1997. Cal Poly University, Web. 28 Oct 2009.
In this article, Dr. Rubba conveys some of the major questions and answers surrounding Ebonics. She first defines it and its origins, and then addresses some of the major controversial aspects, and finally she affirms the reliability of the professionals (linguists) and goes to them to get an educated scope of the controversy. This article is a powerful one in that it adequately informs any onlooker on the major aspects of Ebonics. It is entirely helpful as a stem for further inquiry into any one of the multiple aspects that it addresses. This seems to be the intended purpose, considering the extent of the bibliography compared with the amount of the information presented. The only downfall of the article is the bias of personal opinion (seeing that Dr. Rubba is entitled to a highly regarded opinion as a linguist, this bias carries great weight) regarding the equality of Ebonics to other languages. She holds that it is entirely equal as a language, and is therefore entitled to equal treatment. This is an unsound judgment because it denies the benefit (and even the possible existence of benefit) of having a uniform language, universal communication. Dr. Rubba’s article was very helpful in giving a sense of the broadness of the subject, and articulating particular arenas of further study. She highly recommends the following literature: Dialects and Education: Issue and Answers by Walt Wolfram and Donna Christian.
A universal language would be boring, wouldn't it? Isn't the cool thing about language that it changes, shifts, erupts? Yeah, this "theory of langauge techtonics" can be hard on communication sometimes, but it gives it variety and flavor.
ReplyDeleteI would hate to see the day when we all communicate in a "universal" language in which everyone follows the same rules. It's all about adjusting your language depending on the rhetorical situation.