Why can't most african-americans speak proper english?

Question

Most Asians, middle easterners, Europeans, and other various ethnic americans I know speak fine as long as they were born here. So whats up with blacks?
And no, this is not meant to be a racist question. I just don't understand it.

Answer 1

Ever met someone from the South? Ever talked to a 13 year old, of any race? Ever seen the writing of a 13 year old, of any race?

Yeah. We all speak english "incorrectly". It's just a matter of which style of incorrectness that we choose.

I don't know about you, but i also slaughter the english language when i speak. I just do it in a "New England" kind of way, rather than an "inner-city ebonics" kind of way.

Answer 2

Most ethnic groups actually speak English better than most of us.
Before they are allowed the change the become citizens they must know the language and our complete history.
Not even our own know how entire history.
And they may have accents. But traveling through American what state doesn't' have an accent!
And proper English - Even among the WHITES, slang is always present and grammar is very often off - like Ain't

Answer 3

Speaking like a black american sounds cool. White man talk is rather boring because it's too correct. Most africans from British Africa speak correct english, but at the same time they have so called broken english (incorrect english) which is spoken among themselves only, white man wouldn't understand. So this is something genetical or even cultural. Africans from the UK almost all speak perfect english, but that's because it's hard to resist british english.

Answer 4

Which African Americans are you speaking of? Watts residents, Georgia Blacks? Detroit folks?
Is the speech of Alabama conservatives, independent Maine residents, Texans, Kansans, Californians, Hawaiians?? improper because of regionalisms? Which region of the world is the center of 'proper English?' Do you speak like those in your community? Would a Liverpool resident think you spoke 'properly?'
General American speech is considered the way most Americans speak. The President sounds like a yokel. Is his speechifyingness improper?
There's educated speech and uneducated speech. There are pockets of the United States where people don't sound like you. If it suits them, comforts them, serves them. Then that's the way they speak.. Just ax anyone who lives there.

Answer 5

we don't anticipate foreign places blacks to talk perfect English, hell we can't communicate it. the significant rub is the Afro -American N*****, they make up words that don't relate to something, and after one hundred fifty years of non servitude they drop R from words like 4. i be responsive to English is the least complicated to spell in , English itself is a mixed language of French and German, some Spanish and different words we suitable.. yet a prostitute on each and each cut back of an intersection isn't a Fo Ho Co.

Answer 6

First of all, you cannot assume that all people in this country of African descent speak the same dialect of English. They don't. There is as much difference between so-called Black English in the South and in New York as there is in non-Black English in the South and in New York. Dialect choice is NOT based on race or ethnicity. It is based on region. There are distinctive features of the dialect of English spoken in urban areas largely populated by African-Americans just as there are distinctive features of the dialect of English spoken on Native American reservations. There is no question of "proper" English since there is no standard dialect of English. What there is are certain features that vary from region to region that one learns in order to "speak proper". This variety of English is NO ONE's native English, it is a learned pattern by everyone who uses it. And along with learning it, one learns the set of situations in which it is generally used. Within the Native American and urban African-American communities, there is social prestige for NOT using it in many circumstances, especially when dealing with others of the same ethnic group.

Answer 7

For the same reason ost Americans of any ethinicity doesn't. They pick up bad speaking habits with a lot of use of slang terms. Consider, taking someone to bed, dating, going together, all most refer to being sexually active with them.

Answer 8

Ebonics defines the need for black people to stand out in a White's men crowd...even when it might sound improper and grammatically incorrect it shows identity and originality .

Answer 9

I guess you haven't talked to a lot black people, because they speak proper English better than a lot white people. You really should get to know people before you start stereo-typing and generalizing a whole race. Seriously, don't say you're not trying to be racist and then ask a racist question, that's just stupid. You really suck, you give white people and bad name and you're just plain embarrassing to me.

Answer 10

It is not 'cool' to talk like whitey. Really, it seems to be an attitude issue.

I praise Bill Cosby for telling it like it is. Learn to speak properly and one will get genuine respect for accomplishment.

I work with a black man from South Africa. His English is perfect. His suit and tie are immaculate. He ought to be on the cover of Ebony instead of dirtbags like Dennis Rodman.