Why do people consider me as "Acting White", because I have good use in grammar?

Question

I can't sound sophisticated, without people saying I'm acting white?!

Answer 1

It is due to the overwhelming ignorance in our society. Your race has no bearing on grammar usage or sophistication level. Just stay true to yourself and pay no attention to the people judging you. The people telling you this aren't the kind of people you want to associate yourself with.

Answer 2

Bessie..........how to say this, I wish every black American (and white) would use the language properly. It's very often difficult to express an abstract idea which you know to have merit and which needs to be said. But without a working command of the language it can be impossible, having the net effect of making you seem less intelligent than you may actually be. Thank you for such a courageous question, and take pride in your accomplishment. There are those of us who are proud of you and others like you. A bright intellect and searching mind are colorless.

Answer 3

You know, that is a good question. Why is it that having good grammar or having any interest in education considered a "white" thing? Is it because of "Carlton" on the "Fresh Prince" haha
Check out the book "Losing The Race" by John Mc Whorter. He is the Professor of linguistics at the University of California, Berkley.Yeah he's black. I don't know where the "Mc" comes from. haha

Answer 4

They should say that you're "acting like a normal person" instead of "acting white". When I hear people speaking ebonics I just can't take them seriously. Even some white people do it. Do they not know how ignorant it sounds?

Answer 5

This is a tough one. I am a middle school english teacher. I teacher inner city kids in the bronx. Whenever I correct their grammar, they accuse me of being mean, and tell me they speak this way because of where they are from. I have tried to explain to them that bad grammar isnt "cultural", or a way to id yourself as black, its simply wrong. Tell your friends that you are an intelligent person, and you see no reason to hide that fact from the rest of the world. Your friends may see bad grammar as being cultural in some way, but the rest of society looks down upon people who do not speak properly, because it makes you look unintelligent and uneducated. It is hard enough for people of color to be treated as equals - dont make it any harder. being successful, intelligent, and well-educated isnt "white", its what EVERYONE should strive to be! Good luck!

Answer 6

Jealousy makes people sound and act ignorant. Don't follow them up. You are a beautiful person so just ignore them.
I am white and most of my black friends call me black because I have a round butt and big legs. Most black guys love talking to me.

Answer 7

because there not used to the way you talk.please dont take what i say the wrong way.
for many years blacks were kept from education the way the whiteys were,so the language over the years became "culturally" different,seperating the african am. and the caucasian am. language norm.
so,an educated black man living in a black neighborhood will have a different way of talking than an educated white man in a white neighborhood.
so,it is lack of understanding.
next time someone offends you about the way you talk,just tell them to try to get a lil' mo' education on pronounciations of words.

Answer 8

And? If I were to say that white people that don't use proper grammar were "acting black", I'd be called a racist. What's the difference between that and someone telling you that you are "acting white"?

Ignore them, and please excuse any grammar errors I've made here.

Answer 9

Did you even have to ask that question?? I mean be for real you already know the answer to your question. You could have saved some points there!! Here is the real queston what is "acting white" who defines what acting white truly is or what actin black truly is??

Answer 10

Because they are ignorant racists. Speaking proper English has nothing to do with race. Ebonics is to blacks as Spanish is to Mexicans or Hebrew is to Jews. I admire you for wanting to better yourself and there are plenty of people in every race who need and want to better themselves.