Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I don't see why this is 'highly controversial.' It's ask. Not ax. It doesn't make me racist or culturally ignorant to say that. Black people can -- and should -- speak English correctly. You'll never catch an educated person of any race saying "ax" for "ask."
I don't see why this is 'highly controversial.' It's ask. Not ax. It doesn't make me racist or culturally ignorant to say that. Black people can -- and should -- speak English correctly. You'll never catch an educated person of any race saying "ax" for "ask."
Whoah! Right as you said that about half my family lost their higher education degrees.
Native Americans are generally Bi-lingual though, you're proving my point.
We don't see native whites speaking with radically different wording like Ebonics has, and then especially trying to make that acceptable in schools.
I'm just saying that comparing native americans of African decent to hispanics and asians that had other languages in their home growing up, and speak themselves quite often, to the slang terms of ebonics.
If African americans had been speaking African this whole time, it'd be different I suppose. But most African americans I know don't know a word of their native tongue.
Few Native Americans are bilingual.
And when did African Americans (outside of one school in a district of Oakland) try to make Ebonics acceptable in schools?
But what exactly research am I supposed to be doing here? I know it's not a speech disorder, I know there's no physical reason for them to say it, I know it's not a different pronunciation, it's not a dialect, it's not due to ESL.... After 20+ pages of back and forth, I still have not seen one valid reason to give people a pass on saying "ax" instead of "ask."
Some people will not accept the truth even when it has been repeatedly explained to them.
The pronunciation of "aks" vs "ask" by some Black Americans has been more than adequately explained in this thread (ad nauseum) What has not been explained is why you are still snipping about this issue.
The pronunciation of "ask" as "aks" by some Black Americans has been determined to be a part of AAVE (African American Vernacular English) which is recognized as a dialect.
Because the pronunciation of "aks" vs "ask" is considered as a dialect, teachers (who themselves maybe be pronouncing the word incorrectly) and SLPs should but are not required to correct the improper pronunciation of the word. Also, if everyone around a child pronounces a word in one manner that child will tend to mimic that pronunciation.
So, why is this particular mispronounced word such a lightning rod? Why does the reversal of two letters in a three letter word cause "certain types of people" to spew such vitriol?
The malevolent intent of this thread is quite clear. I think that it is very sad yet very telling that "certain types of people" are willing to judge the intelligence of an entire group of people based upon the pronunciation of one word by some. These same people, however, overlook their own "kind" who mispronounce simple words. I often hear the word "get" pronounced as "git" by White people (usually Southerners) It seems rather silly that Black Americans are being criticized for AAVE while White people who make similar errors in Southern American English Southern American English - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia are not.
This thread sadly highlights the fact that there are many Whites who will use any difference that exists with Black people as a means to denigrate. Its a typical bully mentality. I don't see threads being created calling Bostonians "ignorant" or "lazy" for not pronouncing /-ar/ words correctly such as saying "caw" for "car"
Which leads me to my next comment on the issue. As a Black person who speaks Standard American English (no code switching needed) with a California "accent", I find it interesting that sometimes White people will automatically either assume that I speak AAVE or will start talking to me in AAVE. One of my friend's boyfriends (White) was actually disappointed that I did not speak AAVE; seriously like he couldn't practice his "foreign" language skills with me or something. In my opinion, it is the equivalent to someone thinking that a person doesn't speak English just because they are Asian or Hispanic.
The "real" motivation behind the (White) criticism of "aks" is plain and simple. The man in the video originally posted by the OP is to be commended. The fact that his benevolent intentions toward the improvement of speech patterns amongst Black Americans is being used as a "tool" to denigrate by "certain types of people" should be simply noted as "typical".
Some people will not accept the truth even when it has been repeatedly explained to them.
The pronunciation of "aks" vs "ask" by some Black Americans has been more than adequately explained in this thread (ad nauseum) What has not been explained is why you are still snipping about this issue.
The pronunciation of "ask" as "aks" by some Black Americans has been determined to be a part of AAVE (African American Vernacular English) which is recognized as a dialect.
Because the pronunciation of "aks" vs "ask" is considered as a dialect, teachers (who themselves maybe be pronouncing the word incorrectly) and SLPs should but are not required to correct the improper pronunciation of the word. Also, if everyone around a child pronounces a word in one manner that child will tend to mimic that pronunciation.
So, why is this particular mispronounced word such a lightning rod? Why does the reversal of two letters in a three letter word cause "certain types of people" to spew such vitriol?
The malevolent intent of this thread is quite clear. I think that it is very sad yet very telling that "certain types of people" are willing to judge the intelligence of an entire group of people based upon the pronunciation of one word by some. These same people, however, overlook their own "kind" who mispronounce simple words. I often hear the word "get" pronounced as "git" by White people (usually Southerners) It seems rather silly that Black Americans are being criticized for AAVE while White people who make similar errors in Southern American English Southern American English - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia are not.
This thread sadly highlights the fact that there are many Whites who will use any difference that exists with Black people as a means to denigrate. Its a typical bully mentality. I don't see threads being created calling Bostonians "ignorant" or "lazy" for not pronouncing /-ar/ words correctly such as saying "caw" for "car"
Which leads me to my next comment on the issue. As a Black person who speaks Standard American English (no code switching needed) with a California "accent", I find it interesting that sometimes White people will automatically either assume that I speak AAVE or will start talking to me in AAVE. One of my friend's boyfriends (White) was actually disappointed that I did not speak AAVE; seriously like he couldn't practice his "foreign" language skills with me or something. In my opinion, it is the equivalent to someone thinking that a person doesn't speak English just because they are Asian or Hispanic.
The "real" motivation behind the (White) criticism of "aks" is plain and simple. The man in the video originally posted by the OP is to be commended. The fact that his benevolent intentions toward the improvement of speech patterns amongst Black Americans is being used as a "tool" to denigrate by "certain types of people" should be simply noted as "typical".
Ok I confess, I confess. I say warsh instead of wash LOL Why? I have no idea. I was born in Mississippi and my mom's family was Cajun. My mom talked fine but I could never understand what my grandfather was saying. I did grow up in DC though. So not sure why I pronounce it that way I do make an effort to say wash though. But to say I'm ignorant is just plain wrong and very judgemental on your part.
Well the other races you're speaking of have another native language other than English, African Americans in the United States generally have only ever known English.
What is the other native languages that Boston Irish or South Philadelphians who say things like, "Aisle caws youse." instead of I'll call you speak?
Quote:
But its true wherever you go, New York, Mississippi, or California, everyone has terms that aren't in the English language, yet everyone knows them and uses them regularly.
The terms are most definitely in the English language the only issue is how the pronounced.
Quote:
If you can't read or write using somewhat proper grammar and spelling, then there is a bigger problem afoot.
What is so unique about ebonics when it come to improper sentence construction and spelling?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
LOL Why? I have no idea. I was born in Mississippi and my mom's family was Cajun. My mom talked fine but I could never understand what my grandfather was saying. I did grow up in DC though. So not sure why I pronounce it that way 
I do make an effort to say wash though. But to say I'm ignorant is just plain wrong and very judgemental on your part.