What Happened to Ebonics?

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Turmoil in 1980s Oakland Leads to Continued Definitive Conclusions about Language’s Impact on Education in the 2020s by Matthew Bamberg Photo by Kiana Bosman on Unsplash The Ebonics debate has often been misunderstood. It refers to the dialect of AAVE (African American Vernacular English). This type of language is prevalent in the Black community and has also spread into popular culture through lyrics in rap music and similar genres. I be workin’ Yes, I be workin’ on this article. This can be defined as: I’ve been working on this article for a while, although not necessarily at this very moment. I begin here because using AAVE helps readers understand the importance of training teachers to use it in our classrooms. Before getting into the meat and potatoes of the point, AAVE is an important dialect and, therefore, should be treated with the utmost respect, especially when dealing with it as a teacher. Slavery was Brutal The history of AAVE in the United States began in the 17th and 18t...
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Understanding African American Vernacular English (AAVE): Definition, History, and Examples

Photo by Kiana Bosman on Unsplash


First and foremost, when a child walks into the classroom, he/she comes with his language as it is, whether AAVE (African American vernacular, which is what Ebonics is) or Spanish. More than just African Americans speak Ebonics. 

Everyone uses it at one time or another, and within popular culture, it's everywhere, from rap music lyrics to the sounds of hip/hop, expressions for some, which are a right of passage. 

Its evolution from African languages to the current nonstandard English goes as far back as the time when slaves were brought to North America. First and foremost, any well-educated person knows this dialect is contained in classic literature, from books like "To Kill a Mockingbird " to Richard Wright's writings. 

Put your hands together for a warm welcome to Ebonics in the classroom, as many programs teach it through literature within the context of its relationship to standard language. 

"So go 'head, knock some sense into dem head of urs. You be better off accepting everyone and da language dey speak." 

Translate that into standard language, and you'll know how ebonics is taught. I taught from a publication entitled "Toothy Ruthie," a book to help all kids (including African Americans) learn to pronounce the "th" sound. 

Yo, Big Daddy upstairs,
You be chillin'
So be yo hood
You be sayin' it, I be doin' it
In this ere hood and yo's
Gimme some eats
And cut me some slack, Blood
So's I be doin' it to dem dat diss me
Don' be pushin' me into no jive
And keep dem crips away
'Cause you always be da man, 
Straight up!

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