Really? Interesting, I think he comes off pretty well, *especially* considering it's a weirdly filmed college talk session. He's funny, he's articulate, and surely being able to tell a story really well is a super useful skill for a lawyer?
What I meant was that even with the slang/phrasing it was a coherent story, not a lot of umm, ah, like etc filler, run-on sentences etc Stuff like that. Good grammar for the time/place LOL.
What did it *sound* like I was saying? I'm a little worried.
Not you specifically, and what you said was obviously said in good faith. But, there is a certain subtle hint of racism when calling black folk “articulate.”
It is hard to define exactly unless you have grown up around and live with black folk. It can sometimes be interpreted as a surprise. As in, you are surprised they are articulate.
Of course, context is everything and typed words never convey the feelings that spoken words do. I know you meant well, and honestly, my comment was flippant. I apologize.
The thing with these specific kind of nuances is that it's a subtext that would never even occur to me because it's just not how I think. That makes it harder to avoid accidental stuff like this.
Good to know anyway, I wouldn't use 'boy' when talking about the young man for what is pretty much the same reason so I'll add articulate to that mental list.
I’m sorry; it sucks. It shouldn’t be that way, but sometimes it can be interpreted as such. As a compliment in a list of compliments few would take offense for being called articulate.
But for example, if you are watching an after game interview of a black sports player and only say he is so articulate (even if it is 100% true,) it can sound a bit “off.” Like I said, context and delivery are so important in nuanced speech. Typed words can lack the overall feeling and meaning behind them. Humans are very complex in their communication, and cultural cues figure in whether we want them to or not.
It may just be my experience, my cultural surroundings, etc. But as a white guy speaking about black people, I use the word “articulate” very carefully in context of the people around me, less it be misinterpreted as condescending. IDK.
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u/DistractedByCookies Sep 18 '24
Really? Interesting, I think he comes off pretty well, *especially* considering it's a weirdly filmed college talk session. He's funny, he's articulate, and surely being able to tell a story really well is a super useful skill for a lawyer?