Beyond Ebonics: Linguistic Pride and Racial Prejudice

by John Baugh

The media frenzy surrounding the 1996 resolution by the Oakland School Board brought public attention to the term "Ebonics", however the idea remains a mystery to most. John Baugh, a well-known African-American linguist and education expert, offers an accessible explanation of the origins of the term, the linguistic reality behind the hype, and the politics behind the outcry on both sides of the debate. Using a non-technical, first-person style, and bringing in many of his own personal experiences, Baugh debunks many commonly-held notions about the way African-Americans speak English, and the result is a nuanced and balanced portrait of a fraught subject. This volume should appeal to students and scholars in anthropology, linguistics, education, urban studies, and African-American studies.

Genres: Linguistics, Nonfiction, Language, Race

174 pages, Paperback

First published February 10, 2000

Reviews

[David Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having been only nine/ten years old when the Ebonics controversy of 1996/7 was all over the media, I can perhaps be forgiven for retaining only a hazy impression of what exactly the controversy was about. For anybody curious about the event, a contemporaneous response by an eminent linguist is an ideal resource. It not only illuminates the relevant issues clearly, but lays bare just how absolutely confused the public's understanding of race and language was at such recent times.

Beyond Ebonics has the virtue of being relatively short, focusing tightly on its core thesis, and avoiding overly technical linguistic jargon. It also pays heed to multiple relevant perspectives in the matter of Ebonics, so that it should be accessible and persuasive to a wide audience, excluding perhaps those whose objections to what they understand as "Ebonics" stems from deeply held racist ideas. Baugh explains how the Oakland school district came to use the term "Ebonics" to address a real need among its students, and how the lack of a universally understood definition for that term led to much of the backlash against it.

As a volley in the war against linguistic prejudice, or the conscious/unconscious belief that some varieties of a language are superior to others, Beyond Ebonics is a noble effort that builds its case on solid ground. But it is frustrating to consider how esoteric the rejection of concepts like "broken English" remains today. The kind of people who define Black English as the profane cant of illiterate gangstas are still at it, and it's not just ignorance that guarantees them a platform, but malice. More needs to be said to convince people of the inherent dignity of nonstandard varieties of English.

[Jeff Koloze · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although dated, Baugh’s work is a compelling read on the status of Ebonics (African-American Vernacular English). His argument that slavery has contributed to the continued use of AAVE may be limp, but many other lines are quotable.