Best case for getting a good education in grammar

[jasonf]

Posted: 6/26/13 at 2:47pm

Trayvon Martin's girlfriend is testifying and I can't understand a word she's saying. The court recorder (I think) keeps asking her to repeat what she's saying. The judge keeps asking her to repeat her testimony loudly and slowly.

If it wasn't filled with N words and curses, I would love to show this in class and say "see, this is why you need to learn to speak properly and why grammar is important!"

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 6/26/13 at 2:52pm

nvm Updated On: 6/26/13 at 02:52 PM

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 6/27/13 at 1:00pm

We could all be more precise with words and better informed about usage, pronunciation and grammar, myself included. But while we are on that topic, the person who takes down testimony and transcribes it is known as a court reporter or court stenographer, not a court recorder. A court recorder is a form of software used for recording court proceedings.

Witnesses of all educational backgrounds and with varying language skills and deficits frequently have to be reminded to keep their voices up to be understood in court.

But I can definitely see your point that this is a great illustration of the value and importance of clear communications and presentation. Having said that, I think she is still coming through as a sympathetic and genuine witness who, in the context of the other evidence to be presented (notably George Zimmerman's admission that the voice calling for help on the tape was not his own), should be credited as to the operative facts of which she was aware.

Updated On: 6/27/13 at 01:00 PM

[madbrian]

Posted: 6/27/13 at 1:07pm

Can we at least agree that Gabby Sidibe will play her in the movie?

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 6/27/13 at 3:02pm

Regardless, it was better than a movie! Great actors would have trouble creating her persona!

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 6/27/13 at 7:46pm

Maybe it's because we're both from South Florida, but I didn't have a bit of trouble understanding her. If anything, she seemed a little shy and needed to raise her volume, but she didn't use any words or grammar I hadn't heard before.

[~tiny~]

Posted: 6/28/13 at 12:10am

She said more with her body language than a thousand lawyers together in one room. The disdain and the head rolling was truly unvarnished genius, making a fool of the defense lawyer/ No pretense here. If anything, she's totally no bull****, whatever your views of this case are. So refreshing - how the "pundits" were so careful about not calling her a functional illiterate. Maybe not schooled in shiny BS, but definitely not a dum dum. The atty repeating "creepy ass cracka" in a high falutin' vocal style...truly hilarious. Like Piers Morgan asking what a "creepy ass cracka" is??? Now who's being pretentious? Oy....

[javero]

Posted: 6/28/13 at 8:00am

"She said more with her body language than a thousand lawyers together in one room."

I finally caught up with the trial coverage, unfortunately. Bless her heart, Ms Jeantel is clearly out of her element but has held up reasonably well given the circumstances. Giving court testimony is intimidating for even the most erudite among us.

I read on another board that Rachel Jeantel is trilingual so perhaps English is not her first language. She could use a bit of an attitude adjustment nevertheless.

As a person of color with multiple college degrees I've resigned myself to rocking the ghetto patois whenever necessary (mainly with family/childhood friends) and speaking forms of the English & Spanish languages that are widely understood outside my clique. Sadly, Rachel Jeantel doesn't have the tools yet to avoid being a walking-talking-sitting racial stereotype that potentially undermines her credibility and the case against Zimmerman.

I'm anxious to see if a wrongful-death civil suit emerges after the criminal trial should Zimmerman not be convicted of murdering the Martin youth. If it plays out that way, I'm even more anxious to see if Gloria Allred will rush to represent Rachel in that proceeding. I don't sense that Rachel is someone that Gloria could work with though. As I understand it, if the damages sought exceed $75k, the civil case could move to the federal court system giving CA-licensed Allred an entry point.

[tazber]

Posted: 6/28/13 at 8:07am

The atty repeating "creepy ass cracka" in a high falutin' vocal style...truly hilarious.

Oh man I can not stand the defense atty. His supercilious tone and inherent disdain for the witness is the most racist thing in that courtroom.

[~tiny~]

Posted: 6/28/13 at 4:15pm

"The atty repeating "creepy ass cracka" in a high falutin' vocal style...truly hilarious.

Oh man I can not stand the defense atty. His supercilious tone and inherent disdain for the witness is the most racist thing in that courtroom. "
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