LINGUIST List 12.1767

Mon Jul 9 2001

Qs: 'Special' Antonyms, SAE in Black Communities

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Directory

  1. Dan Everett, special antonyms
  2. Robert Trammell, STANDARD ENGLISH IN BLACK COMMUNITIES: A SURVEY

Message 1: special antonyms

 Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2001 05:28:51 -0500
From: Dan Everett <Dan.Everettman.ac.uk>
Subject: special antonyms

I know that this was discussed on the list some time ago, but I have
forgotten the term that refers to a pair of antonyms where each member
of the pair has the same phonetic shape. For example, 'Stand *fast*'
vs. 'Run *fast*' where *fast* means both 'still/motionless' and 'rapid
movement'. I would appreciate it if someone could tell us what the
term is for such pairs and, if possible, what studies exist of this
phenomenon.

Thanks,

Dan Everett
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Message 2: STANDARD ENGLISH IN BLACK COMMUNITIES: A SURVEY

 Date: Thu, 05 Jul 2001 20:27:40 -0400
From: Robert Trammell <trammellfau.edu>
Subject: STANDARD ENGLISH IN BLACK COMMUNITIES: A SURVEY

MEMORANDUM
TO:	 	African Americans & other People of African Descent

FROM:		Dr. Nannetta Durnell-Uwechue, Department of Communication
		Dr. Robert Trammell, Department of Languages and Linguistics
		Florida Atlantic University

RE:		National Website Survey for Standard English Speakers from 
 the Black Community

Hello, 

We'd like your help completing a Survey on "Learning Standard English
in Black Communities in the United States." The survey is anonymous
and largely multiple choice. Our survey is currently on the Web at

		www.linguistics.fau.edu/trammell

 The questions from the survey address areas which include: (1) your
personal attitudes towards Standard English and Ebonics, (3) the
amount of Standard English used in your home, (4) memorable learning
experiences in and out of school, and (5) other areas related to how
and when you learned Standard English.

The feedback from 50 or so who have taken the survey thus far said it
was a fun walk down memory lane, and they're looking forward to seeing
the overall results from the study. We will present the results of
our survey to an international gathering of scholars in Hawai'i on
October 6, 2001. We would like to have as many people as posssible
complete the survey before that, but will continue to gather data for
awhile after that. If you see ways to expose it to more people,
students, or whomever, please do.

It is our hope that the information compiled from hundreds of people
will enable the education community to improve its teaching materials
and teacher education methods for those interested in learning or
teaching Standard English, and provide knowledge and insight in
understanding the staying power of Ebonics.

If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact us.:

Robert L. Trammell, Prof. of Linguistics	(Out of town 7/6 to about 8/13)
Department of Languages and Linguistics	
Florida Atlantic University 
777 Glades Road					
Boca Raton, FL 33431				
Tel: (561) 297-3867					
Fax: (561) 297-2657	
Email: trammellfau.edu

Nannetta Durnell-Uwechue, Assoc. Prof.
Depart of Communication, 
Florida Atlantic University
777 Glades Road					
Boca Raton, FL 33431				
Tel: (561) 297-3894					
Fax: (561) 297-4460	
Email: Durnellfau.edu

We're looking forward to hearing from you!

Thanks
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