[Sephus]

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“Oh that’s different – they’re making a cultural statement”


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While I agree that is a load of crap, that wasn't really my point. I just don't think our schools should be promoting incorrect English for anything other than what it is. It's NOT a foreign language. To your point, I can see where it and mine are intertwined. I guess in some ways, fear of offending minorities leads some people to create a tolerance that superseeds what we would extend to non-minorities, which to me is more condescending to them. If a southern white man abuses the English language and constantly says stupid things, we call them redneck, make a Deliverance joke, etc... While these are deragatory statements, they also imply that this man is inferior to what he is capable of being. When African-Americans misuse English, accepting it as a "foreign language" is like telling them that we'll be tolerant because we don't think they can do any better. Which is more insulting?

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AAVE is not "incorrect" english. speaking a nonstandard dialect is not "abusing" english. it's just different.

you think they're making "mistakes" when actually they're just following a different set of rules. in many ways "ebonics" is more efficient than standard english, in both syntax and pronunciation.

bisonbison is right though, speakers of nonstandard dialects are (unfairly or not) handicapped when it comes to the job market, etc. so learning how to speak "standard american english" is important for american students.