Ebonics

Ebonics Ebonics The English language is highly complex and ever-changing. Over the years, certain groups of Americans may develop a particular way of expressing themselves in English. For example, African Americans have created their own dialect called Ebonics. Ebonics has been evolving ever since the age of slavery when African Americans were first introduced into America. This vernacular has developed so much that some people argue that it is a language all in itself. Others say it is just a version of English slang. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, slang is defined as “the special vocabulary used by any set of persons of a low or disreputable character; language of a low and vulgar type; […] the cant or jargon of a certain class or period” (“Slang”). Many individuals would say that this definition qualifies as Ebonics. However, language is defined as “the words, their pronunciation, and the methods of combining them used and understood by a considerable community and established by long usage” (“Language”). This can be considered a definition of Ebonics as well. One cannot determine what Ebonics is simply based on these definitions, though. In fact, debates ebonics, english, language, african, black, americans, american, students, one, school, dialect, america, –, vernacular, speak, children, way, using, teachers, standard, own, classroom, time, think, learn, determine, created, young, whether, speech, society, should, people, oakland, much