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A Linguist Shows Respect for Black English

William Labov teaches at the University of Pennsylvania discusses Ebonics. He's been studying Black English for 30 years and traced the rules governing Black and White English. He also examined the differences between the two and explored the roots of the changes taking place in the languages.

26:46
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Other segments from the episode on January 30, 1997

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, January 30, 1997: Interview with Fred Goodman; Interview with William Labov.
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20:48

How Rock and Roll Counterculture Became a Business

Freelance journalist and music critic Fred Goodman. In a new book, "The Mansion on The Hill" Goodman chronicles how the record industry has changed rock 'n roll from the music of the counterculture to a billion dollar commercial enterprise. Goodman's past publications have appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, New York, and Spy.

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34:18

Linguist John McWhorter

John McWhorter's newest book is called The Power of Babel: A Natural History of Language. He has written on Ebonics, language and African Americans, and the origins of the Creole Language. His other books include Losing the Race: Self-Sabotage in Black America and Word on the Street: Debunking the Myth of 'Pure' Standard English. McWhorter is a professor at the University of California at Berkeley.

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05:31

The Controversy Over Black English

Linguist Geoff Nunberg looks at the current debate surrounding black vernacular in school, which the Oakland school board has dubbed "Ebonics."

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