Blog #3

          After reading The African Character of African American Language in Africanisms and viewing multiple videos on Ebonics, there were strong points made to either oppose or support the African American Language (AAL).   The main argument is to decide whether our language is a dialect or just poor English. Dialect is a unique social variety of a language that is preferable amongst a certain group and may bring a personable connection. Poor English, on the other hand, is merely stating that the Standard American Language was not used in the proper way. Majority of the time poor English is a correlation to lack of education.

            The opposing side argues that our languages have not derived from Africa but from uneducated ancestry that was passed from generation to generation. Words have been taken from Standard American English and been slaughtered by changing definitions (“bad” meaning “good”) and pronunciation (“mo” instead of “more”). Many well educated African Americans agree upon the existing of a different language should not be acceptable. They also point out that the study of Ebonics is way to pacify and give reasoning to why African Americans speak poor English. The terms we used is considered a “dummy-down” version of the Standard American English. As it may be socially acceptable, it is hindering African Americans.

The supportive side stresses that Ebonics is a way we communicate with each other on a personable level. As Dr. Garrard McClendon said the choice of words we use may have much meaning than the average way of stating it. Contrast to the opposing side, there has been research supporting that the African American Language style has derived from West and Central Africa. The languages amongst the two are not completely identical but the pattern has been influential. (p407-414)

My view on the argument is that every race has its own way communicating with each other which is considered dialect. For African Americans, it is called Ebonics. Whether it is text slang (“lol” meaning laugh out loud) or a name you refer someone as (“dude” a term addressed to a male), it is all non-Standard American English. When a group of peers, particularly young, are socializing with each other they tend to add or subtract from what is written in the infamous Webster Dictionary. The problem that surfaces for African Americans is that we have to determine whether we talk a certain way because we are around our peers or we are not properly educated. There is a difference between using certain words and not being able to form a sentence. Ebonics is not an excuse to justify informal conversations; it is language that we established as unique. On that note, we have to understand that if someone approaches you while using almost every sentence and word in improper an improper fashion, that should not be considered African American Language. Personally, I do not believe we should associate our race with a negative way of articulation. When we are able to speak and understand Ebonics around peers and Standard American English outside of our environment that is when our language is labeled a cultural identity.