miguksaram
Master of Arts
Actually no...you have not defended African-American culture. Do not mix Ebonics and Urban culture with African-American culture. Many black people would and are insulted.
I used to manage a local rap group and was a promoter of house parties as well as a part owner of a night club. When I was in that culture speaking with the DJ's or performers, I spoke a certain way because it was acceptable and allowed people to feel more comfortable. When I would talk to other club owners or patrons, I would speak in a professional manner. It had nothing to do with being ashamed of who I was because I was both people.
If someone is ashamed to use Ebonics when they talk (or type as this case may be) in a public forum, then perhaps because they know the perception of ignorance surrounding that form of language. If I want to be taken seriously by my colleges, seniors and juniors, I am not going to be speaking in what most people would consider a low level form of communication.
Actually we do academic and scholarly work here as well as shoot the breeze. Perhaps you have not read through all the threads. I would recommend doing that.kh said:
I speak it...I'm white. So what? Perhaps you should step outside of the 'hood' and realize that the urban culture which spawned Ebonics has spread to the burbs and rural areas as well. I have told a black man to speak correctly. It was someone I know from the circuit who is from the inner-city and was wanting to know how to break into my line of work in software industry. I told him that he had to quit talking like a hood rat and practice speaking properly if he was to be taken seriously in an interview. I explained to him like I am trying to explain to you now, that there is a time and place for street slang....hmmmm...nope..no punch in the face.
First of all...thank you that was actually a well thought out counter point, which made me look a bit deeper into this. With that said, my point was not about the English being or not being a language, but the fact that there are grammatical rules that are in effect that does make something proper as opposed to slang. It is a popular belief or more to the fact that it is a popular defense that Ebonics is based in African language structure. While one could say that you could also say that it is based in Asian language structure since, there is no "to be" type structure like you pointed out. The best theory I have read on this is that you can trace it back to the slave era in the southern states where they developed a language in order to communicate with each other and the slave owners. This a theory at best. They were calling it the language of the slaves. Again, a language that was based in ignorance of the proper gramatical English use. You see this in many foreigners trying to learn English for the first time. Again this does not make them stupid, it just makes them ignorant of grammar. Don't confuse the two.
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