EBONICS



This week's Village Voice has a cover story on "Ebonics: Everything You

Ever Wanted To Know but Were Afraid To Ax." (Shouldn't that be "Everything

you ever wanted to know but WAS afraid to AKS"?)

It might be available on http://villagevoice.com.

Salikoko Mufwene and William Labov are quoted.

The Ebonics controversy is getting every hack to bring out jokes that

should have died with AMOS 'N' ANDY. The Village Voice is supposed to be

politically correct, but check out "Ebonics for Travelers" by James Hannaham

on page 37, col. 4:



THIRD LESSON (THIR LESSIN)

In the Inner City

_In d' 'Hood_



We're hungry.

_Yo, where d' White Castle at?_

We're homeless.

_Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen, my name is John Brown. I'm sorry to bother

you, but I happen to be homeless and I happen to be hungry. Anything you can

spare would be appreciated. I will now sing a loud, off-key version of an

old standard from the '30s._

Where are you taking that package?

_You gon' give me a cut, or am I goin' haveta call d' narcs on yo' ass?_

Excuse me, madam, I've mistaken you for a lady of the night. I'm very

embarrassed.

_I gots twenny bux. Dat goo' 'nuff?_



Again, this is the Village Voice!



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