This is an interesting post from languagelog

[conuly]

On "proper Ebonics". If you're curious, I agree with the poster here. I hate the term Ebonics. It sounds so... ick.

Comments

[wodhaund.livejournal.com]

Yes, but English isn't a dialect of Latin (although, being not a linguist, I may be horrifically wrong on that one), but a language. Ebonics, however, is a dialect of English and not a language.

And, I was going to say something else, but have gotten distracted by Bob the Builder, and I think I feel my IQ dropping as we speak. (How many times can a 4 year old watch the same half-hour show before imploding? I don't know, but we MUST be getting close to the breaking point.)

[conuly]

But AAVE isn't a dialect of standard English, both AAVE and standard English (all Standard Englishes) are dialects of English.

It's like a clothing choice. There are many situations in which it is appropriate to wear a suit and tie, where other options are inappropriate. However, that doesn't mean that the only acceptable garment is a suit and tie. It would be absurd to claim that.

[wodhaund.livejournal.com]

Um... Proving that I'm not a linguist, what is AAVE exactly?

Oh, I'm certainly not saying "No one should be allowed to speak Ebonics or any other dialect", I would just prefer not to hear it, for the same reason I have avoided a strong Southern accent all my life - I personally think it makes the speaker sound somewhat ignorant.

So you're right, it really is an opinion thing.

....Can we fix it? Yes, we can! ..Arrrrrgh.

[conuly]

Did you read the link? AAVE = African American Vernacular English. Ebonics, though that's a stupid sounding name.

As for "it makes the speaker sound ignorant", well... Here's where I hush for fear of insulting thee.

[wodhaund.livejournal.com]

Right. I really should have put two and two together. Being surrounded by small children is killing my concentration.

*laugh* Fear not for insulting me. If you insult me at this point, especially given the previous, I think I deserve it. Alas.

[conuly]

*hugs*

I like you. I don't like ignorance of various linguistic thingies, but I've long since grown accustomed to that. So I am not going to insult you.

[wodhaund.livejournal.com]

Like I said, I'm no linguist. Someday, I'll get into it and really study, but as it stands now, I'm a writer geek and not a language geek.

Seriously, though, feel free to smack knowledge into me if you need to. I won't mind. *hugs*

[conuly]

I'm hardly an expert. This is just the one fact I've had drilled into me from several successive professors and textbooks.

[wodhaund.livejournal.com]

Still, you're far more expert than I.

I know a lot about some things, and only a little about others. In this case, I'm counting on you to smack sense into my head! ;o;

[conuly]

Yes, well, I feel I must give that disclaimer after the person who took my statement (on my lookup) that "prescriptivist linguistics is the tool of the oppressor" as completely serious, and said it was a "cop-out" for me to claim that I said that (mostly) in jest. Apparently, the fact that the sentence is sandwiched between claims that I rule the universe and that I hunt dragons wasn't a big enough clue....

[wodhaund.livejournal.com]

What?! You hunt dragons?! I'm reporting you to PETA, you animal hater!!!

*laugh*

Oh, look, I've gone off on a rabbit trail.

[conuly]

No. Dragons. Rabbits are those vicious beasts over there - *points vaguely up*

[wodhaund.livejournal.com]

We must fear the rabbits, for they are dangerous, and have sharp pointy teeth! *postures*