Date: Wed, 8 Oct 1997 09:49:38 -0500

From: "Salikoko S. Mufwene" s-mufwene[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]UCHICAGO.EDU

Subject: Re: The Lords Prayer/Ebonics



Your start your posting right, Carol, that you "thought some of [us] might

find this interesting." I am one of those that do not. Your posting reminds

me of some others, of a few months back, when I wondered whether it was the

laypeople who produced jokes about "Ebonics" who were misinformed or the

ADS-List members who reported them, and for what intellectual purpose, I

may ask. Do you know of any African-American family in which the variety

putatively adopted in the Bible translation, per your example, is the

default vernacular? Or are we back to the days when we discussed how people

cook chittlins... just to satisfy some emotions but with little

contribution to our intellectual curiosities?



Best,



Sali.

======================================



I got this from a friend this morning, not in ADS, but I thought some of you

might find this interesting.

By the way, there is an African-American Bible, pub. by African-American

Family Press 1993, that goes (In the beginning, God created the Heavens and

the Earth, and the Earth was without form and void): Now when the Almighty

was first down with His program, He made the Heavens and the earth. The earth

was a fashion misfit, being so uncool and dark...

---------------------

Forwarded message:

From: maryanneraphael[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]juno.com (maryanne j raphae)

To: CLAndrus[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]aol.com

Date: 97-10-07 16:25:34 EDT



--------- Begin forwarded message ----------

From: tomepatterson[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]juno.com (Thomas E Patterson)

To: maryanneraphael[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]juno.com

Subject: The Lords Prayer/Ebonics

Date: Sat, 25 Jan 1997 16:42:43 PST

Message-ID: 19970125.164244.6782.0.tomepatterson[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]juno.com



No doubt some Bible societies will feel compelled to publish a new

translation of the Holy Scriptures in the newly discovered language

of Ebonics.



Here's a head start for them.



EBONICS ENGLISH



Big Daddy's Rap The Lord's Prayer



Yo, Bid Daddy upstairs, Our Father, who art in heaven



You be chillin' Hallowed be thy name



So be yo hood Thy Kingdom come



You be sayin' it, I be doin' it Thy will be done



In this here hood and yo's On earth as it is in heaven



Gimme some eats Give us this day our daily

bread



And cut me some slack, Blood And forgive us our trespasses



Sos I be doin' it to dem dat diss me As we forgive those who

trespass

against

us



don't be pushing me into no jive And lead us not into

temptation



and keep dem Crips away But deliver us from evil



'Cause you always be da Man For thine is the Kingdom, the

power

and the glory, forever and

ever.



Aaa-men Amen















--------- End forwarded message ----------



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Salikoko S. Mufwene s-mufwene[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]uchicago.edu

University of Chicago 773-702-8531; FAX 773-834-0924

Department of Linguistics

1010 East 59th Street

Chicago, IL 60637

http://humanities.uchicago.edu/humanities/linguistics/faculty/mufwene.html

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