There’s something I did not tell you all about me in my “some stuffs about me post” and oh, if you havent read it…as in, you seriously havent read that post to know some stuf about the person who’s blog you are reading?? hmmm, ok, see the post here- http://imperfectlyperfect92.wordpress.com/2014/05/01/some-stuffs-about-me/
So as I was saying
or I plead to digress a bit jare, I almost danced on Falomo bridge today oh, I was walking with Imela, Nathaniel Bassey’s song plugged in and truly, I almost danced.
*clears throat* Back to the matter, I didnt tell you guys in my stuff about me post that I have an accent.. and no, its not something so cool as an american accent, nope, I have a very plain and proper Delta/Isoko girl accent. So you will probably hear me say “imaghine” instead of “imagine” or “schurch” instead of “church”.
I dont know who to blame because my elder brother doesnt speak like that and we grew up together… I blame myself ofcourse, I loved English in school then but hated the oral English classes, you would probably see me reading a novel while the teacher was droning on-the way I am typing this while the counsel is cross examining a witness right now in court- I never really paid attention in oral english classes (note to self, I will personally teach my kids oral english classes, they wont be like mama)
So on wednesday I was asked to take the message in fellowship and as expected, my “imaghine and schurch” came to light and one brother(side eye) teased me about it later.
I just laughed it off as a joke like I knew it was but… hmm, it bugged me small oh.
As a side note, you will be amazed at what these “teasings” can do to someone, be careful with your mouth people-including me.
Personally, I know not to tease someone about their weight(all those you look like crayfish or soaked bread jokes) because i’ve been there before… I know not to tease someone about their facial features because I have half-past eyes and I’ve been a butt of jokes before and now I know not to tease someone about the way they talk especially when they just spoke in public because I’ve been there before.
Whether its a light hearted banter or not, for someone as confident as me (if I may say so myself) it always rings back in your head.
Take this for example, I just got down from the pulpit, I dont even know if what I said made sense and the next thing you can say is tease me about my Isoko girl accent? come on nah, if we think, really think about some things we do as jest, it wouldnt seem so funny.. And this applies to me too.
Anyone can feel down about themselves, anyone can feel like they are not all that sometimes..It begins with a simple thought-a thought we should squash at the root as soon as it seeps in.
So my guide to public speaking already yeah?
You have an accent, I have an accent too. We all have accents, and some cooler than most…
Just dont let that silly reason stand in the way of what God has placed in you to say.
And yeah its a silly reason to stop you because you remember Moses? All God used him to do? Wasnt the speech impediment reason he posited a silly one at the end?
So that’s it people, that’s what I had to share with you all and I just couldnt wait to get out.
Dont let anything-your own reasons inclusive stand in the way of saying all God has put in you to say.
And oh, Kathryn Kulhman does talk “somehow” too, it doesnt stop the rhema from flowing.
But sha, I may take those oral english classes at the end oh. Saying “imaghine” isnt fun abeg. lol
Have a great weekend people and oh, I snapped these shots in public with peeps looking at me.
Ah, they say a lawyer should be prim and proper but life is too short to be serious all the time abeg, check out Maya Angelou’s pics of her all smiling nah, that’s my aim jare, and besides, its friday.
TGIF people!
*Much Love.
And uhm, please like my page on facebook, the like box is on my widgets and this is the link- https://www.facebook.com/pages/Imperfectlyperfect/1436777526574557?ref=bookmarks .
I shared something there this morning that I just cant reproduce here(excess work)
xoxo.
No Comments
Maggielola
May 30, 2014 at 1:09 pmFrances!!! You won’t kill me with laughter. Lool
I was expecting to find “Frances’ ABCs to Public Speaking” but this is better. Embrace your Isoko-Delta accent jare! 🙂
imperfectlyperfect92
May 30, 2014 at 6:24 pmLol Maggie, this is A, B&C will follow..
Tomiwa
May 31, 2014 at 11:01 amBabe, on point jare. During this my master’s course ehn, even our proffessors make mistakes. But the point is that as long as you get your message across ehn, make una dey flow dey go. No be God create you as you be or me as I be? Hugs. dear
imperfectlyperfect92
May 31, 2014 at 11:15 amTomiwa!!! how body? How ya side? Hope you dey tanda? Lol…
And yeah, you are right, as long as the message is passed across, do your thing…my lecturer always rings that in our head too, I guess everyone that has to speak in public have to make sure that sinks in otherwise…what happened in 1960 will happen again.
Thanks for stopping by
Tomiwa
May 31, 2014 at 11:21 amLol, what happened o? I’m good o. It’s just me and my thesis having some disagreements. But as long as J-boy got my back, I go dey alright.
imperfectlyperfect92
May 31, 2014 at 11:41 amWhat happened then? I will tell you later.lol
And yes oh, thesis is on point already, you know what you carry nah.*winks*
Congrats on your resounding sucess in advance
Tomiwa
May 31, 2014 at 1:53 pmThanks dear. And amen ooo
Catherine
June 1, 2014 at 11:33 amHi Frances, I’m sure the guy is secretly crushing on you and you made a nice speech. I personally do not take tease to the heart as I’m this free-minded person but teasing me after a speech? No, No! I’ll start seeing u as a non-entity or an insensitive person from that moment… and I do not tease people in situations as this.
