catalogue, I am a bit more caring towards those closest to me. In all three cases, I ensure that however I speak matches the setting I am in.

The second set of circumstances that call for a negotiation in language happens when I am in an academic setting. In the classroom, if I speak at all, I try to hold my speech to a higher standard. I understand that some students are in love with the sound of their own voices, so those who cannot shut up, I tend to just let ramble on. However, when I do speak, I try to maintain some level of intellect. In papers, I endeavor to do the same. Here, I negotiate language by speaking in a manner that is completely opposite of what I normally enjoy. I try to employ compound\complex sentences, as well as a vocabulary that includes “bigger words.” I view academic speak\speech as my form of code switching. Though it is different from what I am used to, it is a necessary to have this understanding.