Am I supposed to be able to understand Ebonics?

Question

I love black people, nothing against them. But I really can't understand some of them.

Answer 1

Ebonics is not only used by black people. At this point it has become a language used by a varety of races. At any rate, to aid in ur education and those of you who feel isloated by a langage you have no clue of, feel free to view the link listed below.

Answer 2

When I was in Chicago years ago, an African American was trying to give me directions but I couldn't understand him at all. He repeated himself several times and even slowed down his speech but I still could not understand. I am glad that the linguists now call it Ebonics instead of Black English because it really is it's own language. It has its own grammar rules and pronunciation and everything. I'll bet that Portuguese is closer to Spanish than Ebonics is to English. Perhaps I should buy some tapes or CD's so that next time I am around these people, I can communicate with them.

Answer 3

Ebonics, often called AAVE (African-American Vernacular English) is a dialect of English, just like Australian English, British Englishes, and so on. Your ability to understand another dialect of English will probably depend on your closeness to the culture who uses that dialect. For example, I'm an American, and I don't hear much Irish English, so sometimes when I hear Irish English it takes me a while before I can start to understand it. Chances are that you don't get much exposure to the dialect you are talking about so you don't understand it very well.

Answer 4

I think that's the whole point of ebonics.

I have friends at work who talk normally unless they are on the phone with their friends, and go into the ebonics thing, and then you can't understand a word they say.

It's like the Latinos who speak Spanish when they don't want the rest of us to know what they're saying.

I♥♫→mia☼☺†

Answer 5

I always wondered why people were so hung up on the mexican immigrants learning to speak English when most of the blacks here in Atlanta can't speak it either. Makes no sense to me cant understand a word of it, dont even try to understand it anymore, its not worth it. and how many times can you fit "you know what I'm sayin" into one conversation.

Answer 6

Ebonics is a dialect. If you don't understand what someone says, you can politely ask the person to repeat it.

Answer 7

Simply put......No

I began to write a long answer but I erased it.

Let me say this Blacks are not the only people who use "Ebonics".

Answer 8

you can't assume all black people speak the same way.


i wasn't raised to speak ebonics, i was raised to talk like a normal person.

yes, some black people do talk like that but I feel that they are being ignorant and don't want to sound educated.

i don't understand why people think all black people talk, dress and act the same way; undecuated and ignorant.

i don't listen to the rap music, i don't like it and most of its about booty, sex and drugs and those are things i don't want to hear about.

you aren't supposed to understand ebonics because its ignorance, and if you aren't ignorant, then why would you understand it?

Answer 9

You are supposed to understand English... you live in America.

Answer 10

Maybe if you had some black (or African american) friends, you wouldn't see such a difference. We need to embrace the differences of others to understand them.