Just like me, after making a presentation in front of the class that got the lecturer nodding her head all through, one guy (coursemate) just came…. in the midst of others hailing me and my head was rising, and was like “your voice is too small”. I simply replied “I’ll take that as a compliment”, he still went on “if u are a teacher is that how you’ll be talking to ur students?” Meanwhile he was seated at the back o likewise the lecturer, and he heard all I said during my presentation? Na wa o for some persons!
Another one…. After delivering a lecture to secondary school students (where I was posted for counselling by my school) for almost 2hrs, when I got back to my seat I was expecting my coursemates to congratulate me, instead what I got was… ‘you get strength o’. Can you imagine? (could that be another way of saying well done?). This was something each one of us was supposed to take turns to talk about, but they all declined with the excuse that they have stage fright…
Pardon me for the long epistle… It’s just not right making incentive comments to people except you people are joking about.
imperfectlyperfect92
June 1, 2014 at 2:43 pmNo need for sorry for epistle dear Catherine..i guess you’ve just had experiences too.lol
I don’t take the teasings to heart, I even laugh along too but then the effect of words..
And the person’s who tease like dis don’t even know what they are inadvertently doing sometimes-we inclusive. We just have to be careful with what we say..+be our own biggest fans..like you are to yourself.
glowingscenes
June 1, 2014 at 7:33 pmI will personally teach my kids oral english classes, they wont be like mama) Haha, this was funny.
Abi na. But I do get you though. Sometimes we say or take things too lightheartedly not realizing how much the person we said it to might hurt in the process or is presently hurting. And you have done well by saying we shouldn’t let any flaws of us stand in the way of delivering God’s message, we should rise above all those imperfections ppl see and take the world by storming through, and then we become better and stronger women able to guide others out after slaying our own dragons.
Nice one frances. Maybe you should write a book sef. lool.
imperfectlyperfect92
June 1, 2014 at 8:00 pmItunu! Just the person I’ve been thinking of, wanted to dm you about something, will do so now.
And yes na, the sins of the past generation(in this case, skipping oral english classes) won’t be repeated in the lives of the future generation.lol
And truly, imperfections are nothing but spring boards to perfections… I listened to a sermon this morning on my phone, twas on hearing God, the preacher had a lisp in his voice as he talked, didn’t stop me from nodding my head as the Rhema flowed..that’s imperfection right there in his speech,(to the human mind) but one that really doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. imperfections? They are nothing…
As for that book? Loool is all I will say..but sha, ok, lool
E'
June 2, 2014 at 5:23 pmDang. This hit home.
More like z reminder or confirmation cos truly, I have learnt to tease with wisdom.
Except of course I’m calling someone ALIKA lol.
I recall a British Nigerian friend of mine always said that even the H-factor shouldn’t be teased cos hey, tz the beauty of the language. Infact the Yoruba factors generally. She called them inflections I think. She is Yoruba BTW with proper English accent cos she lived in London forever BUT she always mentioned how we shouldn’t yab jor, After all, did Jesus leave a blueprint behind for oral English? Mba
imperfectlyperfect92
June 3, 2014 at 12:02 amJust made me remember my roomate E, I forgot to put that in the post.
She has the H factor in her tone too but guess who I go to when I need sensible advice even with the others with perfect tones there? It’s her.. its the wisdom Jesus carried that wowed us not his blueprint for oral langua.lol
And alika ba? I guess it’s allowed.hehe
StupendousGrace
June 7, 2014 at 11:36 amLoved this post. Substance over form, content over packaging anytime.
And as your Delta – Isoko sister, i can relate with your Isoko accent. But like you said, if God is glorified and eternal purpose is fulfilled, who cares? In the words of Dr. Patricia Bailey Jones, i care only about the one who enlisted me. If God gave us all these amazing talents with whatever accent or apparent uncool limitation, let nothing stop us.
Much love!
imperfectlyperfect92
June 13, 2014 at 8:31 pmA wonderful addition to this Eloxie.
Thank you!
Eniola
June 14, 2014 at 5:34 amNice post. Nice reasons. But i am of the opinion that if something can be done better, it should always be done better. If you do know there is a better way to speak English, endeavour to speak it that way. And it is not just about English language, it is about everything! Even our native dialect. I used to have an H-factor and i make a conscious effort to lose it especially because i like to do public speaking. We cannot all deny that when we hear people speak good and clear English we all don’t just love it. And i also think intonation(which i think is the actual accent) is different from the correct pronunciation of English words. Anybody and everybody can learn to speak GOOD English language. Do not hide under the pretence of an accent. I used to have an H-factor and I do not anymore and I feel great for it. So think of those people that make jest of you as reminders on the improvement you need to make in your life. At least that is what i do. I critically appraise comments and jests and work on the parts of me that indeed need improvement. No hiding.
imperfectlyperfect92
June 14, 2014 at 7:24 amThank you Eniola for your comment and yes I do agree that if things can be done in a better way then do it..maybe you missed this in the post too- “But sha, I may take those oral english classes at the end oh. Saying âimaghineâ isnt fun abeg. lol”
And maybe you also missed the entire point of this write up..
This is not meant for anyone to hide under the presence of “accents” or to make excuses for saying “imaghine” instead of “imagine”..the write up is just saying, don’t let those stop you from saying all you are meant to say, don’t let it stop you from touching the lives you are meant to touch with your words… by all means improve whatever needs to be improved but don’t hide under the tag of “accents” to put a stop to the words in you that can bless lives.
#that’s all