I need some help

[Perry Winkle]

Originally Posted by Brianna

You don't have to be a Grammar Nazi to refuse to accept ebonics and txspk. Even I refuse those. When I meet or have to deal with people who talk the "shit" lingo if I don't understand them, I just say: "I totally did not understand anything you said." and leave it to them to attempt English.

Language's function is to convey ideas verbally. If you can't understand someone that you need/want to communicate with then yes that is a "Bad Thing" but it doesn't make the language they speak "Bad" and your language "Superior".

When people cannot communicate and there is sufficient pressure to do so they form a pidgin (they meld their languages until they communicate sufficiently well for the intended purpose). If the members of these two(or more) languages are in contact continually for a generation or more then their offspring will pick up the pidgin and turn it in to a full fledged language.

My point being, simply, that language evolves and standing in the way of this process does nothing but make you appear ignorant. If folks want me to list some sources for my statements here I would be glad to provide you with stacks of references and historical anecdotes.

(Note: this isn't directed at Brianna in particular -- her post made a good jumping off point for my ranting)

[wolf]

It's a hobby.

[BrianR]

[Trilby]

RE: Ebonics.

The point is, if you speak ebonic be prepared to be discriminated against. If I owned a business and needed someone to answer the phone, I would want someone who spoke English. No "This be Brianna's House of Pleasure. Who you be and who you want?" NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I wouldn't vote for anyone who spoke like that, be friends with anyone who spoke like that, hire anyone who spoke like that or even TAKE SERIOUSLY anyone who spoke like that. Prejudiced white girl? No. I just don't like people who sound like uneducated dolts. That doesn't make me 'stupid'. You can say "he be, she be, we be, they be..." all you want. I'll form my impression of you accordingly.

[lookout123]

true dat.

[Perry Winkle]

Originally Posted by Brianna

RE: Ebonics.

The point is, if you speak ebonic be prepared to be discriminated against. If I owned a business and needed someone to answer the phone, I would want someone who spoke English. No "This be Brianna's House of Pleasure. Who you be and who you want?"

That makes sense. Who said you shouldn't hire the best person for the job?

Originally Posted by Brianna

I wouldn't
...
be friends with anyone who spoke like that, hire anyone who spoke like that or even TAKE SERIOUSLY anyone who spoke like that.

That's pretty fucking sad. What would you say if I said the same things about morbidly obese individuals?

Originally Posted by Brianna

Prejudiced white girl? No.

Then you proceed to contradict this assertion.

Originally Posted by Brianna

I just don't like people who sound like uneducated dolts.

So, someone speaking Ebonics in any situation is an uneducated dolt. Even someone who is highly educated but when they are communicating with their family and friends speaks Ebonics so as to be easily understood and accepted to the in-group?

Originally Posted by Brianna

I'll form my impression of you accordingly.

It seems that your impression is already formed.

I won't be responding to this thread anymore. One thing I've learned is that, along with Politics and Religion, Language is something you don't talk about in polite society.

[wolf]

Originally Posted by Brianna

"This be Brianna's House of Pleasure. Who you be and who you want?"

Actually, for that type of business, that could be quite appropriate. Having the phone answered with your slogan by your very own pimp daddy would give you a solid corporate identity.

It is often all in how it's said vs. what is said. I've attended conferences and seen PhDs who were born and raised in Brooklyn. Brilliant men, but they sound like cabbies, so you really have to listen more closely to the message to take them seriously.

[Trilby]

Originally Posted by wolf

Actually, for that type of business, that could be quite appropriate. Having the phone answered with your slogan by your very own pimp daddy would give you a solid corporate identity.

Mine would be a "Maison Derriere"--a nice place with no pimps, just a hooker with a heart of gold.

[SteveDallas]

Originally Posted by Brianna

This be Brianna's House of Pleasure.

What was that phone number again?

Originally Posted by Brianna

You're school friends might be a little more EDUCATED

I can't do it. I just can't.

[Trilby]

Originally Posted by SteveDallas

I can't do it. I just can't.

Right, Steve. "Your"---Grammar Nazi! I made a typo--a mistake. Wow. You never do when posting. You'RE a Grammar Nazi. I'll remember that.

And you'll NEVER get the number to Brianna's House of Pleasure, either! Ya wank.

[Trilby]

Quitter.

[lookout123]

Even someone who is highly educated but when they are communicating with their family and friends speaks Ebonics so as to be easily understood and accepted to the in-group?

someone who feels they need to intentionally mispronounce words and butcher grammar to fit in with those around them may need to rethink the people they allow to surround them.

[Perry Winkle]

Originally Posted by lookout123

someone who feels they need to intentionally mispronounce words and butcher grammar to fit in with those around them may need to rethink the people they allow to surround them.

To the people they are communicating with it's not mispronunciation nor bad grammer it's their group's dialect of English.

[Queen of the Ryche]

But if they claim to be "American" and speak "English" why can't they speak the same American English as the rest of us? I understand regional accents, and regional dialect when certain items exist in one area but not another (e.g. grits), but I don't agree with bastardization of language just to create your own special "dialect".

[lookout123]

To the people they are communicating with it's not mispronunciation nor bad grammer it's their group's dialect of English.

yes it is. it was an intentional choice to speak in that manner. we are not speaking about a group of immigrants that has entered the US and mixed their primary language and english (spanglish, creole). we are talking about people who chose to speak in a specific manner in order to stand out and mark their "differentness". this isn't a language that survived from the days of the slave trade and grew into what it is today. this way of speaking is highly connected and influenced by the hiphop culture.