African-American Vernacular English / Ebonics
Download
Report
Transcript African-American Vernacular English / Ebonics
African-American
Vernacular English /
Ebonics
Introduction to American English
24.11.2008
Saija Lehtonen
Feifei Liu
Annamaria Payer
Short History of Black English
Ebonics, AAVE, Black English
Definitions: ebony + phonics =>> dialect of
SAE
Dialect: subgroup of a language, which
differs in vocabulary, pronunciation and
grammar
Roots: West- Africa, Niger-Congo=>>
developed in European colonies (South)
Short History of Black English
Different native language speakers =>>”safest
way to trade” (slave ship captain, 1744)
Early slave trade- no language mixing
The birth of Pidgin English
The next stage: English Creole
1715- African Pidgin English (Negro Pidgin); clear
Black characteristics
1750- complicated variations in the English of
Afro-American population (due to social factors)
Short History of Black English
Identity- built on African foundations (values and
benefits)
speaking- African words
food- integrated in the national cuisine
music- traditional melodies and complex African
rhythms
Remember
and teach their cultural ideal and
entertainment
Ebonics – More Than a
Language
Ebonics -- a term referring to a dialect of
English (African American Vernacular
English)
Ebonics -- a complex product of historical,
environmental and racial factors.
The main issue over Ebonics is not
language, but perspective.
Ebonics – More Than a
Language
Linguistic Perspective -As a tool for communication, all languages
and dialects are equal.
Social Perspective -Ebonics lower, informal, useless in
upper and formal situations
People speak Ebonics low-educated,
less-skilled
Ebonics – More than Language
Public Education for Ebonics-speaking People ---Many students fail in school with unfamiliar Standard
English as the primary language
1996, Oakland California School asserted Ebonics as
the primary language of Black students.
Bringing the term Ebonics to public, and heated
discussion
Linguistic Perspective -- Speakers of other varieties can
be aided in their learning of the standard variety by
pedagogical approaches, which recognize the
legitimacy of other varieties of a language.
Use of Ebonics is linguistically and pedagogically
sound
Social Perspective – Students unable to speak standard
English have a negative influence to their career,
social network etc.
Ebonics – More than Language
Ebonics, lying at the vortex of public
education, linguistic aspect and nationrace relation, is being treated more and
more equally regardless of racial prejudice.
Increasingly being encountered in
literature, television and filmed drama, etc.
It is only 45 years since Martin Luther King
delivered the message ‘I have a dream’,
until Barack Obama was selected as the
first Black president of the U.S.A.
Grammar in a Nutshell
No present tense auxiliarity or linking verbs
I am going = I going
Double negative and use of ain’t
I ain’t got no money I ain’t drop the book
NOTE: Modern French grammar uses
double negative Je ne sais pas
I don’t know (Old English used double
negative)
Grammar in a Nutshell
No suffix –s (plural, genetive, 3rd person
singular) My brother book
Phonological inversion
aks
NOTE: Middle English verb acsian
no post-vocalic -r
car = ca’
Reduction of consonant clusters in word
endings cold = col’
References
Ebonics: African American Vernacular
English.Preview By: Coppus, Sally A..
Research Starters Education: Ebonics:
African American Vernacular English, 2008,
p1-1, 12p; (AN 31962587)
A Sketch of the History of Black
English.Preview By: Dillard, J. L.. Southern
Quarterly, Winter2008, Vol. 45 Issue 2, p5386, 34p; (AN 31480095)
Baugh, John; Beyond Ebonics- Linguistic
pride and racial prejudice
Horton, James Oliver; In hope of liberty,
culture community and protest among
northern free Blacks
References
Yule, George : The Study of Language
American Voices: How Dialects Differ from
Coast to Coast (Edited by Walt Wolfram and
Ben Ward)
Ebonics vs Standard English
http://www.bizbag.com/Misc%20articles/Rap
%20Lyrics%20Translated.htm (Lyrics)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHDRkO_
UmXY (video)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_KKLkmIrDk
(Fox News- video: ax or ask)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0ucW41HqVA
&feature=related (Garrard McClendon)