Ebonics Controversy Resurfaces

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ATLANTA (GaeaTimes.com)- The federal Drug Enforcement Administration’s search for professional translators who are fluent in Ebonics has once again brought the controversial question of regarding Ebonics as a separate language different from the usual American English to the forefront. The use of the word “Ebonics” is in itself generating criticism from different groups as the word in general is used to refer to the language spoken by people who are the descendants of Black African slaves.

The request for special Ebonics translators by the federal agency is drawing attention to the controversial declaration made in 1990s by one of the California’s school district that passed a resolution of recognizing the language spoken in general by the Black African Americans as a separate language distinct from usual American English. However, the school had to withdraw its resolution after it became a matter of national discussion and debate. The authorities failed to decide at that time whether Ebonics should be considered as a distinct language, a dialect or neither of the two. A Stanford linguistics professor, H. Samy Alim who had specialized in hip-hop culture and black language said that he finds the move DEA ironical. He maintained that it is ironical that while schools who are teaching black children have refused to recognize the legitimacy of the language, yet “the authorities and the police are recognizing that this [Ebonics] is a language that they don’t understand”.

However, lobbies that promote the use of English are highly skeptical about the move and fear that the search for special Ebonics translators will set a precedent. Aloysius Hogan, the government relations director of English First, maintained that the federal agency is moving in a wrong direction by hiring translators for languages that are of “questionable” merit.