AFAS 251 - Topics: The Ebonics Controversy

Institution:

Washington University in St Louis

Subject:

Description:

This course examines the controversy regarding the status of Ebonics and its role in education. Ebonics is the term often used to describe the distinct speech of 85 percent of the African-American population. The controversy reached the national limelight in 1996 and 1997 due to a resolution by the Oakland (California) School Board.\, which identified Ebonics as a legitimate form of speech that should be respected. The arguments about Ebonics are multifaceted and highlight significant linguistic as well as educational and political issues. There is the basic question of just what is Ebonics: Is it a separate language, a dialect, slang, bad grammar, broken English, or really not a distinct entity? There are issues related to the term Ebonics as evidenced by the various names that academicians have used for the speech of African Americans, i.e. African-American (Vernacular) English and African-American Language. Its origins and history also have been debated: Is it a variant of Southern English or are its origins traceable to the language systems of Africa? Further, there is a fundamental, practical question of how to approach the education of African-American children whose home speech is Ebonics: Should a goal in the education of these children be the purging of Ebonics so that it does not interfere with the mastery of Standard English, or should Ebonics be used as a vehicle for learning Standard English? This course examines these and other issues, such as the portrayal of Ebonics in the popular media as well as its use within African-American communities, through readings, films, small and large group discussions, writing assignments, and lectures.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.wustl.edu

Phone Number:

(314) 935-5000

Regional Accreditation:

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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