They don't have the exact word thank you but they have something similar
like Nepalese doesn't have a word the means thank you in english, but when speaking you change the pronoun/verb ending to reflect the level of respect you wish to show to someone
You talking basic definitions when please in English can mean something different depending on the context
like everything wrote I would respond to nikka please
I'm not asking for anything from politely when I say that word in that context you dumb fukk, and people barely say please when asking for something today
Also why do keep harping on English when the english is what makes black AMERICANS, AMERICANS
1) That is NOT what I am referring to...I am telling you the CONCEPT itself DOES NOT exist...
There is no please and there is no thank you...If you want something you ask for it directly "John, give me that pen" and when he gives it to you, there is NO expectation for you to say "thank you"...
So, the language has no word for please and thank you, and there are no changing verbs or the grammar to indicate "thank you" because the culture does not have an expectation to say please and thank you for mundane day to day requests...
In North America, you see it when people have worked together for a long time and they are comfortable enough to say "John, I need that report asap"...And John won't be offended without a "please" in the request...
2) Again, I am not talking "basic definition" Throughout this discussion I have tried to get across that I am talking about CONCEPTS...Things that really separate people...
And I am not talking about how an English can be used differently given a context...
Again, I am stating that the CONCEPT itself doesn't exist, and therefore, it is NOT reflected in the language and grammar...
3) I point out to English because Culture is transmitted through language, when you lose your language, you lose a BIG part of your culture, there certain are cultural concepts that are reflected in the English language that have no translation in other languages, and vice versa...
Black Americans don't speak ANY African language, so I doubt that even 5% of modern Black American culture is African...This thread is already 4 page deep and none of you has yet to give an example of how Black Americans are so different from White Americans...
Somebody said Blacks comb their hair differently, and therefore have a different culture...
Clearly, the majority of you don't even understand the basic definitions...
4) Not everything a people do is a "culture" and not every cultural practice is ultimately important to a people...
One lesson I can take from this discussion is that culture is NOT easy to define...