The statement by the Executive Committee of the Conference on College Composition and Communication affirming the student's right to his own language--his dialect--poses a challenge deserving further research, especially as it concerns the classroom situation. Black English, a dialect with linguistic principles whose roots can be traced to West…

This study was built on the hypothesis that linguistic cues distinguish the speech of the poor and the ethnically different. Eight samples of connected interview discourse were taken from a two-by-two-by-two matrix of sex, race and social status. The samples were played to groups of elementary, secondary and college students who rated each voice…

Black English has existed for a considerable length of time in the North as well as in the South. West African slaves who came to New York in 1625 found a contact language useful and mandatory in order to function in the slave community. The earliest slaves in the New York area may have used Pidgin English, Pidgin Portuguese, or Pidgin French…

Suggests ways to help students avoid miscues caused by eye dialects in their reading. (DD)

Argues that the standard of correct pronunciation is what educated native speakers actually say, not what they think they say and not what dictionaries prescribe that they are supposed to say; therefore educated Southern pronunciation is correct and should be labeled so. (SR)

In this paper, a case study describes the lexis, phonology, grammar, and syntax of a speaker of South African English (SAE) and shows how these elements differ from those of a General American English (GAE) speaker. The subject was a 32-year-old female speaker of SAE, and that although she is a bilingual speaker of English and Afrikaans, English…

Reviews issues in black English and concludes that diagnostic tools must incorporate the cultural characteristics of black English while coping with the phenomena of language learning. (DM)

One of Canada's leading authorities on the teaching of language arts examines the award-winning television show, and has some reservations about it. (DM)

Author reaffirms the value of the Black idiom" in speech, and criticizes those who would either eradicate the Black idiom or teach Blacks to be switchers from the Black idiom when they be around Blacks, to the white idiom when they are around white employees and others." (Author/DR)

The pros and cons of teaching Black English in the elementary schools are presented by Thomas Brown (principal, Longfellow Elementary School--pro) and Orlando L. Taylor (Howard University--con). (KC)

Considers "Ebonics" the most encompassing of the different terms used to describe various English language patterns used by Blacks. Recommends measures to improve teacher attitudes and knowledge in dealing with students who use nonstandard language patterns. (Author/MJL)

Discusses the traps which catch speakers of nonstandard dialect when it comes to learning to read. Lists core understandings that teachers of pre- and inservice teachers can promote to make learning a second dialect--written language--an easy and natural cognitive task. (SR)

Reviews three responses to a student's use of nonstandard English: eradicationism, pluralism, and code switching. Suggests that many scholars, recognizing an option between the first and third options, fail to acknowledge the existence of the second option, which gives the language user, not the teacher, the agency in deciding which form of…