How come black people use "were" and "was" incorrectly all the time?

[rob3rt]

Black people say "was" instead of "were" for the same reason that white people say:

"dude"
"hecka" or "hella"
"soda pop"
"totally"
"y'all"

Those are equally as retarded. Give it a rest guys.

 

[Kyteland]

I was just haveing a converstion like this with an Australian. Now, us Americans all know they talk funny but he seemed to want to make a point.

He asked me if I pronounced these three words the same: Mary, marry, merry. Well of course the first two, but not the last. He said he didn't think so. The way I said all three sounded the same to him. I guess down under these words are pronounced the same: Aunt, aren't. Exact same pronuciation! Go figure.

What's the point of all this? The way you talk is greatly influenced by the people who teach you.

So now I'm confused. Why is this specific to black people?

 

[Jugernot]

Originally posted by: Lifer
Do they really have bad grammar?
Or do they do it because they think it sounds cool and ghetto?

Example: I was just watching "Making the Band II" on MTV.
And they say something like -

"Me and my boys was just chillin'.

When the proper way to say it is -

"Me and my boys were just chillin'.

I agree, it annoys the crap out of I too.

 

[mpitts]

Originally posted by: Moralpanic

Originally posted by: mpitts

Originally posted by: friedpie

It's like asking why people from the south say "Y'all". Environment.

"Y'all" is a contraction of you all, and as far as I know is not grammatically incorrect!

Blacks also say "they" for "their." "They grandma sure can cook" for instance.

Lots of people, white and black think "conversate" is a verb. "Converse" is a verb. You converse with someone, you don't conversate with someone.

So the phrase "You all" is not grammatically incorrect?

I don't think so. 'You all need to chill'.

It that context, I would agree. But I live in Georgia and I hear it ALL the time. I would say that 80% of the time I hear it, it is used in an incorrect manner.

 

[Netopia]

<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">What you are referring to is generally known as "Ebonics". Ebonics is a distinct dialect of the "American English" language. There are grammatical rules governing the speech patterns and use of words. Though most who speak Ebonics would be unable to rattle off the rules of grammar, the do nonetheless exist.

The only rule I can remember for sure at the moment is the transposition of the word "it's" for the word or words "there's" or "there is" when referring to a specific, non-local object. For instance, let us suppose that a 7-11 exists at the corner of 10th St and Maple Ave. In normal English grammar, one would say:

There's a 7-11 at the corner of 10th and Maple.

whereas in Ebonics it would become:

It's a 7-11 at the corner of 10th and Maple.

There are other rules like the non-conjugating of the verb "to be" (I be chillin' or She be at the store); the singularizing/pluralizing of verbs (she work - we works / I be - we be's); the pluralization of plural words that are already plural but are are a treated like a singular thing (Can I have those scraps's (all the scraps being on "thing"), look at those peoples over there); the addition of "ed" to make past tense words that don't end in "ed" appear to be past tense (The other day I past'ed this girl. She be bumpin'. I really like'ed her).

I don't know if all of my examples were good ones, but I tried.

For those of you who hate that sort of speech... welcome to the real world. The English we speak is a watered down, bastardized version of British English... which has several of its own dialects. English came from Frisson, which came from Dutch, which came from German. In the evolution of language you constantly have new words/pronunciation/grammar. Whoever speaks the former considers the latter to be bad grammar instead of a new language/dialect. No matter how hard we try, language will never be static because the human race isn't static. Consider the "dialect" that we constantly user here... the following are not words but are accepted in the internet community: IMHO, BRB, YAGT, YACT, LOL, ROLFPIMP, YMMV.... we speak that dialect here. There are also REAL words that are used her that are totally wrong! For instance, there is the constant misuse of their, there and they're, of its and it's, of prolly instead of probably, kewl instead of cool.... and then we could move into the words that are half made up of numbers and punctuation marks!

We all want what we have and know to be the "right" things. It just doesn't work that way. There is only one "right" thing, and it has nothing to do with language!

Take Care,

Joe</SPAN>

 

[Netopia]

Originally posted by: mpitts

Originally posted by: Moralpanic

Originally posted by: mpitts

Originally posted by: friedpie

It's like asking why people from the south say "Y'all". Environment.

"Y'all" is a contraction of you all, and as far as I know is not grammatically incorrect! Blacks also say "they" for "their." "They grandma sure can cook" for instance. Lots of people, white and black think "conversate" is a verb. "Converse" is a verb. You converse with someone, you don't conversate with someone.

So the phrase "You all" is not grammatically incorrect?

