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:	9780195120462
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	02/10/2000
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	8.84(w) x 5.86(h) x 0.72(d)
Lexile:	1550L (what's this?)

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 Prejudice2.. Ebonic Genesis3.. A Contentious Global Debut4.. The Oakland Resolutions5.. Legislative Lament6.. Legal Implications7.. Disparate Theoretical Foundations8.. Racist Reactions and Ebonics Satire9.. Beyond Ebonics: Striving toward Enhanced Linguistic ToleranceAppendix A: Linguistic Society of American Resolution on the Oakland "Ebonics" IssueAppendix B: Texas 75th Legislature, Regular Session: House Resolution 28Appendix C: California 1997-98 Regular Session: Senate Bill 205

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