Whassup? Ebonics as an Alternative Literacy in Learning American English Jorgelina Abbate-Vaughn University of Massachusetts Boston.

Whassup? Ebonics as an Alternative Literacy in Learning American English

Jorgelina Abbate-VaughnUniversity of Massachusetts Boston

31st Annual Conference of the Federación Argentina de

Asociaciones de Profesores de Inglés (FAAPI)

Rosario, ArgentinaSeptember 21-23, 2006

In this presentation we will…

expand the notion of foreign language teaching to include vernacular forms of a language whose use is widespread in a given country, utilizing the example of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) or Ebonics in the United States and its entrenched relationship with youth culture

we will examine a variety of cultural artifacts whose decoding demands a certain degree of proficiency in the vernacular form.

towards the end, we will segue into producing --verbally or in writing—a short interaction that makes use of the vernacular.

Teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL)

• British or American English

• Standard form: middle-class literacy:

- conversing amongst adults

- performing at a job interview

- applying and succeeding in higher education

- writing emails, academic papers

- conducting staff development seminars

What is Ebonics?• Ebonics: Ebony and phonics• Term coined in 1973 by Professor

Williams of Washington University, St Louis (also author of the book Ebonics: The True Language of Black Folks.

• Also known as AAVE (African American Vernacular English) and BEV (Black English Vernacular)

• Has similarities with various West African languages

Dialect and standardDialect: “A variety of language, spoken in one part of a country

(regional dialect), or by people belonging to a particular social class (social dialect or sociolect), which is different in some words, grammar, and/or pronunciation from other forms of the same language. A dialect is often associated with a particular accent. Sometimes a dialect gains status and becomes the standard variety of a country”.

Standard English / Standard / Standard Dialect: “The variety of a language which has the highest status in a community or nation and which is usually based on the speech and writing of educated native speakers of the language. A standard variety is generally: 1. Used in the news media and literature; 2. Described in dictionaries and grammars; 3. Taught in schools and taught to non-native speakers when they learn the language as a foreign language.

Dialects and standard forms

For comparison purposes, think of the status of Castilian as a dialect of Vulgar Latin (the form of Latin brought in by the conqueror Roman soldiers) from the 9th to the 15th centuries. Castilian became a standard language with the merging of the kingdoms of Castilla, León, and Aragón in the late part of the 15th century, leaving much of the remaining languages--those of Navarra, Santander, Aragón, León, Asturias, and Galicia--to their own survival in rural areas.

Identifying word meaning (without context) is tricky business

The words 'crazy', 'insane', 'psychotic', and 'psycho', in most dictionaries which present common usage, are all given substantially the same meanings, frequently referring to each other. And, this is true... for common usage.

But if you are reading or speaking with someone whom you do not know: 'crazy' is a jazz term meaning exciting, 'insane' is a legal term meaning incapable of distinguishing between right and wrong, 'psychotic' is a psychological term meaning that the patient's emotional and cognitive functions appear to have little or no causal relationship with the world around him, and 'psycho' is a term for a paying customer who expects specific sexual favors from prostitutes.

• Certainly, a command of Ebonics, or at least an awareness of the contexts in which it is used might enable an EFL speaker to know that being called “phat” (pronounce like the adjective fat) is not a pejorative comment about one’s figure but a compliment about something one may have done that was worthwhile, good, or exciting.

• In standard American English nonetheless, fat means fat, although Americans rarely refer to anyone’s physical features (let alone nicknaming friends or colleagues after their most prominent physical characteristics).

Phonological features of Ebonics

Pronunciation of the voiceless dental fricative [θ] (as in SE thing) and voiced dental fricative [ð] (as in SE then) depending on position in a word. Word-initially, they become alveolar stops [t] and [d] and elsewhere they become labiodental fricatives [f] and [v].

Examples: then [ðɛn] is pronounced den [dɛn], smooth [smuːð] is pronounced smoov [smuːv], thin [θɪn] is pronounced tin [tɪn], and tooth [tuːθ] is pronounced toof [tuːf]. This contrasts with West African-based English creoles and pidgins where [d] instead of the SE "th" occurs regardless of placement, e.g., "brudda" for "brother."

Phonological features of Ebonics…

Realization of final ng [ŋ], the velar nasal, as the alveolar nasal [n] in function morphemes and content morphemes with two syllables like -ing, e.g. "tripping" as "trippin". This change does not occur in one-syllable content morphemes, that is sing is sing [sɪŋ] and not sin [sɪn], but singing is singin [sɪŋɪn] wedding can be weddin [wɛdɪn], morning is often mornin [mɔɹnɪn], something is somefin [sʌmfɪn], nothing is nufin [nʌfɪn]. Realization of /ŋ/ as [n] is a feature of many English dialects.