I don't think so. 'You all need to chill'.

It that context, I would agree. But I live in Georgia and I hear it ALL the time. I would say that 80% of the time I hear it, it is used in an incorrect manner.

I think that the sentence "You all need to chill" would ONLY be grammatically correct if you had, for instance, ten people and three didn't want to comply, then you could say (with emphasis), "You all need to chill". This would be indicating that there are no exceptions to what is being said. This in NOT however, the normal usage.

In English the word "you" is both singular and plural. Therefore, whether I'm speaking to one person or ten I would still say "Hey, you want to party over at my house?" Though the addition of a pluralized "you" is common (y'all in the south, you'uns in Pennsylvania, youse guys in New England) it is not grammatically correct in standard American English. The truth is though, that a pluralized version of the word "you" is found in most languages and would be pretty handy in English. I hereby vote to use y'all.

Joe

 

[Jugernot]

Ebonics at work...

They are ignorant and have bad grammar.

 

[ProviaFan]

Originally posted by: Lifer
Do they really have bad grammar?
Or do they do it because they think it sounds cool and ghetto?

Example: I was just watching "Making the Band II" on MTV.
And they say something like -

"Me and my boys was just chillin'.

When the proper way to say it is -

"Me and my boys were just chillin'.

I'm surprised no one has commented on the incorrect placement and wording of "Me and my boys," which should be "My boys and I" if you are so concerned about proper grammar (as I usually am). If you're going to nitpick, at least nitpick consistently. Otherwise, let both pass.

This reminds me of the quote I saw on bash.org, which applies to me (in the 2nd person's case, anyway):
"<asr> 'fo sheezy.
<Sabboth> what the fvck does that mean in english? you should understand that having a day job precludes me from 'keeping it real' and as such, I lack a certain familiarity with the language of the 'streets' as it were."
It's too bad nobody has made a dictionary of this pseudo-Engrish so those of us who aren't privileged to interact with others "in the know" and who don't listen to (c)rap to stay up with the latest trends, can still be able to translate to real English if the need arises.

 

[Raspewtin]

You say potato, I say potato. Wow that really sucks when you type it instead of saying it.

 

[Walleye]

Originally posted by: Lifer
Do they really have bad grammar?
Or do they do it because they think it sounds cool and ghetto?

Example: I was just watching "Making the Band II" on MTV.
And they say something like -

"Me and my boys was just chillin'.

When the proper way to say it is -

"Me and my boys were just chillin'.

dont make the mistake that all black people are that way.

just the idiots who think sh1t like this is culture. same idiots who promote Kwanzaa, and BET. it's really pathetic...

 

[atom]

You think "Me and my boys..." is proper grammar, I don't think you should be critisizing other people's grammar.

 

[GoingUp]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Fo shizzle my nizzle, this thrizzle is off the heezy fo sheezy.

/removes low-hanging FUBU pants
/runs around wildly

Dawg, I be all up in this hijackin like a mofo!
WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

- M4H

:beer:

 

[CPA]

Originally posted by: Anubis
wheres the option for "you are a moron"

you have been pwned!

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: Gobadgrs

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Fo shizzle my nizzle, this thrizzle is off the heezy fo sheezy.

/removes low-hanging FUBU pants
/runs around wildly

Dawg, I be all up in this hijackin like a mofo!
WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

- M4H

:beer:

:beer::beer:

X2 Yu0 Teh Funnay

 

[isaacmacdonald]

It's perhaps a method of securing an identity within american culture. In any case, it's intentional, as opposed to much of the regional creations I've experienced. One particularly annoying locution in the New York area is "yous" (apparently the plural of the already plural you).

 

[Netopia]

<FONT size=3>I'm surprised no one has commented on the incorrect placement and wording of "Me and my boys," which should be "My boys and I" if you are so concerned about proper grammar (as I usually am). If you're going to nitpick, at least nitpick consistently. Otherwise, let both pass.

You know... there's another thing to think about. Is "me and my boys" a SINGLE group or a PLURALITY of individuals? We would say "The United States is great", but in England they would say "The United States ARE great"... it depends on whether you consider a group of items to be a large, single entity or several smaller ones.

We confuse and misuse this constantly. Think about this:

The Rolling Stones are playing this Saturday at the park.
U2 is playing this Saturday at the park.

In both cases we are talking about the group as a whole and not about the members of the group, but we act as if the name being plural makes the verb (is/are... to be) plural also. In actuality, it should probably be "The Rolling Stones IS playing...." but it really does sound weird.

