My Language

We all have different languages that we speak because we are all from different cultures. The French speak French; the Mexicans speak Spanish, and the English speak English. I am a Mexican American and being one you would think that I can speak both Spanish and English, but, guess what, I don’t. The only language I do speak is English, and sometimes I can’t speak it that well because when I am around my friends, family, and other people I use it differently.


When I am out with my friends we don’t use proper English to talk to one other. Instead we talk in slang and use different words for different meaning. For example "what up?" means "how are you doing today?" Also we sometimes don’t even use complete sentences, which sometimes confuses other people if they hear my friends and I talk to one another. For example one day my mother overheard a conversation I was having with my friend over the phone. “Hey what it do?” which means “Hey how are you and how have you been?” “Nah for real, that’s tight” which means “You’re joking right, that’s cool.”


After I hung up the phone my mother asked me “What the hell were you talking about?” I started laughing because my conversation made sense to me, but not to her. I told her that my friend was just asking me how school was going and if we were going to hang out this weekend. She got mad at me and told me to speak English the right way because her and my father as well as my teachers taught me how to. But I guess my friends and I talk to each other this way because that is how we always talked to one another. However, I would never talk to my family or other people the way I talk to my friends because they would not understand me and probably think I am crazy or something.


Can you imagine if I were to walk into a job interview talking like I did with my friend on the phone“Hey what it do people?” and answering questions with “Nah” for no and “For sure” The people would probably look at me the way my mom did, and from that I know I would not get the job. Who would want to hire a person who can not speak English right? I know I wouldn’t. I know the situations where I can use my English slang and not use it.

Language is something that we as humans use to communicate with one another. But growing up it seems that we all have formed our own individual slangs and short-cuts to talk with friends or family. However, the language we speak whether it is in a different language or slang, the words we are saying all mean the same thing. So don't worry about how we, I, or you talk because in the end we all are speaking the same language, just different ways.