About Speaking “Correctly”
We recently worked on language liberation in my RC class. I discharged on early memories of having to speak “correctly.” I’d had to be careful about what others thought of me and my words. My mother would correct my essays and focus on my grammar and spelling instead of appreciating my thoughts and ideas.
When I was ten years old, some adult Kenyan students stayed at our house. They taught me Swahili songs. It was okay to make mistakes when I tried singing or speaking in their language. They appreciated my efforts and were warm and loving.
When I moved to Australia, there were many moments of misunderstanding. My cultural and language differences weren’t acknowledged, and I thought there was a “right” way of speaking.
Australia
(Present Time 206, January 2022)