Joe</FONT>

 

[Yax]

Originally posted by: thebestMAX
Didnt read the whole post but the same thing can be said about most white peoples use of "went" and "gone"!

I be gone!

hmm? Should I say " I be went" instead?

 

[PatboyX]

grammar is really just a construct to help us understand each other. especially in spoken communication, it becomes clear just how arbitrary it can be. if you understand what is meant by "me and my boys was just chillin'" than isnt that enough?

also: id be interested in why people think that this is a concious choice on the part of the speaker

 

[CoolTech]

Originally posted by: Walleye

Originally posted by: Lifer
Do they really have bad grammar?
Or do they do it because they think it sounds cool and ghetto?

Example: I was just watching "Making the Band II" on MTV.
And they say something like -

"Me and my boys was just chillin'.

When the proper way to say it is -

"Me and my boys were just chillin'.

dont make the mistake that all black people are that way.

just the idiots who think sh1t like this is culture. same idiots who promote Kwanzaa, and BET. it's really pathetic...

you are an idiot, nuff said.

 

[CoolTech]

Originally posted by: PatboyX
grammar is really just a construct to help us understand each other. especially in spoken communication, it becomes clear just how arbitrary it can be. if you understand what is meant by "me and my boys was just chillin'" than isnt that enough?

also: id be interested in why people think that this is a concious choice on the part of the speaker

well put

 

[CoolTech]

Originally posted by: Netopia
<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">What you are referring to is generally known as "Ebonics". Ebonics is a distinct dialect of the "American English" language. There are grammatical rules governing the speech patterns and use of words. Though most who speak Ebonics would be unable to rattle off the rules of grammar, the do nonetheless exist.

The only rule I can remember for sure at the moment is the transposition of the word "it's" for the word or words "there's" or "there is" when referring to a specific, non-local object. For instance, let us suppose that a 7-11 exists at the corner of 10th St and Maple Ave. In normal English grammar, one would say:

There's a 7-11 at the corner of 10th and Maple.

whereas in Ebonics it would become:

It's a 7-11 at the corner of 10th and Maple.

There are other rules like the non-conjugating of the verb "to be" (I be chillin' or She be at the store); the singularizing/pluralizing of verbs (she work - we works / I be - we be's); the pluralization of plural words that are already plural but are are a treated like a singular thing (Can I have those scraps<STRONG>'s</STRONG> (all the scraps being on "thing"), look at those people<STRONG>s</STRONG> over there); the addition of "ed" to make past tense words that don't end in "ed" appear to be past tense (The other day I past'<STRONG>ed</STRONG> this girl. She be bumpin'. I really like'<STRONG>ed</STRONG> her).

I don't know if all of my examples were good ones, but I tried.

For those of you who hate that sort of speech... welcome to the real world. The English we speak is a watered down, bastardized version of British English... which has several of its own dialects. English came from Frisson, which came from Dutch, which came from German. In the evolution of language you constantly have new words/pronunciation/grammar. Whoever speaks the former considers the latter to be bad grammar instead of a new language/dialect. No matter how hard we try, language will never be static because the human race isn't static. Consider the "dialect" that we constantly user here... the following are not words but are accepted in the internet community: IMHO, BRB, YAGT, YACT, LOL, ROLFPIMP, YMMV.... we speak that dialect here. There are also REAL words that are used her that are totally wrong! For instance, there is the constant misuse of their, there and they're, of its and it's, of prolly instead of probably, kewl instead of cool.... and then we could move into the words that are half made up of numbers and punctuation marks!

We all want what we have and know to be the "right" things. It just doesn't work that way. There is only one "right" thing, and it has nothing to do with language!

Take Care,

Joe</SPAN>

well put as well

 

[spidey07]

I guess nobody gets the joke of this post and poll?

 

[Miramonti]

Originally posted by: spidey07
I guess nobody gets the joke of this post and poll?

and that is?

 

[Lifer]

Originally posted by: atom
You think "Me and my boys..." is proper grammar, I don't think you should be critisizing other people's grammar.

When did I ever say it was correct grammar?
I was just quoting someone

 

[isaacmacdonald]

Originally posted by: PatboyX
grammar is really just a construct to help us understand each other. especially in spoken communication, it becomes clear just how arbitrary it can be. if you understand what is meant by "me and my boys was just chillin'" than isnt that enough?

also: id be interested in why people think that this is a concious choice on the part of the speaker

recognizing the delineation between the common "white" english and the less common ebonics, is what makes me think the speaker is concious of how they are saying things.