mbb@cbnewsh.ATT.COM (martin.b.brilliant) (05/03/89)
I haven't been following the discussion Re: Effects of poor writing? (Long) in detail, but I started to review it and picked up a point I'd like to comment on: From article <17158@mimsy.UUCP>, by folta@tove.umd.edu (Wayne Folta): > ..... In fact, I was recently browsing > through new books at the campus store and saw a book which explores the > relationship between black children's Black English and their poor math > test scores. ..... Black English ... causes > problems in that Black English uses different metrics for distance, etc., > which causes unit conversion problems. (Note: I did not read the book, > and I am no linguist, so I cannot vouch for its methods or conclusions. > I only know that this book was in a reputable bookstore, which I hope would > not contain poorly researched or racist books.) Actually, this should not be at all surprising. Black English is, at least with respect to its grammar, a different language. Not inferior, but different. When a native speaker of Black English tries to get technical meaning out of something written or spoken in Standard English, there is bound to be misunderstanding. M. B. Brilliant Marty AT&T-BL HO 3D-520 (201) 949-1858 Holmdel, NJ 07733 att!hounx!marty1 or marty1@hounx.ATT.COM Disclaimer: Opinions stated herein are mine unless and until my employer explicitly claims them; then I lose all rights to them.