Speaking to Adults
When speaking to adults, I try to talk in a way that makes me seem more confident. I try to come across as bold and like someone who knows what they are doing. This can be a struggle for me since I naturally have a soft, high voice. That kind of voice can often come across as weak and timid, so, when talking to adults, I make an effort to make my voice more loud, clear, and confident. I also talk in a more respectful and formal manner to adults, avoiding any slang terms. I talk this way to hopefully make it seem like I am put-together, smart, and capable of doing great things.
Speaking to Friends
When speaking to friends, I talk in a more informal and casual way. I don't make an effort to sound formal. I also use slang terms when talking to friends. When texting friends, I don't use full sentences, I abbreviate lots of words, and do not use punctuation. I complain and rant a lot more to my friends than adults. I do this because with adults I am more concerned about the image I am creating, so I try to come across as the best version of myself as possible. This is not the case when talking to my friends, so I speak more freely and say what's on my mind more, without worrying about formalities.
Speaking to Extended Family
Although my parents speak English extremely well, my extended family in India does not. When speaking to my extended family, I often speak using short, fragmented sentences. I make the sentences as short as possible even if they are not grammatically correct. When forming sentences, I just say what is necessary to get the point across, without using any extra words to make the sentence grammatically correct. I do this because their English comprehension skills are not great, so I don't want to confuse them by using too many words. I also don't want them to feel bad that their English is not as good as mine even though I am younger.
These different Englishes create different personae for me. This is because when talking to adults I am a put-together student who is prepared for college and the real world. When talking to my friends I am a relatable, stressed-out teen just trying to survive junior year and make it to the summer. When talking to my extended family, I am a lady of few words. I can switch between these personae solely based on how I speak the same language. Language gives me power because I can easily change the way I come across and my personality just based on how I speak English, shown by how I am like a different person to adults, my friends, and my extended family. People's perception of me can completely change based on the way I speak English, so language gives me power because it gives me a way to easily change my persona based on the circumstances. I can come off whatever way I want, all thanks to language.
