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Ebonics

Ebonics - Plural noun (treated as singular), Blend of Ebony and Phonics.

The African-American dialect of Standard English, there are different dialects within Ebonics itself. Similar to how the American dialect of English has dialects within itself such as the Texan dialect and the Boston dialect.

Ebonics is a dialect of Standard English just as American, Canadian, Scottish, Irish, Australian ect. forms of English are all dialects of Standard English. It is usually spoken by African-Americans who are the decedents of Black slaves from West Africa and the Caribbean.

Ebonics was born from the fact that African-American slaves were not allowed to learn how to read or write during their lives. Without proper instruction from their English speaking "masters" slaves were forced to learn English with the only language rules they knew from their native languages. Ebonics are usually seen as a form of "broken English" as a result. However they bear a resemblance to Scottish speakers of English.

The Scottish people who used to speak Gaelic had English forced upon them by the English as well during conquest and enslavement. However proper instruction was not given in the language and its rules and as a result the Scottish dialect of English is different than Standard English.

Both Scottish English, and African-American English (Ebonics) are dialects of Standard English. However, certain people have tried to claim that Ebonics is a separate language in it's own right while choosing to ignore basic definitions of language and other examples of similar cases. If Ebonics is indeed a separate language than the Scottish dialect of English, and many other dialects of English will also be different languages. The people who are trying to establish Ebonics as a separate language are simply trying to segregate African-Americans dialects as well as their culture from American culture and not allowing it to be included in Euro-American culture.

by Seperation=discrimination March 31, 2011

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