Emily Cashwell Speech Community Greek Life is a Speech Community that often brings up controversial views.

The news media, television, and past stories and rumors all have a large influence on the typical negative connotation of Sororities or Fraternities. Those who are both within and outside of the speech community have differing views on Greek Life. Even those who are inside of the speech community have altering views and opinions on Greek life and what goes on. Throughout my research of the speech community, my knowledge of what a speech community is and how it influences others grew. However, while studying Speech Communities, I began to question whether or not Speech Communities intend to be exclusive. From this inquiry project, I learned that speech communities are more than just the words, but how you can relate to them and what they mean to me. I can identify personally with my speech community, and I have real relationships with others in my speech community. Speech Communities reflect the knowledge of words, as well as their meaning to you. Hearing one phrase can mean something so important to me, yet not be important to someone outside of my speech community. Watching my fellow students videos made, as well as making my own video, made me realize how evident Speech Communities really are in our everyday life. There are so many times where I have had to stop and question what someone is talking about because it is outside of my speech community. Even when I learn the definition, I really cant seem to understand why it is so important to someone, because it doesnt have the same influence on me since I am not in that speech community. When I was making my own video, I staged it so that I was the member of the Greek Life Speech Community and my friend was not a member of the community. It was evident that she clearly had no idea what some of the terms and phrases meant. Even when I explained them, she just stated her opinion. She lacked a connection with the phrases because she is not a part of the speech community. As time passed while we were studying Speech Communities as a class, I realized how much my opinion of Greek Life and my involvement have changed since I joined a sorority. When I originally rushed, I knew that I wanted to be in a sorority, but I wasnt sure which one I wanted. Participating in formal recruitment was extremely nerve racking and stressful. Each night of recruitment had a different theme, which at first I did not understand what each night meant because I was not informed or aware of the phrase because I was not apart of the speech community. After joining one and looking back on my past recruitment experience, I can fully understand each night and I realize the impact and meaning they had to me during my recruitment process. There were many sororities that I felt very uncomfortable in and I was nervous that I would never feel included. A large portion of my opinions of each Sorority was based on the easiness of conversations. If I felt awkward or uncomfortable at some point of the night, I typically would move that Sorority to the bottom of my list. It reflects how much my community is based on speech because I would have never been interested in my Sorority if I had had an uncomfortable, forced conversation. When I finally found my sorority that made me feel at home, I immediately felt a love for Panhellenic and Greek Community. Now that I am in a sorority, I now have a second family and over a 100 women whom I can call my sisters. The love we have for each other is something that can only be understood by other Greek Life Speech Community members.

Throughout this project, I realized that even within the Greek Life Community, there are subcommunities that not every Greek will understand. Every Fraternity or Sorority has different phrases and secrets that they say or that represent them. In my sorority, Zeta Tau Alpha, a part of our Creed demonstrates speech communities and sub speech communities. To those within and without our circle, doesnt just include non-Greeks, but other sororities and fraternities as well. Just because someone is involved in Greek life doesnt mean that they will automatically know or care about what another sorority is talking about. Zeta Tau Alphas creed is extremely important to us and each line has a meaning that represents the sorority. Although other sororities or fraternities can read the creed, it wont have the same impact or meaning on them as it does us. Another example that shows the subcommunities within Greek Life Speech Community are the phrases and sayings we often say at times. In Zeta Tau Alpha, we often say ZLAM to each other which means Zeta Love and Mine. Many people do not know what the acronym means, and if they are aware of the definition, it lacks any meaning to them. This inquiry project really made me question if Speech Communities intend to be exclusive. While reading many articles and blogs of my fellow classmates who all had different Speech Communities, and discussing speech communities during class time, I came to a conclusion. Although speech communities are often exclusive, they are never intended to push people out and not include others. Of course every community has phrases or secrets that outsiders will not understand, but if someone has a passion or interest in the speech community, they can easily be a part of it someday. I think the speech community that helped me to understand this was Bretts video about race cars. It was evident how passionate he was in his speech community. If someone has an interest in racing but hasnt yet found the opportunity to become involved in it, they could easily learn and grow passionate about the speech community when given the opportunity. Another speech community that demonstrates that communities do not intend to be exclusive is Professor Wrays Parents Speech Community. Obviously you cannot be a part of this speech community unless you have children of your own because you will struggle to understand the ups and downs of it. No matter how much you love children, you will never understand what it is like to be a parent until you have your own. This project made me realize that Speech Communities are never meant to exclude others, it just takes time and passion and willingness to learn. Speech Communities mean something different to each person. The meaning inside of the speech community is something only members can understand, even though they are not intended to be exclusive. Each Speech Community is also divided up into sub-communities that could be based on your involvement or time within the community. There is no denying that speech communities are a prominent thing in everyday life and interactions and it impacts people in different ways.