[Lynne]

Why is it that white people feel they have to talk ‘ghetto’ around black people?

User Detail :  

Name : Lynne, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 18, City : Ann Arbor, State : MI, Country : United States, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, 

[Dave Rainville]

I feel that most Whites who do this are trying to show that they want relate to Blacks and ignorantly assume that all Blacks speak ‘ghetto’. Since language is so fundamental to communication that’s probably the first thing that comes to mind. I’ve caught myself doing this many times. Dave

User Detail :  

Name : Dave Rainville, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 30, City : Toronto, Ontario, State : NA, Country : Canada, Occupation : Registered Nurse, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Marc22344]

Probably because stereotypes of how to interact with people of other races persists in our society. I see you’re in Ann Arbor, Michigan, so I’m guessing you are in college. Many of you’re white counterparts may be from more rural areas where they have very limited access to people outside their racial group. It may even be the first time they’ve ever spoken to a black person. So they learn how black people talk and act by watching MTV and BET and through movies(which often perpetuate said stereotypes). When the situation of interacting with blacks arises, they are probably trying to fit in and make you think they are ‘down’ with you, not understanding that black people are as diverse in background(including speech patterns) as they are. I think it’s most likely an attempt to be friendly based on limited experience with actually talking to black people.

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Name : Marc22344, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 24, City : Morgantown, State : WV, Country : United States, Occupation : Grad student, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Anonymous]

They talk that way because blacks do. If whites don’t speak ghetto around you all then how would you understand them.

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[Monica R.]

Speaking as another Afican-American female who grew up in the midwest i have experienced this. I can only explain it by saying that they must honestly( and mistakenly ) belive that a Black person cannot understand a completely standard English sentence, or they feel they are showing some sort of ‘ghetto’ solidarity. Either way the speaker is mistaken and most listeners take offense.

User Detail :  

Name : Monica R., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Catholic, Age : 25, City : Tallahassee, State : FL, Country : United States, Occupation : Educator, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Walter]

Lynne, I get to see this three ways because Texas has blacks, whites, and browns. To complicate it worse, some of the browns are ‘tejano’ (long native) and some very recent immigrants. Talking ‘ghetto’ probably differs here from Ann Arbor, too, but I will try to answer your question. First, some people are uncomfortable either with who they are, what they think you are, or simply with the difference between these two. One way to compensate is to try to be like you, to negate the difference. Most of the time, they end up sounding silly, but the effort is not meant to be insulting and I’d guess they didn’t mean to sound silly either. Also — and this is something for you to answer for yourself because I don’t know what it’s like in Ann Arbor — but I live in a university town, too, and I notice that the people who try to mimic the way other people talk here are usually young, in the age range of university students. This is an insecure age and, for young suburban white kids, it may be their first time dealing with people who are much different in language, class, or skin color from themselves. I hope I gave you a decent answer, at least something to think over, even though I am culturally a long way from Ann Arbor. Walter

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Name : Walter, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Disability : getting old, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Jewish, Age : 51, City : Austin, State : TX, Country : United States, Occupation : historian, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[TAYLOR]

I GET THAT ALOT. SOMETIMES I AM OFFENDED, BUT THAT’S THEIR IGNORANCE. WHEN I OPEN MY MOUTH TO EXHIBIT MY CONFUSION, THEY’RE JAWS DROP BECAUSE GUESS WHAT? I CAN VERBALLY FORM A COMPLETE SENTENCE! SOME GIRL CAME UP TO ME SAYING ‘WHAT’S UP HOMEY G-DOG?’ I JUST SHOOK MY HEAD.

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Name : TAYLOR, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Southern Baptist, Age : 18, City : MEMPHIS, State : TN, Country : United States, Occupation : FULL-TIME STUDENT, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Lower middle class, 

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