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Justice Department Seeks Ebonics Experts

Posted by samzenpus on from the my-mama-no-raise-no-dummies-I-dug-her-rap dept.

In addition to helping decipher their Lil Wayne albums, the Justice Department is seeking Ebonics experts to help monitor, translate and transcribe wire tapped conversations. The DEA wants to fill nine full time positions. From the article: "A maximum of nine Ebonics experts will work with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Atlanta field division, where the linguists, after obtaining a 'DEA Sensitive' security clearance, will help investigators decipher the results of 'telephonic monitoring of court ordered nonconsensual intercepts, consensual listening devices, and other media.'”

2 of 487 comments (clear)

  1. Herein follow a few terms to help you get started by MRe_nl · · Score: 5, Informative

    on your merry way towards the ve-nak-u-lar

    "Damn- that shit is DOPE".
    That is a wonderful concept/object/action.
    "Can't FADE that".
    I am unable to comprehend or assimilate that concept at this time.
    "Shante ain't havin' it".
    This is not something that Shante will allow to occur.
    "Homey- Boo was dropping PHAT beats".
    Our friend Boo was playing some wonderful music.
    "YO!- Let me GAFFLE that BLUNT"!
    Might I be able to indulge in your marijuana cigarette?
    "JIMMY was on and I was HITTIN' it"!
    I had in my possession a condom, which was used in my engagement of sexual activity.

    http://www.ebonics-translator.com/ebonics_101.php

    --
    "Kill 'em all and let Root sort 'em out"
  2. AAVE is a fairly recent development by kurisuto · · Score: 5, Informative

    Actually, it appears that AAVE is a product of the Great Northern Migration of African-Americans in the early 20th century. Prior to that time, there was little to no distinction between the dialects of southern whites and southern blacks.

    The pieces of evidence for this claim include:

    • Phonograph recordings made in the 1930's of former slaves
    • Diaries and letters written by semi-literate slaves and former slaves in the 19th century. Since the writers were semi-literate, the spelling is a better indication of the pronunciation than standard spelling would be.

    • Something which linguists call "age grading". If you take speakers of AAVE today and compare younger speakers with older speakers, the younger speakers actually have a higher percentage occurrence of the distinctive features of AAVE. This suggests that AAVE is becoming increasingly distinct from standard American English over time.

    There are other pieces of evidence as well, but those are some of the important ones.