An (in) Formal Essay By Vincent Russell

(in)Formal essay
By Vincent Russell

People think of formal language as somewhat robotic in a way that everything has to be pronounced correctly, every syllable and every word. Most people don’t like to put forth the effort into something that is not your own way of communicating, your own way of describing the place around you, your own way to explain your morals and values.  A way that is your own in every syllable and word uttered from your mouth. There is most times a middle ground for people to want to communicate in the in the most effective way possible. I use that middle ground a lot. For example, when I type its really formal and structured sentences, like this. But when I speak, the words that make it’s way out is less formal…
     Matt and I were sitting next to each other on the subway. It was pretty quiet.  We had just finished school and around Ellsworth and Federal a man started to talk to people. Over hearing him he said;
    “Hey, escue meh, “, looking concerned “If yo boy was to go out some where, you wanna know right?”
“Yeah, sure.’” Some women said.
    After a minute or two with her he turned around and asked us “You know what I mean?” Matt and I both said “Yeah”. We were kind of nervous since a random guy was talking to us, but we answered him anyway.
“Say this was yo girl right here”, pointing to me, “No homo, but say this was yo girl”.
    I looked confused and offend at Matt and he looked back just confused.
    “Yeah?” we both said.
    “You want to know where she going if she go out somewhere, right? I mean that’s all I’m asking and she go make a big deal of it.” “Yeah that’s normal” I said, “You should want to know.” “Yeah” said Matt.
    “See ya’ll know what I mean. That’s all I want. Thanks, guys. I appreciate it”
    “No problem.” Said Matt. The man got off the next stop. Matt and I were semi-relieved because that was kind of awkward. But we laughed it off.
    “Well, that was weird” I said.
“Yeah, haha, what was that?” said Matt.
    “A guy who needs advice, I guess” I said. Once our stop came we got off causally and walked home.
    Some people such as a random man in the subway tend not to speak so informal on account people might judge them. Not saying I judge people but that’s what I seem to notice. I talk the way I talk because it’s a way to communicate things easier and it’s the way I was brought up. When I’m relaxed I talk slightly different but not by much. But when I’m mad I speak really formal sometimes. I try to hold it back but it doesn’t always work. It gives me a good feeling when I can express myself in a sophisticated manner and actually understand what I say. Most of the time I talk normal. Normal for me is no slang but more of an informal and not so up-tight speech.
    Anytime you’re not at job interview or talking to the president informal speech is most apparent because you’re not trying to impress someone that has power over you. When I’m with my friends I don’t really care how I sound it’s who I am.  
One day about four months ago, Catherine, Ruben, Heather and I were in our B2 band class, Engineering. Mr. VK told us to brainstorm on ideas to pressurize oil. My table group, Ruben, Heather, Catherine and I, conferred with each other.
“Hey, I have an idea.” I said, “ what if we use soda?”
“Like, clear soda?”, suggested Heather.
“Yeah, that’ll work” said Ruben. “But how are we going to get it under pressure?”
“We could use Alka-Seltzer tablets.” I said.
“Oh, hey did you guys know that birds don’t have a digestive system!?” exclaimed Catherine.
“What?!” said Ruben, and I.
“Yeah, they can’t burp because it just goes right through them, so they explode.” said Catherine, explaining her point more.
“Oh, that’s cool…” said Heather.
“Did you know that sharks can explode?” said Ruben.
“What!? Really?” asked Catherine.
“Yeah, they can explode” said Ruben.
“I don’t believe you!” protested Catherine.
“Its true. Ask VK,” said Ruben.
“Yeah, he’s right”, I said.
Motioning for Mr.Vk to come by the table. Mr. VK walked up and asked, ”What’s up?”
“Okay” said Catherine, “So, I have a serious question for you. I’m not stupid,
okay?
“Okay?”, said Mr. VK.
“Do sharks explode?” asked Catherine.
“Um, Yes. Okay, so sharks martyr them selves for the good of the pack that there traveling with.”
“Really? Wow Ruben you were right,” said Catherine.
...Three months later we all were in the same class and Mr. VK came by.
"Hey" he said," You know… It’s great when you are playing a practical joke on someone and then, the time comes when you tell them it’s a joke but you forget…Sharks don’t really explode"
"What!?" screamed Catherine, "No, no, no, no, no. Your lying I saw it on Batman!"
"What? I was lying, Ruben said go along with it".
"NO!!!!”, exclaimed Catherine.
My friend’s all talk in-between informal and formal. The middle ground, that’s easy to convey feelings and it’s formal enough to understand them, a language that is structured “correctly” but has a lot of me in it. That’s all you need sometimes something that is yours and you can own and change it anyway you what because… it yours.