Phonological features of Ebonics…

• Pronunciation of /ɛ/ and /ɪ/ both as /ɪ/ before nasal consonants, making pen and pin homonyms.

• Pronunciation of /ɪ/ and /iː/ both as /ɪ/ before 'l', making feel and fill homonyms.

• Dropping of /t/ at the end of contractions e.g. the pronunciation of don't and ain't as /doʊn/ and /eɪn/.

Phonological features of Ebonics…

• Lowering of /ɪ/ to /ɛ/ or /æ/ before /ŋ/ causing pronunciations such as theng/thang for thing, thenk/thank for think, reng/rang for ring, etc.

• Use of apparently metathesised forms like "aks" for "ask" or "graps" for "grasp", though both examples also existed in Anglo-Saxon and more recent varieties of English, so may simply be survivals of non-standard forms.

Grammatical features of Ebonics…

She studyin'. (She is studying right now)

She be studyin'. (She studies habitually)

She be consistent studyin'. (She is studying consistently)

She been studyin'. (She has been studying)

She been had studyin’. (She has been studying for a long time and still does it)

She done studyin’. (She has studied)

She finna go to study. (She is fixing to go to study)

Grammatical features of Ebonics…

• Use of ain't as a general negative indicator. It is used in place of "am not", "isn't", and "aren't" or even "didn't".

• Negation agreement, as in I didn't go nowhere, such that if the sentence is negative, all negatable forms are negated.

• If the subject is indefinite (e.g. nobody instead of Sally or he), it can be inverted with the negative qualifier (turning Nobody knows the answer to Don't nobody know the answer, also adding multiple negation).

Grammatical features of Ebonics…

• You crazy! ("You are crazy") or She my sister ("She is my sister"). Who you? ("Who are you?") and Where you at? ("Where are you?"). As in Russian, the copula is omitted only in the present tense, and is usually specified in the past tense (with some exceptions. For example: Where she go? ("Where did she go?")

• Present-tense verbs are uninflected for person: there is no -s ending in the present tense third person singular. Example: She write poetry ("She writes poetry")

Grammatical features of Ebonics…

• There is no -s ending indicating possession—the genitive relies on adjacency. Example: my momma sister ("my momma's sister")

• The word it denotes the existence of something, equivalent to Standard English there in "there is", or "there are". Examples It's a doughnut in the cab'nit ("There's a doughnut in the cabinet") and It ain't no spoon ("There isn't a spoon").

• Altered syntax in questions: She actin' all hankty (snobbish). Who duh hell she think she is? ("She's acting like a snob. Who the hell does she think she is?") Note also the use of "all" as an adverb of manner or degree, as well as the omission of the dummy verb "do" (does). How you tol' him I'm try'na see her? ("Why did you tell him I want to see her?") Normal clause inversion of the past tense verb in forming questions is not practiced.

Who uses Ebonics?

• Increasing popularity outside its original circles (poor African-Americans enclaves): hip hop music, sports megastars, comedians, sitcoms, and others

• Increasingly popular with White, middle-class American youth via rap music

Is there a place for Ebonics in EFL?

If EFL learners worldwide are to become proficient at engaging in meaningful verbal interaction with a variety of people, then an understanding of the social standing and area of influence of the various dialects of the language as spoken in a given country is needed. Some argue that is not only the verbal exchange what counts to be understood, but also the convergence of aspects such as pragmatics, dress code, or body language.

James Gee’s Discourse

Discourse with capital D, in that it is "a socio-culturally distinctive and integrated way of thinking, acting, interacting, talking, and valuing connected with a particular social identity or role, with its own unique history, and often with its own distinctive "props." We expand the primary Discourse learned at home to incorporate secondary Discourses, those learned in different environments--school, playground, university, work, etc.

Literacy is then defined as the "mastery of, or fluent control over, a secondary discourse.”

Following Gee’s conceptualization

We are not literate in one language just because we are in full command of its standard form

People need various sets of skills to communicate appropriately in different environments: In the same way one would not attend a Sunday soccer game in a night gown, openly flirt with someone at a funeral, or expect typical kindergarten children in Argentina to respond to the antique Castilian of Don Quijote (cosas veredes Sancho que non crederes), EFL learners when in the United States are best prepared to deal with the complexity of the States’ linguistic intricacies if in command of the multiple literacies at play.

Standpoints about Ebonics

There is a breadth of educational research and practice that encourages North American teachers to develop secondary literacies amongst speakers of Ebonics as a first language. The goal is to develop fluency in standard English while maintaining Ebonics as a legitimate means of communication (Christian, 1997; Delpit, 1997; Miner, 1997; Rickford, 1999).

