The Different Ways I Speak

          I speak multiple variations of my most fluent language, English. I code switch with my way of speaking English depending on who I am talking to. I speak English formally for a large portion of the day. During school, I speak English in this way when I speak to teachers and other staff at the school such as the workers in the cafeteria. I avoid using slang and I speak with proper grammar and a serious tone. I speak this way primarily to adults and people who I don't know well. I speak differently when I am talking to friends and people that I know well. In this variation of English, I use slang and I speak colloquially. My tone won't always be serious because the conversations that I have with my close peers aren't always serious. This "English" is similar to the different "English" I speak when I am playing soccer. When I am talking to my soccer teammates and coach, I usually speak colloquially because we are a close knit team and I have a close relationship with the coach and all of our players. The most prominent characteristic of the type of English that I speak with my soccer teammates is the soccer jargon we use. We use terms such as false nine, full-back, and playing direct. These terms are usually exclusive to soccer players and aren't used in normal conversation. In addition to English, I am also fluent in Bulgarian. At home I usually speak in Bulgarian with my parents so I can practice the language and remain fluent in it. I also speak in Bulgarian to my grandparents because they don't speak English. However, I do speak to my parents in English as well, especially when we are outside of home.

          I speak in different Englishes depending if I am speaking to an adult, close friends, or my teammates on my soccer team. I also speak a completely different language at home. All of these different ways of speaking create different personae for me. When I am talking to my friends I am less serious and speak in a more joking manner. I also use teenage slang, which makes my speech informal. Around adults, I have a more serious persona; I use proper grammar and a genuine tone. Having both of these personae give me power because I am able to change the way I interact with people just through the way that I use language. I can be taken seriously when talking if I speak formally, and I can be taken less seriously when I speak colloquially. Speaking to my soccer teammates also creates a different persona for me. I don't speak formally and I use soccer jargon. This persona empowers me because it makes me feel like a good soccer player and it makes me enjoy the sport more. Having the ability to speak with my teammates who are close friends of mine makes the sport more enjoyable. Also, using a variety of soccer jargon makes me feel like I am educated about the tactics and ways of playing soccer. My way of using language makes me feel empowered through the different personae that it creates.