Ebonics, is it a racial slur? (America, point of view)

[Rex]

I was in a minor debate with someone who called ebonics a racial slur, and said it was defined in the dictionary as "black english" .

Well isn't that what it is? And isn't it the blacks who came up with it? How is this a racial slur?

[Druidus]

Ebonics is not a word, in actuality, but both ebon and ebony are.

Ebon:

eb·on
adj.

1. Made of ebony.
2. Black in color.

Ebony:

eb·on·y
n. pl. eb·on·ies

1. Any of various tropical Asian or African trees of the genus Diospyros.
2. The wood of such a tree, especially the hard black heartwood of E. ebenum or certain other species, used in cabinetwork and inlaying and for piano keys.
3. The hard dark wood of various other trees.
4. The color black; ebon.

adj.

1. Made of or suggesting ebony.
2. Black in color.

While I wouldn't consider it a racial slur, some people in Nova Scotia believe Negroid is a racial slur.

[jewscout]

well i wouldn't call it "black english", i'd say it's one of many dialects of english...
i mean blacks in the inner city speak a different kind of english than those in, say, Greenbaugh, Alabama (love Forrest Gump!) or in New England, or in different parts of Canada, or the varying accents and ways in which the English speak as opposed to the entire US (i got a british guy at work and to hear him talk in slang is hilarious even though i have no idea what he is saying!)

But i don't think it should be called "black english", i mean white people in the inner city use ebonics too

[Engyo]

I would call it a racial stereotype. Slur is dependent upon your point of view. My (adopted) daughter (who is 7/8 black) has been dissed by her peers for "talking too white" upon occasion. That is just as much a slur as speaking "ebonically" is, wouldn't you say?

[Druidus]

Ahh, well, I seem to have embarrassed myself. I thought you were referring to black people, as a whole, being called "ebonics". I still don't think it is a racial slur. Merely a dialect.

[michel]

It is in the dictionary:-Main Entry: Ebon·ics
Pronunciation: E-'bä-niks, i-, e-
Function: noun plural but singular in construction
Etymology: blend of ebony and phonics

"African-American vernacular English," 1975, as title of a book by R.L. Williams, a blend of ebony and phonics
I can't see it as a slur - there are plenty of web-sites run by Afro-Americans who will actually translate English into 'ebonics' as they themselves call it.

[CaptainXeroid]

If memory serves, ebonics was created as part of political correctness. The goal was to make 'street slang' a 'legitimate' dialect so people would not refer to it as 'substandard', which was the prefered description by language experts of any kind of slang.

Personally, I think it has become a racial slur and is highly insulting because it implies that inner city youths are not capable of learning and speaking proper English. I think what is more important than politically correct labels is teaching kids when it's appropriate to use slang and when it's not.

When I send my wife a text message, I say things like CUL8R for See you later, but I would never close a business e-mail like that. I believe that people can and should learn when to speak and write in the appropriate manner, and that the 'ebonics' label is unnecessary.

[Druidus]

That raises further questions, Cpt. For instance, what is "proper" English? Wouldn't the English know it best? Then why is it that there is an American English dialect?

Why is colour spelled "color"? Why are words pronounced differently?

"Proper" English does not exist.

[CaptainXeroid]

Originally Posted by Druidus

..."Proper" English does not exist.

Actually, yes it does. You appear to be confusing regional dialects and accents with proper English and correct grammar. If you have a chap from Boston, MA and one from Savannah, GA say the following sentence, it's highly probable they will sound different, but both be proper:

Please park the dark colored car in the lot.

Here's the Wikipedia entry for you to read about 'slang' on the way to your next English class.

[michel]

Originally Posted by Druidus

That raises further questions, Cpt. For instance, what is "proper" English? Wouldn't the English know it best? Then why is it that there is an American English dialect?

Why is colour spelled "color"? Why are words pronounced differently?

"Proper" English does not exist.

My Mother (Who was a 'proper' cockney- ie born within the sound of bow bells) always said that the proper 'English' was spoken by the cockneys - not out of any form of 'patriotism' (wrong word, but you can see what I mean) _ but because of the way the Australian accent developed - with a great 'chunk' of cockney about it.ie the prisoners (Thieves, murderers) deported from England and sent to Australia to colonise that country retained the 'cockney' 'twang' - ie the sort of English that you hear on BBC news 24 is a sort of 'snobbish' English - thought to be good, because it has no accent.

Why indeed are words spelt differently ? - don't aslk me - they sound Identical. But don't forget that languages are 'living' - they adapt over time, to take on new vocabulary as time marches on.

Not only that, but grammatical rules deteriorate because of common usage -
Example :- bob's car (the 's meaning belonging to Bob) ;James's cars is correct, but so is James' cars. Many flower's is not the plural of flower - and yet we are seeing a complete lack of understanding of where to use an apostrophe in English.

'I could have done it' - said quickly sounds much the same as I could of done it (which is grammatical nonsense) - and yet, more and more people are Writing 'I could of done it' - because they were never taught - or forgot - the grammatical rules. Languages are strange, but fun.