Re: Ebonics

[Della Stein <Della_Stein -at- INS -dot- COM>]

We have enough division (racial and otherwise) in our society without
adding the likes of this.

The motivation behind ebonics is educational improvements in the African American community. Sometimes non-traditional methods are needed to motivate children to learn. Ebonics may work as a motivator. It is part of the African American culture. However, I think "ebonics" should be a history lesson. It's great to know where you (or your community) has come from. It's also good to know when to move ahead.

Is this the proper forum for this topic? probably not.

Della

At 10:13 AM 12/20/96 EST, Tim Altom wrote:
>At 07:48 AM 12/20/96 -0600, you wrote:
>>Has anyone been following the news recently
>>about the stir "Ebonics" has caused?  Seems
>>some left-wingers in California want to recognize
>>what many right-wingers call "bad English" as
>>an official language or dialect, called Ebonics.
>>Since Ebonics seems to be spoken primarily
>>by middle-to-lower class Blacks, the stir has
>>taken a partially-racial bent.
>>
>>Does this notion, Ebonics, seem legitimate
>>to you guys?  Since we're all TechCommies,
>>I think we'd have a unique viewpoint on this.
>>
>>Think they'll ever advertise for Tech Writers
>>fluent in Ebonics?  LOL
>>
>>Doug
>>dsbailey -at- ingr -dot- com

>Oh my God. Come the revolution, we'll push all the language purists into a
>tower of dictionaries and light the whole stack.

>Hey, I'm willing to see some changes. I'm fluent in several dialects of
>Technogeek, along with a few variants of nerd and whirlycap. I'd even test
>out well in compupidgin. I learned to swear like an drunken sailor when I
>worked in factories. What would the namers call that?

>I love the western viewpoint on things, that if you name something you can
>not only legitimize it, but you instantly understand it. It's why I'm in
>business. Ebonics. Sheesh. My unique viewpoint is that while I might slip
>into the dialect when I'm talking, I'll continue to write in something with
>a handshake relationship to the King's Old English.

>I will say, though, that I'm tempted to learn Klingon just so I can write an
>entire starship manual in it. Talk about a novelty at the conference.

>Tim Altom
>Vice President, Simply Written, Inc.
>317.899.5882 (voice) 317.899.5987 (fax)
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