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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

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African-American Vernacular English / Ebonics

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  1. African-American Vernacular English / Ebonics Introduction to American English 24.11.2008 Saija Lehtonen Feifei Liu Annamaria Payer

  2. 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)

  3. 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)

  4. 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

  5. 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.

  6. 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

  7. 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.

  8. Ebonics – More than Language Ebonics, lying at the vortex of public education, linguistic aspect and nation- race 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.

  9. Grammar in a Nutshell • No present tense auxiliarity or linking verbs I am going =I going • Double negative and use of ain’tI ain’t got no money I ain’t drop the book NOTE: Modern French grammar uses double negative Je ne sais pasI don’t know (Old English used double negative)

  10. 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’

  11. 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, p53-86, 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

  12. References • Yule, George : The Study of Language • American Voices: How Dialects Differ from Coast to Coast (Edited by Walt Wolfram and Ben Ward)

  13. 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)

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