Ebonics is a term that was originally intended to refer to the language of all people descended from enslaved Black Africans, particularly in West Africa, the Caribbean, and North America. Over time, and especially since 1996, it has been used more often to refer to African American Vernacular English (distinctively nonstandard Black United States English), asserting the independence of this from (standard) English. The term became widely known in the U.S. in 1996 due to a controversy over its use by the Oakland School Board.
What is claimed to be the initial mention of "Ebonics" was made by the psychologist1 Robert Williams in a discussion with linguist Ernie Smith (as well as other language scholars and researchers) that took place in a conference on "Cognitive and Language Development of the Black Child", held in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1973.23 In 1975, the term appeared within the title and text of a book edited and co-written by Williams, Ebonics: The True Language of Black Folks. Williams there explains it
What is claimed to be the initial mention of "Ebonics" was made by the psychologist1 Robert Williams in a discussion with linguist Ernie Smith (as well as other language scholars and researchers) that took place in a conference on "Cognitive and Language Development of the Black Child", held in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1973.23 In 1975, the term appeared within the title and text of a book edited and co-written by Williams, Ebonics: The True Language of Black Folks. Williams there explains it
"While it is clear that the previous definitions were written by racist white people who are VERY ignorant and unlearned, I just thought a black girl like myself could elaborate and give the TRUE meaning of the word". White people still fear what they don't understand and instead of trying to learn, the retaliate with their ignorance. So who is really the more inferior race? You tan in order to be darker, your women love to attach themselves to our men. Your men LOVE our curves, and your teenagers idolize our music, clothing, and our language. SO SAD!!! And get over the fact that the PRESIDENT IS BLACK!!!!EBONICS!
by RACISIMSTILLEXISTSIN2011 February 17, 2011
Wud up doe?!?! Id jus liketa say dat i cin speak bof ebonics an english so damn good. fa reel tho i am like da most bilingual motha in this bitch. So as all yall cin see rite bout now dat i cin speak n unda stand ebonics...I am a white female from Detroit, now dont be afraid, im not dangerous most white peple cant but im def so so special fa reel do. i spell "the" as tha and usuaally replace my ths with a d an all that otha shyt. i be listenin to rap an hip hop all tha time....tho sometihmes my whiteness comes out an i find myself listenin to Hilary Duff...ay dont blame me, im only 16. Dis iz a big acomplishment fa some1 mah age to be able to speak dese 2 languigiz yeeeeaaaa u kno how i do. i be smokin blunts wit mah homegirls an sum fine ass niggaz...ay, dont be hatin...im mo black den mos ov yall....but den on tha oda side, i cin be as white as yew want me ta be... i onli speak ebonics around mah girls and may homis. but around family, i gotsta keep it white and PG 13 ya kno. cuz dey dont kno. Dey jus don kno. but i kno u kno, u kno? haha, naw...but i rite to much. U kno how we do it in tha D u kno fa reel. but im bout ta go make me some Ramen Noodlz and buy me some hot cheetos an go watch BET an den afta dat im prolly bout ta jus go play basketball in da alley on da souf side haha, u kno!!! aiight den, so peace out homez. Adios haha naw, idk
Do yall realli need mo exampuls of ebonics??? fa reel now. i mean come on. all dem ppl do who be sayin ta add izzle and shit like dat..i just wanna say to all u white ppl out derr who cant speak wit da hood, dat we dont say dat...so jus lettin y;all kno, but uh im boutsta be out do....but mah name aint really Shaniqua, im just fronin. haha peace
by Shaniqua haha March 11, 2006
Ebony(black) + Phonics = Ebonics, unlike what most white people think, izzle aint used alot in the hood, just cuz Snoop Dogg uses it it doesnt mean that its a part of the language.yeen goin down in tha streets n be hearin fo shizzle my nizzle, its jsut not heard, get ya shyt str8.
Ebonics
Guy1: Whats good homie
Guy2: aint nuthin mayn, bout to go move some weight, gotta keep my hustle up mayn
Guy1: Fosho, holla back at ya boy lata
Guy2: Sho'nuff
Guy1: 1
Guy1: Whats good homie
Guy2: aint nuthin mayn, bout to go move some weight, gotta keep my hustle up mayn
Guy1: Fosho, holla back at ya boy lata
Guy2: Sho'nuff
Guy1: 1
by R.... June 08, 2006
Contrary to ignorant posts on this website, Ebonics is NOT mere slang. Rather it is a fully-formed, complex, rule-governed system of language that has specific rules for pronunciation, vocabulary, and word order, all of which operate as a complex grammatical system inherited, in part, from West African languages. Attempts to imitate the speech patterns by those who don’t understand the complexities of the grammatical system of Ebonics not only sound ridiculous but also result in usages that are downright linguistically incorrect and culturally demeaning.
