Beyond Ebonics: Linguistic Pride and Racial Prejudice

by John Baugh

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780190283810
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	02/10/2000
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	972 KB

About the Author

John Baugh is Professor of Education and Linguistics at Stanford University. He has also served as President of the American Dialect Society.

Table of Contents

1	Linguistic Pride and Racial Prejudice	1
2	Ebonic Genesis	15
3	A Contentious Global Debut	25
4	Oakland's Ebonics Resolutions	37
5	Legislative Lament	49
6	Legal Implications	63
7	Disparate Theoretical Foundations	73
8	Racist Reactions and Ebonics Satire	87
9	Beyond Ebonics: Striving toward Enhanced Linguistic Tolerance	101
	Appendixes
A.	Linguistic Society of America Resolution on the Oakland "Ebonics" Issue	117
B.	Texas 75th Legislature, Regular Session: House Resolution 28	119
C.	California 1997-98 Regular Session: Senate Bill 205	121
	References	133
	Index	139

Editorial Reviews

"With Baugh's book, sanity has finally arrived."—Language in Society

"A valuable contribution to the background of the Ebonics debate...a book written from both a personal standpoint as an African American and a professional one as a sociolinguist."—English Language

From the Publisher