just. plain. STUPID.

[Ted Striker]

Re: Re: just. plain. STUPID.

Originally posted by St Leo

SANKOFAI? SANKOFAI?

WTF?

Another EVIL FINN secret plan.


In other news, I've already applied to be a muthafukin tranzalationator, BIZNITCHES.

[Bill3000]

Even if it isn't slang, it's a dialect, not an entire language. A foreign language is, by definition, something that one cannot understand without translation.

[Boris Godunov]

This iz assuredly one o' da most ridiculous things o' which I've heard. I vehemently protest! slap mah fro!

[JimmyCracksCorn]

How is this different from the patois variants which have gained acceptance in the literature and speech of the Caribbean or Africa?

I say embrace it Why should they be held hostage to our prejudices to their vernacular?

[Boris Godunov]

Because speaking English properly is ultimately better for their futures?

[JimmyCracksCorn]

Originally posted by Boris Godunov
Because speaking English properly is ultimately better for their futures?

Whose fault is that, though?

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by JimmyCracksCorn
Whose fault is that, though?

Does it matter?

[JimmyCracksCorn]

Originally posted by Boris Godunov


Does it matter?

Yes.

Here's a good related article:

http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Literacy/jamaica.asp

[JimmyCracksCorn]

But I know what you mean, Boris. Your argument is that it is how it is, so its in their best interest to conform. I agree with you, but I'm also arguing that this is not ideal. Ideally their variant of English should be allowed to flourish and gain acceptance from "standard" speakers.

Oh, and if you think Ebonics is just gangsta talk, you're very wrong.

[JimmyCracksCorn]

Would you want this language and culture to die out?

[Theben]

People can talk however they want; not my concern. However the public school system is supposed to be educating young people in order for them to get good jobs in addition to a well-rounding of knowledge. Why teach something that will HURT their chances of getting a job? Which it will.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Originally posted by JimmyCracksCorn
But I know what you mean, Boris. Your argument is that it is how it is, so its in their best interest to conform. I agree with you, but I'm also arguing that this is not ideal. Ideally their variant of English should be allowed to flourish and gain acceptance from "standard" speakers.

Oh, and if you think Ebonics is just gangsta talk, you're very wrong.

This isn't even Spanish, let alone Jamaican patois -- this isn't something spoken by a majority of the nation's citizens, or even by a sizeable minority. It's something spoken by a small and largely disadvantaged group within American society, and as such it's simply not an alternative to English. In fact, to educate children in the way proposed won't empower them, but marginalize them -- ghettoize them, figuratively and literally.

[JimmyCracksCorn]

Originally posted by Rufus T. Firefly


This isn't even Spanish, let alone Jamaican patois -- this isn't something spoken by a majority of the nation's citizens, or even by a sizeable minority. It's something spoken by a small and largely disadvantaged group within American society, and as such it's simply not an alternative to English. In fact, to educate children in the way proposed won't empower them, but marginalize them -- ghettoize them, figuratively and literally.

Good plan. Because trying to convert them to standard speech for the past 150+ years hasn't ghettoized or marginalized them either.

I say its time for new thinking and a new plan.

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by JimmyCracksCorn
Yes.

Here's a good related article:

http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Literacy/jamaica.asp

I don't see that as being particularly relevant to American society, wherein the overwhelming predominance is towards English.

Ideally their variant of English should be allowed to flourish and gain acceptance from "standard" speakers.

Why? Their "variant" is spoken within an extremely small minority. It's much more likely that English speakers in the U.S. should be expected to learn Spanish than this Ebonics nonsense.

The simple fact is that "professional" discourse is standard English, and that's the way it's going to be for the indeterminate future. Coddling black youth with immersion in "ebonics" will only harm them in terms of preventing them from being able to get decent jobs, since they won't be able to speak proper English.

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by Theben
People can talk however they want; not my concern. However the public school system is supposed to be educating young people in order for them to get good jobs in addition to a well-rounding of knowledge. Why teach something that will HURT their chances of getting a job? Which it will.

QFT