Yet, little has been written about teaching vernacular to EFL learners. Furthermore, in response to the myth that dialects are irrelevant to the teaching of EFL, the idea that the understanding of dialect is crucial to developing communication skills (Wolfram, 2004) has been gaining momentum.

What is the status of Ebonics in the United States?

In the United States, vernacular English or Ebonics is widely used in various spheres. No longer the domain of marginal Black hip-hop artists or a communication vehicle amongst marginalized, low-income African-American communities, Ebonics is today widely used as a communication vehicle by youth of all races and social classes, by entertainment industry moguls, by sports megastars, actors, and entertainers, and continues to be enriched and massively disseminated. A variety of those engaged in both academia and social commentary have examined the phenomena of White, middle-class youth co-opting Ebonics (Bucholtz, 1999; Cutler, 1999; Kitwana, 2005; Stockwell, 2001), which has somehow eased Ebonics’ social class crossover in the last 10 years.

What is the status of Ebonics in the United States? 2

John Rickford notes that opinions about the relevance of Ebonics in United States’ society vary from embracement to disapproval: well-respected writers such as Paul Lawrence Dunbar, Zora Neale Hurston, August Wilson, James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, and June Jordan have all used Ebonics in their work, while other prominent African Americans “regard it as a sign of limited education or sophistication, as a legacy of slavery or an impediment to socioeconomic mobility” (Rickford, n/d).

Yet, the argument of using Ebonics as an impediment to wealth has in the last few decades been proved inaccurate, as there is an increasing number of economically well-off African-American entertainers (Quinn, 2004) who appear to communicate exclusively in Ebonics on prime-time television, during sports interviews after televised games, and in mass-appeal movies.

Standard v. or standard and …?

Max Weinreich once said “a language is a dialect with an army and navy.”

The teaching and promotion of standard English exclusively plays a disservice to the goal of facilitating communication.

Imperialism of the standard form in EFL (Block & Cameron, 2003; Canagarajah, 1999).

Sample of cultural artifacts that use Ebonics

• The standard and Ebonics versions of Oh, father• The first chapter of Their eyes were watching

god by Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960), an acclaimed African-American female writer, storyteller, and cultural anthropologist (widely used in secondary school English classrooms); and

• The 2006 Oscar winner in the category of best song It is hard out there for a pimp written by Three Six Mafia.

1- An Internet Orphan: Oh, Father’s versions

Background: In 1997, the Oakland, California School Board recognized Ebonics as a dialect distinct from standard English, in an effort to reach out to the needs of its largely African-American school population. This spurred a nationwide debate entangled with deep misunderstanding of the intent of the Oakland Board. The Internet was flooded with jokes regarding how students could accomplish translating the written word in English for its Ebonics counterpart. No one has stepped up to claim authorship of this artifact, but it has certainly “made the rounds” in schools and universities across the states.

English EbonicsOur Father, who art in heaven Yo, Big Daddy upstairsHallowed be thy name You be chillinThy Kingdom come So be yo hoodThy will be done You be sayin' it, I be doin' itOn earth as it is in heaven In this here hood and yo'sGive us this day our daily bread Gimme some eatsAnd forgive us our trespasses And cut me some slack, BloodAs we forgive those who trespass against us Sos I be doin' it to dem dat

diss meAnd lead us not into temptation don't be pushing me into no

jiveBut deliver us from evil and keep dem Crips awayFor thyne is the Kingdom, Cause you always be da the power and the glory, forever and ever. Man

Amen Aaa-men

Big Daddy GodChillin’ What are you doing? Just chillin’ Yo hood Your home, your neighborhoodYo’s person, communityEats Noun derived from the verb to eatCut me some slack Give me a break, let this passDiss Verb derived from the noun disrespectJive dance, talk, lie, exaggerateDem themCrips one of the oldest and most violent

gangs original from LA

2- Literature:Their Eyes Were Watching God

Background: An account of the literary “classics” in the United States would definitely include pieces such as Huckleberry Finn, Their Eyes Were Watching God, and The Color Purple, all of which contain sizable amounts of dialogue in African American vernacular, and are typically required readings in the middle or secondary school curricula.

The second one, a novel by Zora Neale Hurston, was written in 1937.

Although famed during the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920’s, by the mid 1950’s Hurston was living a difficult life as a hotel maid and died penniless. Her work was rediscovered in the 1970s and has since enjoyed popularity, particularly for the intimate way in which it depicts the life of Black women of its era.

