The Sociology of African American Language A Language Planning Perspective [Hardcover]

The current state of knowledge of African American language is examined from a broad, multidisciplinary perspective that includes its structure, history, social role and educational implications, as well as the linguistic scholarship from which it derives, as a case study of language planning. A diverse array of topics including Hip-Hop culture, the Black Church and the Ebonics controversy are unified by a pervasive theme of latent conflict between academic knowledge and 'real world' knowledge of Black language.Dedication Acknowledgements Introduction Linguists as Visionaries If it Ain't Broke Don't Fix It: Toward a Policy of Full Recognition of African American Language Language Planning as a Field of Inquiry What's in a Name? Where did African American Language Come From? Language in the African Diaspora: The Case of Saman? English The Language Situation in the African American Speech Community: The Status of Variety X Cross-Over: From African American to National and World Culture Ebonics and Black School Achievement: The Language Difference Hypothesis The Grammar: We Be Following Rules The Standardization of African American Language References Index

'...the work makes good recommendations for next steps that linguists and activists can take to raise the status of AA and hopefully make education language policy and culturally relevant pedagogy easier to implement.' - Julia Deak, Current Issues in Language Planning

CHARLES DEBOSE is Professor of English at California State University, East Bay, California, USA. His scholarly interests include sociolinguistics, pidgin and creole linguistics and language planning and policy, especially as it informs the academic achievement of African American children. He is an ordained minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church.