Speech Communities
Tomás Licea English 2 4/29/99 Speech Communities Coming from a community of multi-racial and multi-cultural people I find myself having to modify not only the way I speak but also the way I act while transferring between the plethora of speech communities in which I live. ... My composure during the metamorphosis from one speech community to another also changes from the usual standing straight and hands by my side to the hand language and facial expressions use to describe my disgust or exhilaration. ... Understanding that there may be altercations if the way I present myself infront of either is inappropriate I act in a well-mannered way and talk to them with formal speech. ... It is as though I have to transcend even further into another speech community when I speak to my mother because she does not speak English and I can get in trouble for speaking English to her. ... When I venture into the speech community which I call the “relaxed one” I can be myself, act as goofy as I want and communicate with my peers in what ever tone and language I want.