Letters to the Editor: 02.20.97

English Patois

Sag Harbor

February 8, 1997

Dear Editor,

Ebonics or Ebonix?

This letter is to express appreciation for Henry Clifford's decision to put his oar in the muddy waters of the Ebonics debate (letter to The Star, Feb. 6). His brief letter clarified and purified the waters of a debate into which few of those who eagerly jumped in precipitately have any knowledge at all about the background and origins of so-called Black English or Black (English) dialect in the United States. Mr. Clifford is one of the few.

So-called Black English or Ebonics (better written "Ebonix" - "nix" because its origins have nothing to do with black Americans) is, in origin, a white American thing (appropriately called "Ivonics") that black slaves from Africa copied from their condescending, white, educated slave owners, uneducated white overseers, and white slaves (also known as indentured servants because there was a fixed term to their servitude, but slaves nonetheless).

This was the main source of the "black" dialect, as Clifford rightly points out. In other words, "Ebonix" is the early dialect of English spoken in the American south (just as Canadian French is an early dialect of French) and has survived throughout the evolution of American English to its present "standard" form.

Thus, ironically, African Americans are blamed, ridiculed, and credited with a dialect they did not invent and that - apart from containing words of African languages - has as much connection with the structure of African languages as it has with that of Chinese, for example. African slaves had no knowledge of the English language before they were shipped directly from Africa to the American colonies and did not have the luxury and leisure to construct a uniform dialect of English - a foreign tongue to them - on the pattern of any of their indigenous languages. It would be nice to think that they had the genius to do it, but it is not humanly possible.

Incidentally, the early English dialect spoken in the South was enriched by the African slaves with words borrowed from African languages and developed into a patois that now survives as Gullah in the isolated Carolina Sea Islands and the middle Atlantic coast. The strong similarity of Gullah to the patois spoken in the West African country of Sierra Leone is no mystery. It is due to the simple historical fact that many southern slaves speaking this English patois fought on the side of the British against the colonies in the War for American Independence and, at the end of the war, were settled by the British in Nova Scotia and England, and eventually shipped to, and settled in, Sierra Leone starting in 1787. (So much for the touted "African origins" of Gullah.)

The slaves' pronunciations of words were borrowed from their white interlocutors and include, as Clifford states, the most frequently cited examples like "ax" for "ask" (a literal transposition of "ask" to "aks"), "dat" for "that," etc. (French speakers of English substituted "d" for "th" while the "der" and "die" of German speakers came out as "da" and "de." Following these examples, the slaves accordingly substituted "d" for "th.")

Bad grammar or solecism is not a necessary feature of "Black English," contrary to popular misconception. Many educated standard English speakers today also make grammatical errors in speaking and writing, many of which have been adopted into the language, even while purists may turn up their noses at them - such as "ain't" and "aren't," each of which stands for "am not" as well as "are not."

What may look like bad grammar on the part of black speakers of "Ebonix" often turns out, on closer examination, to be proper, grammatical standard English of the time (King James English) and is usually an elliptical way of speaking.

An example taken from the King James Bible, which was standard English text for slaves who managed to learn English (despite legal interdiction), is the apparent indicative use of "be" as in: "They be blind leaders of the blind." (Matthew 15:14). But on closer examination, this turns out to be an ellipsis for: "They (happen/seem to) be blind leaders of the blind," and thus, is standard English when fully expanded. On this basis, "I/you/he/she/it be" or the plural "We/you/they be" frequently used by African Americans is not necessarily ungrammatical.

The frequent use of elliptical expressions by African Americans originates in the era of slavery when slaves were forbidden to speak their indigenous languages (for fear of revolt) or to learn standard English - or even to speak at all to one another while at work in the fields (conversation time was money for the slave master). Therefore, economy of words was of the essence. When they spoke they had to cut out unnecessary words, using only those necessary to convey their meaning.

Many such examples are found, for instance, in Toni Morrison's "Beloved": "I'm too old and I [have] seen too much, "I [have] got big plans." (The omitted words are in brackets and without which these perfectly grammatical expressions seem ungrammatical.) Or take the common expression": "What/whose child (happens to) be this/dis?"

All this, of course, does not imply that African Americans do not commit grammatical errors of speech. But this is common to uneducated or illiterate whites as well as blacks, then as now. But there is more to "Ebonix" than merely an uneducated white English dialect. In the mouths of African Americans, it has been transformed into a colorful, idiomatic lingo as well: "give the high five" for greeting someone; "all that jazz" for "all that nonsense." This is because in slavery days the language had to be transformed into an "in" (esoteric) language to disguise the slaves' meanings and intentions from their overseers and masters, and from whites, generally.

Thus, the use of Biblical and otherworldly metaphors and expressions to disguise escape plans by the underground railroad: "River Jordan" for the Ohio river, "sweet chariot" for boats and other secret means of conveyance by the underground railroad, "heaven" for up North, etc. The modern equivalent is "hip talk" used by those who are "with it" or "in the know," that has become a significant contribution to American English.

It is not the intention, here, to delve exhaustively into the current confused controversy launched by the misguided decision of the Oakland, Calif., School District to recognize "Ebonix" as a "black language" (thus betraying the ignorance of the School Board, and its academic linguistic supporters, of the origin of "Ebonix") to be learned by teachers as a medium for leading African American children to a knowledge of standard American English.

