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6 The Ebonic Plague I've taken my time in considering the issue of Ebonics -- a.k.a. Black American English -- recently adopted by the Oakland County School Board in California. Having studied and taken more than a passing interest in linguistics in the past, I've found the debate on the topic interesting -- and appalling. The view from here is that, in adopting Ebonics as policy, the Oakland School Board has only served to sanction bad grammar. More than once I have seen or read where some African- American professor posits that Ebonics is a blend of English and African words, once used by slaves to fool their masters. Fine. Where are the African words? I've heard other academics debate the issue, saying that Black American English is genetic. Really? I am of Scottish-Irish ancestry. I don't go around saying, "youse" and "bollix" and "bloody "ell," nor do I break into a chorus of Auld Lang Syne on New Year's Eve. Hell, I don't even like whiskey. Let's face it, Ebonics is about bad grammar and lazy English. To accept Ebonics as a viable alternative to English is to accept any regional dialect as proper. Suddenly, anyone from Newfoundland could claim, with some justification, that Newfoundland English is just as acceptable. Do we call that Newfonics? In linguistics there are two schools of thought: prescriptive and descriptive. Prescriptive means that, to remain viable, language and the rules which govern it, must be respected, lest it should fall into a chaotic state. The worst case scenario being that you could quite easily have two people speaking different dialects of the same language with neither understanding the other. On the other hand, descriptivists will tell you that anything goes; as long as the message gets across, language has served it's only purpose -- to communicate. Using the example in the last paragraph, this is where the whole thing falls apart -- if two people speaking the same language cannot understand one another, then the descriptivist message is lost. On a far more superficial level, I think it just sounds bad. An ex-girlfriend of mine, despite the fact that English was her first and only tongue, had an unerring ability to brutalize the language. Being a presciptivist at heart, I would grind my teeth every time I heard her say, "I seen it," or "Him and me, we seen him." The sad thing is, this young woman had the benefit of a private school education and was attending university at the time. It isn't that she didn't know better, but that she didn't seem to care. : My question to her and those who choose to ignore the tules of grammar is thus: how do you expect people to take you seriously when basic good grammar seems beyond your grasp? If you cannot find it within yourself to observe even the most basic rules which are expected in civilized society, what makes you think that society should address you with the civility you think you deserve? As with anything, the choice to speak poorly is yours. However, society has the right nof to fake you seriously. If you don't expect much from people, don't be surprised when you don't get much. As celebrated Black American filmmaker Spike Lee was recently quoted as saying, "Ebonics be stupid." My question is, did Lee mean Stupid as in dumb, or stupid as in good? Point taken? If it is the former, I be down wit dat! 'Ight, sucker MC? The View || From Here With Jamie Harrison | - Jamie Harrison is a reporter with The Georgetown Gemini. THE GEORGETOWN GEMINI WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1997 BITS & BYTES: Amy Murdy of Rock Products Limited waits as Ray Morier of Data General sets up the computer Rock Products won at a recent Georgetown Jr. A Raiders auction. The auction raised money for the hockey team. (photo submitted) "TETTERS Tolerance found in hearts To the Editor, This letter is not about flyers, the fine people who live and teach in the Glen, or dance crazes! However, I, too, am concerned about the future of Christmas con- certs in our schools. My sister-in- law, who works in the B.C. school system, tells me that Christmas is < now called a "Winter Festival" there, as reference to Christmas is forbid- den. At my child's school, a child wanting to sing O Holy Night was forbidden to do so due to religious content. Last year, words to a song were changed since the words "To- day in the Town of David, a Saviour has been born" were offensive. I am all for representing various cultures. I worked very hard on a concert this year entitled "Christ- mas Around the World" with our choir, the Georgetown Children's Chorus. I also recently adopted a son from Romania. I enjoy all cul- tures and love to hear their music anywhere, anytime, including Christmas. I do, however, feel upset that my own culture has, in effect, been banned. Between now and next year's "Winter Festival," I hope to have clarified what guidelines schools have been given on this subject. I hope many other parents do the same. May tolerance of all religions and cultures, including Christian- ity, be found in our hearts and in our actions. Lois Fraser, Eighth Line Singing Town's praises To the Editor, After living here for a couple of months, having moved from Greater Metro, I just had to vocalize my impressions of Georgetown. The liv- ing style and attitudes here are al- most overwhelmingly refreshing. The Women Are Prettier In Georgetown (song) " We moved our family to Georget- own Searching for a better way of life Escaped the tension of the big city Left behind the bustle and the strife We found an easy style in Geor- getown Where easy living people come and go Even when they rush about in Georgetown They definitely rush a little slow (Chorus) All the people are friendlier in Geor- getown And all the children wear a smile The gentlemen nod, hello, in Georgetown And most folks go that extra mile Nowyou'll find allyouneed in Geor- getown Good service in restaurants and shops Delivered with a smile and good- will To help you they pull out all the stops Now human kindness flows in Georgetown As fresh as the countryside around Helpfulness gushes like the foun- tain That's missing in all these other towns. (Chorus) And, all the women are prettier in Georgetown And all the children wear a smile The gentlemen nod, hello, in Georgetown And most folks go that extra mile © 1996 (used by permission) C. Cornelius Harnett Hamilton Crescent SINT Publisher & Editor Paul Nolan Office Manager Linda Hayes Editorial Staff Jamie Harrison Frances Niblock Terry Rouse Joanne Stevenson Advertising Staff Mimi Burdett Lynne Buscher Trish Henry Production Staff Anne Klassen Kim Konarzycki Distribution Manager Marie Shadbolt Regular Contributors Bill Ellis Mike O'Leary Alex Tough Darkroom Steve Martin THE GEORGETOWN GEMINI is pub- lished weekly on Wednesdays by Wick- low Hills Publishing Co. Inc. Mailing address: P.O. Box 145, Georgetown, Ont., L7G 4T1. Phone: (905) 877-1113. Fax: (519) 853-5040. Georgetown ad- ministrative office: Personal Secretarial Services, Unit 47, 360 Guelph St., L7G 4BS5. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Ideas expressed herein are those of the author only. AD SALES: Publisher is responsible for errors in advertisements to extent of cost of that portion of the space occu- pied by erroneous item. PHONE THE GEM: (905)877-1113 FAX THE GEM: (519)853-5040