“You’re so articulate” is one of those unintentionally offensive compliments that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. It basically translates to “You don’t sound like those OTHER black people.” Which is then accompanied by a “hint hint” and “nudge nudge.”
This TED talk accurately breaks down what it’s like to change or “code-switch” between English dialects and why one isn’t any better than the other.