Suffice it to say, however, that the ignorance of standard English on the part of the black children of the Oakland School District stems, in part, from a misguided and willful, negative attitude fostered by adults and peers toward standard English as "white language," the speaking of which is to be resisted. They mistakenly believe "Ebonix" to be the "black language"; just as some of their elders, in resistance to the Christian religion espoused by the slave masters and their descendants, mistakenly espoused Islam as an "African" religion. This may serve as a healthy catharsis but is, nonetheless, historically erroneous.

Once this misguided attitude is exposed for what it is to both adults and children, and the proper origins of "Ebonix" revealed, the children should easily and readily take to standard American English.

I myself, being from Sierra Leone, speak the Sierra Leone Gullah. It is the lingua franca of the country, and first language for those of its citizens descended from the resettled free slaves, and spoken in the home and outside, but not used in school or university, in government, or in business; for all of which standard English is de rigueur and as well the official language of the country which boasts about 13 different tribal languages.

The Sierra Leone Gullah and standard English are learned separately. No attempt is made to establish equivalence or correspondence in school because, like "Ebonix," it is unwritten and changes rapidly - same as with Swiss German, with only High German being used for education and as the official language. But most important of all, it is procedurally defective to learn the original language through its derivative dialect, instead of the other way round.

One does not, for example, learn standard English by way of cockney. The "Ebonix"-speaking members of the Oakland School Board should reflect on this elementary fact and consult their own educational experience, instead of doing a disservice to the children of their school district. Most educated African Americans speak "Ebonix," as well as standard English, but keep it in its proper place and do not confound the two. There is nothing wrong with "Ebonix." Only those are wrong who are ignorant of its proper origins and seek to make more of it than it really is.

Yours sincerely,

DAVID CARNEY

On Behalf Of Youth

Amagansett

February 17, 1997

Dear Helen:

With regard to the news from the Feb. 13 issue about the unfortunate stabbing of several youths at the conclusion of the concert at the Whalers Church in Sag Harbor, I want to add what often is overlooked in such matters, that the 200 youths who attended the concert otherwise behaved well and undoubtedly had a very good time together.

In our propensity to focus on the dramatic we usually miss what is more commonplace, and in this instance, it is the ongoing successful youth ministry of the Sag Harbor Presbyterian Church. I know from years of experience that when any church has a successful youth program it is an occasion to rejoice, and especially is so when a church can attract so many youths who are not otherwise in any religious institution.

Adults can sometimes cluck-cluck when things go amiss, or when they do not conform to an adult perception of what youth ministry should be. It is another thing to support the work of those men and women who throughout the year provide a welcome place where young people can hang out and enjoy programs that are of interest to them.

This letter is not meant to dismiss violence, as among the few who were so involved, nor I hope will it be seen that I am simply supporting a colleague here (though I am happy to do so). I am writing really on behalf of youths who find religious association sometimes strange and who will flock to adults who they believe understand them and who provide a place for youths to be themselves.

Sincerely,

ROBERT STUART

Pastor

Amagansett Presbyterian Church

Watch What They Do

Albany

February 17, 1997

Dear Helen:

The headline and text of your Feb. 13 story on the Sag Harbor Golf Club were both quite inaccurate. No doubt you relied on the less-than-accurate representations of some state bureaucrats. While it is true that the state has expressed no present intention to expand the course from nine holes to 18 holes, other changes that I certainly would term as "expansions" are being encouraged by the state.

The fact that the state is calling for a minimum of $500,000 and a maximum of $1.2 million in so-called "improvements" makes it clear some substantial development is being considered. Among the things that are being actively considered, in addition to the irrigation of the fairways, which would result in increased use of fertilizers and pesticides, is the construction of a driving range, a new clubhouse, a full service restaurant and bar which would be allowed to operate at night, and other accessory buildings for storage of things such as electric golf carts.

Make no mistake about it, at least a portion of the woods at Barcelona will be cleared for these "expansions."

The problem, of course, is that the state is being quite secretive in the types of improvements it is considering. The reason: There is no management plan or environmental assessment for the 350-acre Barcelona property. This entire request-for-proposals process is being structured so that these expansions can take place without proper planning and State Environmental Quality Review Act compliance.

Just as important is the fact that the Department of Environmental Conservation misled the public and me by stating six weeks ago that the fee structure at Sag Harbor would not be altered. At the meeting a week ago Friday, we found out that the fee for 18 holes would more than double. This will effectively deny access to golf for many seniors, youth, and working class people. Right now the state's credibility is not very high.

In short, when it comes to the state and the Sag Harbor golf course, watch what they do rather than what they say. So far, any similarity between the state's representations and the truth have been purely coincidental.

Sincerely yours,

FRED W. THIELE JR.

Member of Assembly

Open A Superstore?

East Hampton

February 15, 1997

To The Editor:

I went shopping at the East Hampton A&P today and found the store seriously understocked. There were many empty shelves, it was dirty, the produce was limp, and just about all the melons were going to seed.

I took the few items I did buy and proceeded to the checkout only to find only two aisles open. I asked the clerk what was going on. He informed me the store let most of the store employees off because it's the end of the fiscal year and it wanted to show a better bottom line.

This is disgraceful! These are the people who want to open a superstore?

JIM DAVIDSON

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