Munyungo Jackson’s The Nu Naybahood Funetic Ebonic Dictionary, is a tongue-in-cheek look at the many ways this language has seeped into American culture. Ebonics is the African American linguistic way of putting our fingerprint on the King’s English. As an adaptable people, it is a well-known fact that the descendants of Africa make a flamboyant statement wherever they settle in the world. Original speech patterns, derived from West Africa, where the majority of slaves were stolen, have survived down to this day. Slavery, segregation, even integration have failed to stamp out the memory of the Homeland. Instead of speaking many of the languages indigenous to Africa, the Elders used a creolized version as a way of maintaining our own separate identity. And from one generation to the next, the Diaspora have handed down our unique way of expressing ourselves, so much so that other ethnic groups often imitate it now.
This book gives us a keener insight into Ebonics. It helps us to recognize the fact that most people use the language. It puts the highly-educated, nose-in-the-air persons in check, because they will discover that they are guilty of speaking "Ebonics." This book is a collection of words and terms that we use every day. Some old, many new. Some of these words are actually 2 or 3 words put together, but the way some of us speak, they sound like one word. For example, "WAOUNCHU," translates as "Why don’t you--" The book provides an alternate English for you proper-speaking folks.
You will not find most of these words in Webster’s or anybody else’s dictionary. The book allows one to reflect on how he/she talks. Ebonics is spoken by many ethnic groups; therefore, it is the perfect book for school teachers. The book is so real and so funny.
As a well-known, world-traveled musician, D. Munyungo Jackson comes into contact with a cross-section of society, which puts him in a position of authority to have written this book.
Darryl Munyungo Jackson, is a professional musician. He makes his living creating sounds on instruments that you beat, strike, shake, blow, pluck, and stroke!
A native of Los Angeles, California, Munyungo has traveled throughout the world sharing his expertise with many people. For over thirty years, he has recorded, performed, and traveled with artists such as The Supremes, Temptations, Four Tops, Patti LaBelle, Aretha Franklin, The Pointer Sisters, Anita Baker, Kenny Loggins, Sting, Miles Davis, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Jonathan Butler, George Howard and Dianne Reeves, just to name a few.
Munyungo releases his first book, The Nu Nayahood Funetic Ebonic Dictionary.
Ebonics is not new. It goes way back, even before the time of slavery in the U.S. There are many respectable books written on the subject of Ebonics, Black English, and the history and evolution of language and of people of African descent. But not until the case of the "unsuccessful Ebonic funding" did the nation, and the world, pay any attention to the word "Ebonics" and the way us Black folks talk!
I do understand that most of the jokes on the Internet were fabricated for laughs. So I, and many others, began to listen more closely to how we DO speak, say things, come up with words that mean certain things, and use old words and change the meaning without fabrication. And you know what? It's funny because it's real life.
In this book, I've collected words and terms that we use everyday. Some old, a lot new. Some of these words when you read them, are going to be hard to figure out at first because they look funny. After reading many of these words, terms and sentences, I'm sure you'll say, "Yep, I've said THAT before!" Or else, you've heard someone else say it.
Now, the purpose of this book is mostly for entertainment, although there may be some educational value for those of you who are not familiar with some of the terms us Black folks use. I say entertainment, because it is NOT to be mistaken for an addition, or a replacement, for some of the great and serious work done on Black English. Nor will you find most of these words in Webster's or anybody else's dictionary. Cept this one, which I call, "The Nu Naybahood Funetic Ebonic Dictionary."
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