Ebonics: characteristics, history, and linguistic perspectives

Sociology

Ebonics

Ebonics came to public attention in 1996 when the Oakland CA school district allowed teachers to use this form of street slang in the classroom as a tool to reach students. This form of language is usually used by African-Americans as a street dialect. In fact, people who have studied it believe it evolved from black African slave language and Irish slang, among other influences (Stix, 2002, p. 45). Many educators and experts have supported the use of Ebonics in the classroom, but at least one study shows that "children taught using Ebonics readers did worse than their peers who were taught with standard English readers" (Stix, 2002, p. 45). Therefore, educating black children in the language of the streets does not seem to prepare them academically or personally for the challenges they will face as they attempt to gain more education. It may not prepare them for expressing themselves in business and professional situations as well.

One word often used in Eubonics is "untogether," which means the person was not "cool" or "together." Another is "Sister," or "Brother" (or Sistah or Brotha) which is used to mean another black person on the street. Most of the Ebonics I have heard is on television or in reading articles about it.