Are You Articulate?
In The Racial Politics of Speaking Well, Lynette Clemetson writes about how
Black people get a little testy when white people call them "articulate."
It's quite understandable to bristle when you're complimented for being articulate, while you don't hear the same thing being said about white people. It makes you wonder whether the praise is like some kind of lefthanded compliment; whether people are truly amazed with your communication skills, or just plain surprised, given the color of your skin.
I'm a Filipino. There were about three instances in the past where I got to speak with some foreigners who would, towards the end of our conversation, say: "You speak English very well."
And each time, I would smile and say: "So do you."
You should've seen their faces. :-)
Comments
That's a great comeback!
It's just kind of funny how some foreigners equate eloquence in English with some sort of status. As a language, it's really not too hard, compared with some of the Asian and European languages.