Where did the word EBONICS come from....

[theHNIC]

Is it just another way to degrade BLACK people.

[Edited by gotmilk on 09-28-2000 at 11:33 AM]

[pennypinch]

Ebonics downgrades black people? Maybe they can be upgraded with more memory and maybe a better video card...
Ebonics has its etemology in the same root as ebony. What colour is ebony? Hmm, it's black.
Is Spanglish a term that DEGRADES Hispanic people?

[quest577]

and the ONICS is for phonics

[Nanotech9]

actually, if you speak spanglish, your either speaking really bad english or really bad spanish (yeah, I know, english is the culmination of many languages), and it's not a language. I know a lot of Mexicans (good friends) and they are trying to learn english better because they feel embarrased to speak poor english.

hey, if you want to slur your words and use improper grammer and lots of slang, fine with me. Just try not to tell me it's a new language...

(disclaimer: no offense intended to spanish, mexican, or black people - I have friends from all three "ethnic groups".)

PS. pleaz excuse my poor spelling and poor punctuation :D

[pennypinch]

Originally posted by Nanotech9
(disclaimer: no offense intended to spanish, mexican, or black people - I have friends from all three "ethnic groups".)
Why do people find it neccessary to qualify their statements with the above? Because you have black/hispanic friends, you can say offensive things about them (not to say Nanotech said anything offensive)? If I have a black friend, I can call for the rise of slavery, but it's ok, because I have a black friend?! Nutty...just a pet peeve of mine.

[Nanotech9]

i guess that could stand some explaining...

basiaclly, I TRY not to be racial/prejudiced (as stated in other threads, no matter how much we say were not racial, we still are, so I try to constantly be aware of that adn try my best to not be prejudiced (sp?))

now, some people can easily mistake my statements like using the term "black" instead of the PC term "African American" for being racial.

So, I feel that if I say "Hey, I've got nothing against blacks (or anyother race), in fact, I've even got black friends that don't mind me calling the black."

I guess I just don't want to sound racial in what I say/do.

[sbp]

I first heard the word ebonics associated with the Oakland board of education. The black members of that board cooked up some shameful scheme to have black English aka Ebonics labeled as a foreign language. That way they could get more money from the state of education. The bottom line its crap like this in the educational establishment that's holding back black youngsters.

[ArkiStan]

Originally posted by Nanotech9
i guess that could stand some explaining...

I guess I just don't want to sound racial in what I say/do.

Don't worry Nanotech. Everybody understands why you said so ...It's just that the phrase has been used so much nowadays by people trying to save their ass from racially tense situations. I think because of that sometimes it just seems the phrase ends up sounding meaningless and even patronizing.