Word up, yo.
I've been reading some works by the Puritans of the 1600's. Our contemporary English can't hold a candle to the sheer music of their speech.
Ebonics is a plague on the ears. It's foul and offensive to any of the Romantic languages and should be shunned by society, not embraced.
Word up indeed.
I spend a great deal of time with the colonists: their language, ideas and monuments (Sunday I will attend a service at Pulpit Rock), and you are wholly right.
Have you read 'Mourt's Relation?'
Someday if I have my wish, in the not too distant future, you can read my pieces 'Sabbath Day' and 'Monody on a Broken Column,' both of which are about them.
I have it on good authority that Shakespeare wore a doo-rag and grabbed his crotch the entire time he was writing Hamlet.
I know what you mean. But the fact is, they were not very economical with language. That was OK, back when there was nothing to do but farm and read.
But 17th and 18th century English is much too cumbersome a vehicle for communication in the modern, content-heavy high speed world.
When I was an English major in college, I took a course in 18th century English literature. I fell in love with the majesty of the language, and used to amuse myself by emulating the style.
AS a lark, I once left someone a four page note in 12 point type, the basic message of which was that I would be back in my room in ten minutes. It was a hoot. But I'm glad we don't speak like that anymore. That said, I'll begin to consider Ebonics a legitimate language when someone is ablt to provide an Ebonics translation of the US Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.
Few great societies are out right conquered at their prime. Usually when the conquering armies arrive, all they're doing is kicking in the rotting walls and watching the rats and roaches run. In other words, most great civilizations first rotted from the inside, the conquerers just gave them the final push. Ebonics is another symptom of the rot.
FYI: English is not a Romance (Latin-based) language; it is Germanic.
Quote: I've been reading some works by the Puritans of the 1600's. Our contemporary English can't hold a candle to the sheer music of their speech.
I've read some letters written by civil war soldiers. Their use of language was incredible and poetic.
Today a soldiers letter would start: Yo, whaaazzz up? It s so hot here by ba**s are dripping gallons.
Trying not to downgrade todays soldiers but just another example of our corsening society.