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"Ebonics" and "Albonics" ( Now, in 2006, we have "Ebono-albonics". )
This opinion-piece was written in response to an editorial in the Tuscaloosa News,Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Minor changes and additions have been incorporated into this Internet version. In the Tuscaloosa News (12-22-96), the editorial-page-editor presented an interesting editorial about "Black English", euphemistically referred to as "Ebonics" ("Ebony" -- black; plus "phonics"). (Da edita done a pritty-good job, but I seen a buncha stuff dat wuz lef' out.) Recent news stories report that the Oakland, California School Board has unanimously approved "Black English" as an alternative "second-language" for students in the public schools. Presumably, federal funding will now be sought to pay for this additional instructional burden on the Oakland teachers. (One would suspect that the grammatical rules of "Black English" have not yet been agreed-upon, and published.) The Tuscaloosa News editorial failed to mention "Albonics" (Latin albus, "white"; plus "phonics"), which is my coined-word for today's U.S. version of "White English" (not to be confused with "The King's English"). Furthermore, it must be emphasized here that there is a seldom-mentioned derivative of "Albonics", which I shall refer to as "Southern Albonics" (to avoid using the term "Redneck Albonics", or "Plowboy English"). As the reader will quickly discern, I am a self-designated bilingual "authority" in both Albonics and Ebonics -- as I was born-and-bred in "The Deep South", and "grew-up" in the red-clay sections of Alabama and Georgia -- with both "black" and "white" playmates and friends (indiscriminately). I learned "Primitive English" -- a mixture of Ebonics and Southern Albonics, from my companions and their families. Only later, after 12 laborious years of repetitious and forceful hammering of "Real English" -- into my brain.... by devoted, diligent, knowledgeable (and "mean") public-school teachers.... did I ever "shake" many of the bad habits of Southern Albonics, and Ebonics. (Add five years of Latin, to my "training" [grades 8 through 12].... for learning and understanding and writing and speaking "correct English".) I must say this.... I have still never mastered "Yankee-Talk", especially the Brooklyn variety (which I am not certain should be called "English"); and I do not currently plan to abandon my "sophisticated" linguistic achievements -- to adopt "Yankee-lingo". There are yet other derivatives of "Albonics", which can be referred to, loosely, as "Radio, TV, and Movie English". And, don't forget the "foreign" and vulgar "English" that we are exposed to in "Rap-Music" and "Hip-Hop" -- sometimes heard even on Albonics-speaking radio programs, and TV shows. Here's my question: Whatever happened to "real" English. What happened to the teaching and learning of participial phrases, and principal parts of a verb; and "conjugation" of verbs; and "diagramming" of sentences, and "parsing" of a word or phrase? Whatever happened to the understanding of gerunds, and gerundives -- and infinitives, and subjunctives; and "transitive" and "intransitive" verbs? Who is being taught that clauses and phrases can be "subjects" and "objects" of verbs ("noun clauses"; "noun phrases")? Who is being required to learn nominatives, and objectives, and possessives -- and to understand prepositions, and objects of prepositions? Do today's students understand the absolutely essential importance of "English" -- and have teachers informed their students that "English" includes not just grammar, and sentence-structure,... but also vocabulary, and etymology, and orthography (spelling), and orthoepy (pronunciation), and reading, and English composition? No American can master any method of communication.... except the "language of the street" -- without comprehending and utilizing all of these proper elements of "English". (Furthermore, "English" is not just "rules" of written composition. English is also the correct and understandable use of words in "speech".... and in speaking. "English" includes the proper pronunciation, enunciation, clarity,... and "delivery" of spoken words.) If you have any thought (or hope) of becoming a "writer", or a public-speaker.... an author, a journalist, a "reporter", an essayist, a politician, a motivational speaker, a debater, a classroom teacher.... you'd better master "real English" for your presentations.... OR, you'll have to locate and hire a "ghost-writer" to compose for you -- and to prepare your verbal remarks, and your speeches. Like it or not.... if you expect to be "heard".... and if you expect to succeed -- you'd better articulate your thoughts clearly.... and accurately, and correctly.... in both English composition, and in speaking. English is the world's language. No one who is unskilled in "real English" can expect ever to "climb the ladder-of-success". The world will seldom see a successful manager or highly-paid executive who is unable to communicate his ideas and instructions -- either in speech, or in writing -- with correct English grammar, sentence-structure, and "syntax". My conclusion is this: Success in the learning of any subject depends on the combination of good teachers, paired with attentive and teachable students. If a teacher understands only the rudiments of a subject, how can that teacher convey sophisticated concepts? How can talented and receptive students enhance their skills, if they are seldom exposed to "advanced" knowledge? Contrariwise, if a student is intellectually or socially incapable of progressive learning, then the skill of a superior teacher will be wasted, or grievously ineffective. Could it be that we now have, in many public schools (even in California), a mixture of talented teachers, side-by-side with inadequate teachers.... attempting to impart much-needed sophisticated information unto a cross-section of students.... many of whom are ill-prepared, or unresponsive, or incapable of advanced learning? (See link The Intellectual Capacity Line.) To summarize.... it is obvious, today, that "The King's English" is not being taught and spoken and learned.... as it must be. It should be understood that "English" is THE stepping-stone without which NO diligent and ambitious individual can succeed. "Der ain't no shawt-cuts". Addendum, 1/22/06.... Now, in the U.S., we have the
widespread use of "Ebono-albonics" in
our verbal communication. |