2006-12-16 14:09:04 · 10 answers · asked by Mississippi River 3 in Education & Reference ➔ Primary & Secondary Education
Unlike what some other posters have stated, Ebonics is considered a dialect of English. That is because it has its own syntactic structure, word choice, congregation and pronunciation. It if far more complicated than simply laziness, slang or poor grammar. I ran a quick search and couldn’t find any Ebonics classes, so my guess would be that if you want to understand it better you will need to take linguistic classes.
As a person who teaches children from many backgrounds and home languages, I ask you to do two things…
One- Use Ebonics to bridge their gap towards Standard English. Don’t teach only in Ebonics since they need to learn standard English if choose a middle class profession when they get older.
Two- Don’t tell them that Ebonics is wrong. It is a non-standard form of English. Telling them that the way that their family and friends speak is wrong or lazy will not make them want to learn. Instead explain to them that Standard English is spoken in the work place and you are going to help them learn standard English so that if they choose a middle class profession, such as a scientist or a doctor, they will be able to excel in that area. I often make the analogy to clothes. I tell my students that at home I usually wear old faded sweats, and when I go to a wedding I wear a fancy evening gown, but that attire is not considered appropriate for the classroom. If I would wear either to an interview, I would not get hired. The same goes for language. You may speak however you wish with your friends and family, but in the workforce you need to use Standard English.
2006-12-16 15:19:37 · answer #1 · answered by Lysa 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i believe you can at the college level in some courses perhaps in an anthro and even get credit, perhaps on a paper. It has been researched before though. I personally believe the way black people speak IS like another language in the way they have a different way of wording, at times it is more beautiful and much more efficent than '"proper"or "correct" american grammar or english, instead of asking "why did you do that?" it would be "why you did that?" its a much more concise and to the point language. and quite pretty too i think. I hear it as a beautiful combined corruption of American African and Carribean languages, and it is much more than hip hop rap slang... "dog"
2006-12-16 22:22:24 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why would you want to?
Dian Fossey I think was doing research into that field though, back in the 70s and 80s.
2006-12-16 22:48:30 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
if its on your own time sure.
but if its in school, i highly doubt it, ebonics is slang and in school they want you to speak , well, not in slang. They only have the main languages. SORRY
2006-12-16 22:11:49 · answer #4 · answered by 22angelbaby22 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
no, its not really a second language, at most it barely counts as a different dialect, i recommend spanish, mandarin, or ham sandwich
2006-12-16 22:20:53 · answer #5 · answered by Joe 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
go for it but I dont think schools count that as a language...but for your own personal knowledge....its up to you
2006-12-16 22:12:00 · answer #6 · answered by Candy Mamii 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no because they don't have a course in slang language
2006-12-16 23:08:36 · answer #7 · answered by roy40372 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not likely.
2006-12-16 22:35:15 · answer #8 · answered by ivy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
only if you are lucky...
2006-12-16 22:11:46 · answer #9 · answered by Katherine A 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wut? Why you wana be gittin down wit dat, dawg?
2006-12-16 22:17:18 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