My Three "Englishes"

Although I only speak one language, I do speak multiple forms of English. I am part of many communities; like many others, I often change the way I speak depending on the occasion and who I am talking to.

One form of English I use would be my “formal” way of speaking. This is a style that I typically use in more conventional occasions like talking to teachers or writing an essay.  When speaking this formal English, my tone is respectful. I use words that are thoughtful and portray what I am thinking in a more eloquent manner to come across as well-educated and worth listening to. While I am writing with this English, I remove any slang or incorrect grammar, instead using advanced diction and complex sentence structures to create a refined and professional tone.

The second English I often use can be shown when I am volunteering with my friends to help with a Middle School program at my church. This style is much more casual than my formal English but uses confident and positive tones and dictions that emphasize my leadership qualities as I help teach and encourage younger kids. Since it is a more casual environment with friends and other kids close to my age, I don’t need to put on an exceptionally “refined” persona and refrain from using more formal English.

My third English is the one I use most often, when I am talking with close friends and family. Since I’m in a comfortable and casual environment, I’m not trying to impress anyone with my academic intelligence and so I don’t usually use all the sophisticated language I would use if I were writing an essay. Instead, I focus on language that is more relaxed, sticking to casual, everyday words with colloquial sentence structures.

Speaking these diverse types of “Englishes” creates different auras around me that are fitting for the situation. No matter which language persona I take on, I always try to showcase the best of my personality traits and stay true to what I believe in.