Blacks can't speak English - Bill Cosby

by closer2fine 129 Replies latest jw friends

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  flower

  Dat aint no Ebonics, dats jus bad grammar and Iffin I waz ta talk like dat in my job innerview, it aint no wondah i aint git offered da job.
  

  I think its insulting for one to insist that this disgusting display represents 'black language' where as speaking as though you have an education is considered 'talking white'.

  Trying to convince black people that this speech is acceptable because its 'their language', while KNOWING that this kind of language is unacceptable in the professional world and will get them nowhere in life, is just another way for certain people to keep these people from attaining success and keep them where they think they belong.

  Far too many black people have bought into it and jumped in on the 'ebonics should be a recognized language' bandwagon not knowing that they are digging their own and their childrens financial grave.

  Then they try to convince those black people who educate themselves and achieve in life as a result of that education that they are 'selling out'. I'm sorry but I ain't buyin it.
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  frenchbabyface

  I think its insulting for one to insist that this disgusting display represents 'black language' where as speaking as though you have an education is considered 'talking white'.

  Nothing is insulting in have the part of your own culture recognised ! The problem is that some people want to considere it as so so so bad ... C'mon is it your right ?

  not getting anywhere

  Variety is where we are getting. variety is nice and can be enjoyable by whoever want to (a choice)

  Now when is about a JOB - Well you have to fit the needs SO ... (you can or you cannot, you want or not - personnal matter and issu)
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  frenchbabyface

  Then they try to convince those black people who educate themselves and achieve in life as a result of that education that they are 'selling out'. I'm sorry but I ain't buyin it.

  Ok I can understand that (are you white) ... BUT : Bill Cosby as black is not the one who have to talk this way, cause they're a misunderstanding here. They ain't no talking "bad", they are talking "different" and there is a reason.

  Bill Cosby should be the one who understands because "he knows" and not the one who blames because "he succeed", and feels like the good talking is the white talking. Say something like : Guys ... geez get both of them (so you'll keep them both strong in standard) would have been more efficent to communicate in favor of the black people, instead of spitting on his fellows in favor of the white supremacy and audience !
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  flower

  Its not that I dont recognize stupidity as part of my culture. Yes, centuries ago my ancestors werent educated and could not speak properly because for them to learn was against the law. Those who taught themselves and read books faced the death penalty as did anyone who taught them. Whites wanted them to STAY stupid.

  I recognize that part of my culture. However stupidity is NOT the part of a black persons culture that they should hang on to today if they expect to succeed and have a financially secure future.

  Our forefathers did not WANT to be stupid back then and risked their lives to educate themselves so that they DIDNT talk like dat. So why would I want to disrespect their battle by stooping to the level of ebonics when they fought so hard to get away from it?
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  Mulan

  That is not to say that there isnt a 'black' version of the english language. As a professional I spend 90 percent of my day speaking to clients on the phone and 90 percent of the time I know when I am speaking with a black person and they know that I am black. I have a very professional phone manner as do they and thus it has nothing to do with poor pronounciation and misuse of words that gives our speech its cultural distinction.
  

  It is a mistake for people to keep trying year after year to give people who speak poorly an excuse for their lack of education. Ebonics, Black Vanecular English,.....whatever. Its all just laziness. Those people, black, white, hispanic or whatever, would just rather spend their energy complaining rather than opening a book and learning something. They are taught from infancy to sit around and watch tv instead of reading books or to worry about what kind of clothes they have on rather than what kind of grades they make. Their brains are so unused that it becomes hard work to learn the simplest thing.

  Flower, you sure said a mouthful. I couldn't agree more. Thanks for saying it. Coming from you, it means more I think.

  By the way, I can usually tell when I am talking to a black person, not because of the way they speak English, but there is a voice quality, unique to black people. Not all of them of course. There are always exceptions. The same applies to Asians, and I usually can identify their voices too.
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  blondie

  I would like to add to this that I teach people every week as a volunteer in a literacy program. There are people lined up out the door who want to learn not only to speak English but to speak it in a way that will get them a better job. It is funny to me to know that people have picked me as their tutor because they want to talk like me. Having been a dual language speaker myself, I understand how hard it is to train yourself to speak English in a way that doesn't distract from your message.

  These people spend up to 10 hours a week to learn better English on top of having 2 jobs.

  Makes me seem like a piker.

  Blondie
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  frenchbabyface

  Flower,

  Stupidity

  Your choice to name it that way !

  So If I understand your statement, for instance indians culture and langage is not worthy. Thanks the white people (AMEN) Please ... Do you buy into this ? (if no - considere it means the same).

  My point is about the language (and the right to talk the way you want) ... not about who is to blame because they ain't got a job. (cause if the world was fool of ebonic talkers, you would be the bad talker as white or black - I say NO - you wouldn't)
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  jgnat

  Dare I try and find a middle ground? The prevailing culture wins on so many fronts; for education and a better job, people have to be able to communicate clearly with the majority. Is it fair? Maybe not. But trying to repair the imbalance can cause as much damage, if not more. Employers and customers have to be able to understand the employee.

  We have a province here in Canada, trying to enforce the survival of their language. Some of their attempts work, others further divide our country along cultural lines.

  I see nothing wrong with a child having both a home language and a language for the prevailing culture. I think african-american children would be better off treating English as a foreign language necessary for the job, and learn it (without abandoning their home language).
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  frenchbabyface

  Now Flower, if you are black this is "where", "what" Bill Cosby and alike said have it "effect" on you ... you considere you're own people langage as shit !
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  flower

  Frenchy, you misunderstand my point. I do not in anyway disrespect the culture or language of the African people who were brought to this country as slaves centuries ago. But that is not the language we are speaking about here. As I said before Africans do not and did not speak Ebonics. They spoke Zulu or Swati or one of the other 11 official languages of Africa.

  You forget that those Africans did not speak english at all when they were brought here. They learned what they needed to know so as to obey their masters but never learned english formally and thus did not know how to pronounciate words or used proper grammar. They were not allowed to learn that much so Ebonics (poorly spoken english) was born.