As to Ebonics, maybe. I would be guess that if one could give an objective score for flexibility and range of things that can be easily expressed within a language, or a similar objective score for literary potential (word games, variation in expression, nuance), then English would probably come out significantly ahead of Ebonics.
Absolutely. English has been a literary language, and that helps a lot. It is more suitable for writing.
However, what I said was the Ebonics is part of a culture that is filth, and that if the entire culture were swapped, then they would be better off. Defending Ebonics as "part of a culture" when that culture is garbage is rather odd. It's like the best you can say for the dialect is that it isn't as crap as the rest of the things commonly associated with it.
I'm not defending it as 'culture' though. I'm defending it as a legitimate dialect, no more. The idea that some dialect is somehow better because it originated from where the political center is located is quite bizarre.
Even if only Ebonics disappeared and was replaced by standard English, they'd still be better off. But for the reasons I have stated earlier, not because there is something inherently wrong with a dialect that is not standard.
I agree, but that is not due to the merits (or lack thereof) of the language. It's just more useful to speak a language that more people speak.
If everyone else spoke what is now Ebonics, and they spoke Standard English, they'd be better off switching to Ebonics.
Absolutely. English has been a literary language, and that helps a lot. It is more suitable for writing.
I'm not defending it as 'culture' though. I'm defending it as a legitimate dialect, no more. The idea that some dialect is somehow better because it originated from where the political center is located is quite bizarre.
Even if only Ebonics disappeared and was replaced by standard English, they'd still be better off. But for the reasons I have stated earlier, not because there is something inherently wrong with a dialect that is not standard.