John McWhorter: belief

Transcript context

…What’s your opinion on people who perhaps come from rural areas? You can probably hear my voice spoke originally a fairly archaic accent, one of the ones that is considered dead by most people. Should they try to smooth them? Particularly if they have aspirations to move to the big city, do well in their careers, et cetera. The way you talk is not ancient. It’s just different. There was this, and then something went this way, and then another tributary went that way. To have that kind of accent — there’s nothing ancient about it. It’s just an alternate from, for example, however I’m talking right now. And to tell you the truth — it’s funny. Don’t take this wrong, but you’re asking that question as if it was 50 years ago, the idea that you might want to take elocution lessons. To be honest, it’s part of these culture wars. To be honest, the way that you speak today is a plus. It makes you distinctive. There is, for better or for worse, a cult of authenticity, which can be good and bad. But people will listen to you more, and I think you would elicit more sympathy with the accent that you have. Your facial expression suggests that you’re really surprised to hear this from me. But, no, I would love to speak the way you speak, unless I’m missing something. It gives you a calling card, no? iPad question: You want a simple, universal language. Why not Esperanto?…

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