To Code Switch or Not to Code Switch? That is the Question. | Katelynn Duggins | TEDxMaysHighSchool

[Music] [Applause] good evening before we get started I would like to define two things for you the first thing I would like to define for you is something called the first eighth rule I learned the first eighth rule at a life seminar at Emory University over the summer a woman named dr. Tober told me and my classmates that people often judge you within the first eight feet eight seconds and eight words that come out of your mouth crazy right the second thing I would like to define for you is a term called code-switching now people often define code-switching as the change in linguistics but to me it's more than that it's the way you dress the way you talk the way you present yourself in certain situations before I get started I would like to tell you a little bit about where I'm from and how I learned to code switch I come from Cincinnati Ohio and I went to school in the inner city or what some considered the hood we talk different in my city we dress different on my side of town from others oftentimes I would greet my homegirls with the girl where you been at so I'm so party tonight what's the word what's the mood I often spoke with the slang of my city you party nobody say that code for you're lying nobody just said what you said I even dressed different my jeans my sneakers oftentimes girls were there headwraps until they got to their destination so the weather wouldn't mess up their due then I came to this big switch in my life I move to a wealthier part of town and I started going to school with predominantly white kids it was a culture shock for me I wasn't sure how to act I was always intelligent I always had manners but when I'd never had to display them where I was from I didn't know what to do I was in this building full of no one who looked like me no one had on their scarves everyone used these gargantuan lexicons or large vocabularies I knew I had it but again I didn't have to impress the people back on my side of town so I never used it they dress business casual II did things that where I come from like stare was not okay so for weeks I didn't speak I didn't say anything I was afraid of being judged even though I knew I had it in me but I didn't want to change who I was just to fit in at this new school so I went home to my sister who knows far more about life than I do and this is where she taught me about cold switching she told me that I didn't have to change who I was as a person meaning my morals values what I stood for what I found okay and not okay but sometimes I had to put away my sling and bring out my gargantuan lexicon put away my ripped jeans in my head wrap and put on my business suit coat and my khakis and flats and not to impress them but to survive in my environment for at the time basically telling me When in Rome do as the Romans do so I did that I no longer wore my hair wrap out of the house I no longer wear my ripped jeans I wasn't afraid to answer questions in class and compete for my spot I use my gargantuan lexicon I cold switched I was always who I was I just changed my demeanor to fit the situation at hand many people coast which one of our famous our President Barack Obama we know that when Barack Obama is up there for a press conference or in front of the American people in his suit and tie he's gonna get it done he is about his business then we know that side of Obama where he's relaxed where the ball players come to his house his leather jacket yo bro is cool yeah we know that he can relate to us again we always knew what Obama stood for when he found okay not okay his morals his values we knew it but he changed his demeanor to fit the situation at hand aka cold switched business men and women you wouldn't go to China with only American customs and expect people to be comfortable or want to do business with you know you learn some of their customs you get comfortable with their way of doing things so they know you care you care about us you want to fit in enough so yeah we can do that business with you not many people know how to cold switch let alone cold switch and be themselves bringing you back to that first eight rule where people often judge you within that first eight feet eight seconds and eight words that come out of your mouth afraid that changing yourself for that situation at him might make people feel like you're a phony or faith it's not the case at all people respect you for trying to fit in trying to survive in that situation they don't respect you for being phony again you don't change your morals your values what you stand for you change your demeanor to fit the situation at hand you coat switch you change your language you change the way that you dress doesn't make you a different person on the inside it just makes you able to survive to fit in like they say you can go to the White House and fit in or the hood and fit in is what I'm trying to get it so the next time you find yourself in a brand new situation that you've never been in before I want you to ask yourself do our coats which if so do I remain myself am I happy with what I just did did I leave a good impression do people know that this is me regardless of me dressing to fit in in their situation or not I guess what I'm trying to say is it's a cold switch or not so cold switch that's the question thank you [Applause]

Channel: TEDx Talks

Views: 249,870

Keywords: TEDxTalks, English, Social Science, Culture, Language, Life Hack, Personal education, Social Interaction

Id: sncGGjaYJ5I

Length: 7min 48sec (468 seconds)

Published: Fri Feb 09 2018