Language Patterns

When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God. ~ 1 Cor. 2:1-5

How much importance do you place on the words and speech patterns that people use? For me, I know that I rely a lot on this. In a previous life, I worked as a 9-1-1 call taker and police dispatcher in a suburb of Oklahoma City. One of the things that eroded at my spirit while I worked there was the way I was encouraged and even trained how to make assumptions about people and situations. It was a necessity to some degree; when you're getting information from someone on the phone, the way they talk can tell you a lot about where they come from, how they're feeling, etc. - often more helpful information than the words they're actually using. And it may have influenced what type of personnel I sent on that call.

When it comes to language in writing, I find that I've done much of the same in a different role - as someone who screening job applicants. If someone didn't spell correctly or answer questions coherently, I would remove them from consideration - and writing may not have been a part of the job (cashiering in a retail store, for example). In the first scenario, my judgements gave me information that may have helped us determine how to respond to an emergency,  but the second feels more judgemental and definitely ruled out people who may have been good employees. 

Reading this chapter (Chapter 3 of What Every Church Member Should Know about Poverty), I learned some things about the different registers of language, but it also makes me more aware of the ways that I make judgements based on these things. As a Deaconess in the United Methodist Church, I tend to (intentionally) focus on social justice issues, but I still have to recognize my own growing edges. Acknowledging that "proper English" is a middle-class, educated value is uncomfortable, but I know that I have met some wonderful people who are no less wonderful when they don't use proper grammar. And as a Christian, called to be hospitable and welcoming to all in the way God loves and welcomes all, I would be embarrassed if my church turned someone away for not speaking in "proper English."   I will continue to ponder this and where else I may be making judgements about people based on my own middle class values that aren't applicable to the specific situation. How about you?

Mandy Caruso-Yahne is a Deaconess in the United Methodist Church and currently serves as Director of Community Engagement for Episcopal Community Services in Kansas City, MO.