Here are four grammatical rules in ebonics:
Habitual “be”: He be mean to me. (meaning: he is habitually mean to me.)
He mean to me. (meaning: he is being mean to me right now.)
She BEEN married. (stressed “been” meaning she’s been married a long time and still is.)
Multiple negative inversion: Can’t nobody beat ‘em.
Habitual “be”: He be mean to me. (meaning: he is habitually mean to me.)
He mean to me. (meaning: he is being mean to me right now.)
She BEEN married. (stressed “been” meaning she’s been married a long time and still is.)
Multiple negative inversion: Can’t nobody beat ‘em.
by ms. Marilyn May 01, 2008
At its most literal level, Ebonics simply means 'black speech' (a blend of the words ebony 'black' and phonics 'sounds'). The term was created in 1973 by a group of black scholars who disliked the negative connotations of terms like 'Nonstandard Negro English' that had been coined in the 1960s when the first modern large-scale linguistic studies of African American speech-communities began.
The fact is that most of the vocabulary of Ebonics is from English and that much of its pronunciation (e.g. pronouncing final 'th' as 'f') and grammar (e.g. double negatives, "I don't want none") could have come from the nonstandard dialects of English (WHITE!) indentured servants and other workers with whom African slaves interacted.
Southern Caucasian speech has been referred to as Whibonics (White Ebonics).
Just to emphasize its English origins, I'll point to the fact that most of the vocabulary of Ebonics is from English and that much of its pronunciation (e.g. pronouncing final th as f) and grammar (e.g. double negatives, "I don't want none") could have come from the nonstandard dialects of English indentured servants and other workers with whom African slaves interacted.
The fact is that most of the vocabulary of Ebonics is from English and that much of its pronunciation (e.g. pronouncing final 'th' as 'f') and grammar (e.g. double negatives, "I don't want none") could have come from the nonstandard dialects of English (WHITE!) indentured servants and other workers with whom African slaves interacted.
Southern Caucasian speech has been referred to as Whibonics (White Ebonics).
Just to emphasize its English origins, I'll point to the fact that most of the vocabulary of Ebonics is from English and that much of its pronunciation (e.g. pronouncing final th as f) and grammar (e.g. double negatives, "I don't want none") could have come from the nonstandard dialects of English indentured servants and other workers with whom African slaves interacted.
African American Ebonics:
Fo Sho (For Sure) / Wuddup or Wassup (What's Up), etc.
Caucasian Ebonics:
Get the Caah (Car) Boston / Who dat deah (Who's that There) / I like to had a heart attack (I likened to have had a heart attack), etc.
Fo Sho (For Sure) / Wuddup or Wassup (What's Up), etc.
Caucasian Ebonics:
Get the Caah (Car) Boston / Who dat deah (Who's that There) / I like to had a heart attack (I likened to have had a heart attack), etc.
by H8IGNORANCE October 11, 2014
ebonics is the way of speaking used primarily by poor black people in the getto. saying that this style of speach is used by the ignorant is actually racist, as it is saying that black people are ignorant, (not true) based on their speech. all it is is new words to express your meaning and dismissing the speech as ignorant is an insult to an entire culture
by i wanna piss on you April 08, 2006
Contrary to ignorant posts on this website, Ebonics is NOT mere slang. Rather it is a fully-formed, complex, rule-governed system of language that has specific rules for pronunciation, vocabulary, and word order, all of which operate as a complex grammatical system inherited, in part, from West African languages. Attempts to imitate the speech patterns by those who don’t understand the complexities of the grammatical system of Ebonics not only sound ridiculous but also result in usages that are downright linguistically incorrect and culturally demeaning.
Examples of rule-governed ebonics features:
Habitual “be”: He be mean to me. (meaning: he is habitually mean to me.)
He mean to me. (meaning: he is being mean to me right now.)
She BEEN married. (stressed “been” meaning she’s been married a long time and still is.)
Multiple negative inversion: Can’t nobody beat ‘em.
Habitual “be”: He be mean to me. (meaning: he is habitually mean to me.)
He mean to me. (meaning: he is being mean to me right now.)
She BEEN married. (stressed “been” meaning she’s been married a long time and still is.)
Multiple negative inversion: Can’t nobody beat ‘em.
by Ms. Marilyn April 22, 2008