Their eyes were watching GodThe novel depicts the story of Janie Mae Crawford, a 16-year

old living in south Florida in the care of her grandmother, who arranges her in marriage to a local farmer. From her grandmother’s shack, the novel follows Janie through a long life of joyless years and love-filled times. She leaves her first husband the farmer for a man she loves, Joe Starks. He dies twenty years later and theirs is a long, deteriorating relationship. The last of Janie partners is Vergible Woods, also known as Tea Cake, a man younger than Janie. At Tea Cake’s death, Janie comes back to the black town of Eatonville and tells the story of her life to her friend Pheoby Watson. She releases Pheoby to retell it in the gossip-filled Eatonville. The segment of the first chapter of the novel which we will examine has Pheoby going to Janie’s home in search for information.     

“Hello Janie, how you comin'?"“Aw, pretty good, Ah'm tryin' to soak some uh de tiredness and de dirt outa mah feet.'' “Ah see you is. Gal, you sho looks good. You looks like youse yo' own daughter." "Even wid dem overhalls on, you shows yo' womanhood.""G'wan! G'wan! You must think Ah brought yuh somethin'. When Ah ain't brought home a thing but mahself.""Dat's a gracious plenty. Yo' friendswouldn't want nothin' better.""Ah takes dat flattery offa you, Pheoby, 'cause Ah know it's from de heart."

Hello Janie, how are coming? Oh, pretty good, I’m trying to soak some of the tiredness and the dirt out of my feet.'' “I see you are. Girl, you sure look good. You look like you are your own daughter." "Even with them overalls on, you show your womanhood."“Go on! Go on! You must think I brought you something, when I have not brought home anything but myself."“That's a gracious plenty. Your friends wouldn't want anything better."“I take that flattery from you, Pheoby, 'cause I know it's from de heart."

3- Popular Contemporary Music: It Is Hard Out Here for

a PimpBackground: In 2003, the

song Lose yourself by Eminem from the movie 8-mile made history as the first rap song to make it in the Oscars. The 2006 best original song Oscar winner, It is hard out here for a pimp, follows that pioneer.

The movie from which It is hard out here for a pimp rises is Hustle and Flow, the story of a small-time pimp and drug dealer who dreams of a better life as a rapper.

You know it's hard out here for a pimp (you ain't knowin)

When he tryin to get this money for the rent (you ain't knowin)

For the Cadillacs and gas money spent (you ain't knowin)

[1] Because a whole lot of bitches talkin shit (you ain't knowin)

[2] Will have a whole lot of bitches talkin shit (you ain't knowin)

Music, maestro!

In my eyes I done seen some crazy thangs in the streets

Gotta couple gals (hoes) workin on the changes for me

But I gotta keep my game tight like Kobe on game night

Like takin from a girl (ho) don't know no better, I know that ain't right

Done seen people killed, done seen people deal

Tidbits

Many have commented that the most ironic part of the 2006 Oscars event was to have a room full of wealthy White entertainers looking at the marquee flashing It Is Hard Out Here For A Pimp as it was awarded the Oscar.

This actually signs the widespread recognition of rap and Ebonics as having a (controversial) place in American culture.

And now, let the fun begin…Turn to the person to your right.

Have a quick introductory conversation in standard English

Translate it to Ebonics as if you interlocutor were Ebonics-proficient

Practice with your partner

Conclusion

In summary, what do these very different and time separated cultural artifacts have in common?

Yo, big daddy is the timeless prayer for those of Catholic persuasion, widely disseminated in countless websites after 1997.

Their eyes were watching god was the 1937 production of a Florida farm, Black girl turned anthropologist and novelist via education.

It is hard out here for a pimp is the 2005 production of three hard-core rappers from Memphis, Tennessee.

Conclusion, 2

Those were three arbitrary choices by the presenter to exemplify for the audience the extent to which Ebonics is a vibrant means of communication for a socio-geographic wide segment of the United States population.

Conclusion, 3These choices suggest that an understanding of

Ebonics in the United States may come handy for various constituencies:

* parents living temporarily in the States who must support their adolescents in their homework, social events, and/or cultural adaptation

* young businessmen socially interacting with young potential clients

• anyone watching TV or cruising the Internet• anyone who likes rap and hip-hop

Most important to keep in mind is that young business people may often be fluent code-switchers (in this case, code-switching refers to those who have a command of both standard and vernacular English and switch codes within conversation with other “bilinguals”).

Conclusion, 4

So learning the hand shake accompanied by a hearty greeting:“Whassup dawg? Me just chillin” might, after all, enable the EFL speaker to communicate widely across social classes, ages, and ethnic groups in the United States.

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