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Ebonics
Ebonics
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African Americans have been known to speak with a certain type of slang for a number of years. The definition of slang is known as a type of language that consist of words and phrase that are typically known as informal. During the mid-1900’s the term Ebonics was coined from Ebony and is now known as the language of the African Diaspora. A common misconception of Ebonics is that it is broken or sloppy English, these are certainly not true. Ebonics is contributed to certain patterns and practices due to the native tongue of African Americans. During this past years Emmy awards, Viola Davis became the first African American women to receive an Emmy for being the first black woman to win an Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama. During her acceptances
As a result of many negative stereotypes associated with certain variations of English many students have adapted codeswitching. When this concept came up in the book it made me think about my own language. I realized that I code switch quite often between what is seen as Standard English and African American English or Ebonics. Usually with family or other friends that speak Ebonics I use that Ebonics to communicate, but when I am in school, in a
Since the 1930’s until now, studies show that about 64% of kids and teens have been using slang terms in their school work. It is amazing what some of them are. Slang is used all of the time by almost all people and has changed a lot over the past decades. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses a child’s perspective to show how slang has changed from the 1930’s until today.
Black Vernacular is “any of the nonstandard varieties of English spoken by African Americans. It is also called Black English, Black English vernacular.” In the “Black Vernacular” article, it states that “African- American dialects tend to drop the [t] from words like rest and soft. They likewise tend to drop the [r] in words like bird, four, door, and father.” In the novel, Janie said, “Ah wants things sweet wid mah marriage lak when you sit under a pear tree” (24).
In the essay if Black English Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me, What is? by James Baldwin and Mother Tongue by Amy Tan both shows idea of uses of slang and language in different context. In the essay if Black English Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me, What is? Baldwin states that how language has changed and evolved overtime, Baldwin describes how black English were used as white English, in civil rights movement where blacks were treated as slaves and the used slang language to communicate so that the whites won’t understand. This slang was taken from black language and now everyone uses to make the communication short. In the essay Mother Tongue Tan explains that how language could affect people from different culture. Tan states that how Asian students in America struggle in English. Tan also states that her mother is smart but she couldn’t communicate in English. Tan thinks that’s a big disadvantage for her mother and people coming from different countries cannot show their talent because of their weakness in communication.
Rickford, John R. "What Is Ebonics (African American English)." What Is Ebonics (African American English)? Linguistic Society of America, n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2014.
Most Americans hold strong feelings towards the term ‘Ebonics’; some adopt an attitude of condescension, while others are outright infuriated with the concept. To most, Ebonics has a very negative connotation; it implies lower-class, ignorance, and laziness. In some circles, slang and Ebonics are often used interchangeably. Some even believe that it is another language altogether, one that should be stamped out for good. It is seen as a bastardization of “proper” English. John R. Rickford’s article, Suite for Ebony and Phonics, argues that these ideas are false, and perpetuate harmful stereotypes about the community that holds
Have you ever taken offense when you saw someone dressed in traditional garments from your culture? In America, this happens quite often. Some people may not recognize it and some refuse to acknowledge that it even exists. Cultural appropriation is a situation in which a dominant culture steals aspects of a minority culture’s, such as hair, clothing styles, and music.
African American Slang has had many other names: Ebonics, Jive, Black English, and more. The Oxford English Dictionary defines slang (in reference to language) in three different ways: 1) the special vocabulary used by any set of persons of a low or disreputable character; language of a low and vulgar type 2) the special vocabulary or phraseology of a particular calling or profession; the cant or jargon of a certain class or period 3) language of a highly colloquial type, considered as below the level of standard educated speech, and consisting either of new words or of current words employed in some special sense. Whatever one’s perspective on slang, it is a natural and inevitable part of language. In this paper I will discuss examples of current slang being used that some people may not understand.
Black culture is the epitome of what defines America’s understanding of cool. It is difficult to define what it means to be cool without stating the influence or impact of the culture. The idea of cool developed as a social attitude implemented by black men during slavery which they used as a defense mechanism in order to cope with exploitation and injustice. It is now spread by hip hop culture which has integrated itself into mainstream society. As a result, black culture continues to play a vital role in America due to its innovative and creature nature.
Throughout American history there has always been some form of verbal acrobatics or jousting involving rhymes within the Afro-American community. Signifying, testifying, shining of the Titanic, the Dozens, school yard rhymes, prison ?jail house? rhymes and double Dutch jump rope rhymes, are some of the names and ways that various forms of raps have manifested. Modern day rap music finds its immediate roots in the toasting and dub talk over elements of reggae music (George, 1998)....
Being a resident of South Carolina, African-American Culture was chosen as part of the applied learning project for the Intercultural Nursing class, because African-Americans make up more than a quarter of this state’s population. According to the 2010 United States Census Bureau, the total population for South Carolina (S.C.) is 4,625,364, with 27.9% being of African-American descent. The purpose of this paper is to develop an understanding and sensitivity to issues and cultural variances or phenomena that are unique to the African-American Culture. Another goal is to identify nursing interventions that are important for the nurse to consider in caring for this population. These phenomena’s include variances in social organization, communication, space, perception of time, environmental control, and biological variations associated with the African-American culture. (Giger, 2013 and South Carolina minority, n.d.)
Women of the blues brought the black culture to a new chapter of recognition. They made blues as a popular music, and gave an opportunity to black culture to be accepted and also gave the people a chance to do something (a job) beyond the scope of plantation. They brought the blues to a performance stage and make it more universal so they can fit in not just to black listeners but also the white. Although on their first performance their blues were not considered as the real blues, because blues was considered to be man culture and in order to be able to sing the blues, a man should experience a journey mostly a bitter journey. Actually the women also experienced a journey and it was not a merely sweet and easy journey. Women had to sing from one club to another, from one city to another, they were live on the road. Living such life was not easy at all; women also had to deal with the dark side of an entertainment world.
Slang is one of the most interesting parts of any language. In America, every generation has its own slang. Merrium-Webster defines slang as words that are not considered part of the standard vocabulary of a language and that are used very informally in speech especially by a particular group of people (Merrium-Webster). American Standard English has many slang words and phrases that have developed over the last century.
The two cultures that Cady lived in is the African culture and the American culture. Cady lived in Africa for 12 years because her parents were research biologists, but Cady’s mom tenure with Northwestern University ran out. Hence, Cady moved back to the US and started attending normal high school. She was homeschooled for all of her life until she was a junior in high school. The two cultures are very different and impacted Cady differently. The African culture taught Cady values, and her morals as well. Since she was very young and lived in Africa giving to people who are in need and not taking things for granted. In the movie, it explains that Cady’s mom would give the children in different tribes in Africa a Kalteen bar to help them gain
What does slang mean? If you look in a dictionary you will find the meaning of "Slang" which is " very informal in vocabulary and idiom that is characteristically more metaphorical, playfull, elliptical, vivid, and ephemeral than ordinary language." Slang can be found in everywhere around the world because it is part of the colloquial language that people use everyday, the expressions that you use to communicate with others. Have you ever asked to your self if foreign people understand what you say when you use slang during your conversation or why we add these expressions to our vocabulary?