Do you think the status of the widely stgimatized black English wud get boosted thanks to the ubiquitous presence of Obama as the US president in the media the world over?:-)
Black English vs. Obama
He has used Ebonics phrases in the past.
http://politicalmusic.wordpress.com/2009/01/14/barack-obama-nah-we-straight-bens-chilli-bowl/
http://politicalmusic.wordpress.com/2009/01/14/barack-obama-nah-we-straight-bens-chilli-bowl/
I have never actually heard Obama speak, as I do not watch the news or follow politics, except for what I occasionally (rarely) run across on the internet. I do not know whether he speaks African-American Vernacular English, or General American, or some other dialect, but consider this: When George Bush was president, did it raise the status of Texas English? Did you hear flocks of Northerners and Westerners rushing out to buy dialect coaching materials, so they could sound just like the president? No. I don't think that US presidents have any impact when it comes to dialect whatsoever.
0bama tries to sound black when he's in front of black audiences, but the fact is is that he's half white and was raised entirely by white people.
<<0bama tries to sound black when he's in front of black audiences, but the fact is is that he's half white and was raised entirely by white people. >>
So you are saying that BH Obama is not really our black President, but rather our first gray President?
So you are saying that BH Obama is not really our black President, but rather our first gray President?
He may be biracial and culturally white but he classifies himself as a black man. How confusing that must be.
To classifie himself as black is a feature of his american white culture. It had to be confusing when he was younger.
Let's be honest - this Obama chap hasn't done so much so far has he? I was utterly astonished at the ridiculous fanfare which greeted this man - as if he was some sort of superhero. Only the yanks could be so blinded by some choice words and a cosmetically enhanced smile. I am sorry to say but I honestly feel that Obama got to where he is on a guilt vote - simple as.
The yanks felt that they were somewhat vindicated by voting for him. I supppose in some way they felt that by doing so made up for the past and perhaps acted as some sort of statement to all that " I am not a racist - how can I be?? I voted for Obama"!! Ok, the competition, from the little that I know apparently wasn't up to much anyway so I suppose being in the right place at the right time had a bit to do with it as well.
Whether he is indeed Black is also open to debate due to him being equally White, in all honestly colour shouldn't matter but it shouldn't be forgotten that he really is half and half. It is funny that all the Black people I come across seem to forget this. I would say, personally though that he probably would have had to put up with the prejudices of being Black - I mean, due to how dark he is one must assume that to get to where he got to would have been a bloody lot harder than if he had come out White. So I give him his dues and would love to see the chap be a success - but I haven't seen much from the lad yet.
As for his language - he sounds well spoken to me but I haven't heard him enough nor am I familiar enough with Black American English to really say.
The yanks felt that they were somewhat vindicated by voting for him. I supppose in some way they felt that by doing so made up for the past and perhaps acted as some sort of statement to all that " I am not a racist - how can I be?? I voted for Obama"!! Ok, the competition, from the little that I know apparently wasn't up to much anyway so I suppose being in the right place at the right time had a bit to do with it as well.
Whether he is indeed Black is also open to debate due to him being equally White, in all honestly colour shouldn't matter but it shouldn't be forgotten that he really is half and half. It is funny that all the Black people I come across seem to forget this. I would say, personally though that he probably would have had to put up with the prejudices of being Black - I mean, due to how dark he is one must assume that to get to where he got to would have been a bloody lot harder than if he had come out White. So I give him his dues and would love to see the chap be a success - but I haven't seen much from the lad yet.
As for his language - he sounds well spoken to me but I haven't heard him enough nor am I familiar enough with Black American English to really say.
Yes, he switches into another way of speaking sometimes. We have a politician (white) in my state who does the same thing-a lawyer by day, a good ol'boy when it suits him to be one.
BO married an African-American woman, so by association, his culture is also African-American to some extent. I noticed that he has put several people with mixed heritage around him-Eric Holder, Valerie Jarrett, Sonia Sotomayor also has some African heritage, I read. RE also has or had dual citizenship, so there is another connection-bicultural.
BO married an African-American woman, so by association, his culture is also African-American to some extent. I noticed that he has put several people with mixed heritage around him-Eric Holder, Valerie Jarrett, Sonia Sotomayor also has some African heritage, I read. RE also has or had dual citizenship, so there is another connection-bicultural.
I like it when he younger say "What'choo talkin bout Willis?" Very fun.
Guilt, my ass.
I guarantee you few Americans give a crap about racial guilt when they go to the polls. People don't tend to feel personally responsible for past history. They simply either vote for somebody they like, or against somebody they don't. This "guilt" thing is mainly in the imagination of the European media, which is primarily where I've heard it espoused. It's ridiculous to us. I mean, seriously: picture someone standing in a voting booth, scratching their chin with the pencil, and saying to themselves,"Oh, gosh. I'm a hardcore Republican and every fiber of my being wants to vote for John McCain. But, you know, I've always felt really bad about the Dred Scott Decision and the Fugitive Slave Act, and if I just tick that box next to Obama's name, I will have struck a mighty blow for the civil rights movement and my conscience will finally be clear."
It just doesn't happen.
I guarantee you few Americans give a crap about racial guilt when they go to the polls. People don't tend to feel personally responsible for past history. They simply either vote for somebody they like, or against somebody they don't. This "guilt" thing is mainly in the imagination of the European media, which is primarily where I've heard it espoused. It's ridiculous to us. I mean, seriously: picture someone standing in a voting booth, scratching their chin with the pencil, and saying to themselves,"Oh, gosh. I'm a hardcore Republican and every fiber of my being wants to vote for John McCain. But, you know, I've always felt really bad about the Dred Scott Decision and the Fugitive Slave Act, and if I just tick that box next to Obama's name, I will have struck a mighty blow for the civil rights movement and my conscience will finally be clear."
It just doesn't happen.