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Omar Ahmed

Mrs. Williams

H ELA 10

7 January 2018

The Shifting of Linguistic Gears

Language could be used to gild a setting, instill fear in the fearless, or perhaps even

introduce a new feeling to someone. It is that powerful influence of language that makes it key to

our identity and social acceptance. Dating back to several centuries, or perhaps even several

decades, language was mostly spoken formally. Consider the Elizabethan era, in which the

remarkable William Shakespeare lived in. Those times were filled with wordsmiths competing in

the field of literature by composing poems and music using their best possible, well-renown

formal use of the English language. On the contrary, we don’t heavily rely on the use of formal

language today since we also speak the language colloquially. In our modern times, we voice our

language in various ways, and we shift between them to help maintain our identity the way an

automatic-transmission vehicle would shift between its countless gears to keep itself fine-tuned

and running. The way we exercise our use of language and how well we shift between our formal

and colloquial gears when verbally approaching certain individuals is essential to our identity

and social acceptance. For instance, when spending some recreational time with close

companions, your language would instinctively lean more towards the colloquial side. Who

would ever bother to speak like a professor when hanging out with their friends anyway? On the

other hand, one would speak quite professionally at their workplace to help maintain the

etiquette-based environment as professional as it could possibly be. James Baldwin argues that
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language is “key to identity and social acceptance,” and I most certainly am an advocate of his

stance. Being able to fluidly interchange between the two uses of the English language and

knowing when to do so is key to one’s social acceptance and their making of their social identity.

One may argue that the consistent use of informal language is essential, as it ideal for

expressing one’s self. However, knowing when to use colloquial language is important since it

wouldn’t be socially accepted in any environment one happens to come across. Colloquial

language shouldn’t find itself approaching most work-places, especially those that are highly

based on formal and business-related etiquettes. It should, however, find itself approaching

environments where families and friends are merrily enjoying their times of leisure. Of the many

things that people would be doing informally while spending their time in merriment, such as the

way they would dress, people should speak informally as well. The use of informal language

helps maintain the positive atmosphere between people, such as companions, relatives, and

strangers; when indulged in such a compelling environment. As a result of using informal

language, people would be more socially accepting of your willingness to loosen up in times of

leisure. Although it is important to know to talk in a loosened manner while spending quality

time with friends and family, people should be conscious about how they use it. Colloquial

language is known for the offensive portion of it, and that consists of the countless list of

offensive words and phrases ranging from curse words to stereotypical insults. If one uses the

offensive portion of colloquial language, then they’ll obviously prick at their identity and be

considered disrespectful. The use of colloquial language is key to your social identity in the

sense that people would be more socially accepting of you in times where casual behavior is

highly expected and tolerated.

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Strangely enough, it is just as important to know when to use formal language. It is

arguably impractical to speak formally on a regular basis. The consistent use of formal language,

especially one filled with a variety in vocabulary, would make one appear to be an intellectual

person. To seem knowledgeable would serve as a great argument to why a person shall speak

formally on a consistent basis, but knowing when to seem intellectual is key. When should an

individual be speaking so formally that their intellect is visibly flowing out of their lips, along

with the words that are coming out of it? Well, one should consider doing so in a job interview;

in fact, one must take their chance to reveal the Einstein within their mind at that kind of

occasion. It is at that type of incident when one could fully flesh out their intellect using formal

language. In doing so, you are showing others that your social identity consists of a very formal

and intellectual side when it’s time to gather yourself and be a solemn individual. Therefore,

using formal language in times where one has the breathing space to be informal isn’t necessarily

wrong, but just plain unnecessary. Also, it may cause people to be serious with you, as you have

established a social identity with such a serious tone to it that they simply cannot banter with

you. In doing so, you have smothered any kind of entertainment or humor that you could’ve

massively enjoyed when speaking with others.

Language is key to our social identity as well as it is to our social acceptance. A plant

cannot survive without any water, but neither can it survive when drowning in it. Similarly, one

should not always speak with an informal tongue, but nor should they always speak formally.

One shouldn’t find themselves on either end; rather, they should position themselves in the

versatile middle of knowing when to shift between colloquial and formal gears. In doing so, one

will greatly aid their self in terms of the social acceptance they would be receiving on their end.

At times when all is serious, and everyone is deliberate of the way they speak, your intellectual
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formality could be used to outshine everyone else. On the other hand, when you’re in an

environment where people are slapping their knees and drowning in their laughter, you could

blend right in by participating in their conversations colloquially. In that matter, one could gain

social acceptance from both the formal and informal situations they come across. James Baldwin

refers to the importance of language as the “key to identity and social acceptance.” An

interchangeable social identity that shifts between different uses of a language is key to

broadening our social acceptance.