African American English (AAE), also known as African American Vernacular English (AAVE), is a variety of American English spoken by many African Americans in the United States. AAE has its own unique grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary that sets it apart from other forms of American English.
Names and Origins
AAE has been known by several different names over the years:
- African American Vernacular English (AAVE)
- African American English (AAE)
- Black English
- Ebonics
- Pan-African Communication Behaviors
The origins of AAE can be traced back to the 17th and 18th centuries when Africans were brought to America as slaves. The diverse African languages spoken by the slaves began to blend and synthesize with English to form a distinct dialect. This early AAE took on more consistency during the Great Migration in the early 20th century when millions of African Americans moved from rural southern areas to urban northern and western cities.
Distinctive Features
There are some key grammatical, pronunciation, and vocabulary features that distinguish AAE from other forms of English:
Grammar
- Habitual “be” – Using “be” to indicate frequent actions (e.g. “She be walking to school everyday”)
- Omission of “is” and “are” – Dropping forms of the verb “to be” (e.g. “She nice” instead of “She is nice”)
- Absence of “s” on 3rd person verbs – Using the uninflected verb for 3rd person singular subjects (e.g. “She walk everyday”)
- Multiple negation – Using two or more negative words in a sentence (e.g. “I didn’t go nowhere”)
Pronunciation
- Consonant cluster reduction – Omitting certain consonants in clusters (e.g. “tes” for “tests”)
- Final consonant absence – Dropping final consonants (e.g. “hol” for “hold”)
- Th-stopping – Substituting “d” or “v” sounds for “th” (e.g. “dem” for “them”)
Vocabulary
- Semantic changes – Existing words take on new meanings (e.g. “kitchen” meaning “nape of the neck”)
- Compounding – Combining two words to create a new term (e.g. “play-cousin”)
- Neologisms – Inventing completely new words or phrases (e.g. “boat-tailed”)
Prevalence and Recognition
Research suggests that nearly all African Americans speak AAE to some degree in informal contexts. The level of AAE usage depends on factors like socioeconomic status, age, and geography. Middle class African Americans may primarily use standard English at work or school but speak with more AAE features in casual settings. Younger speakers tend to use newer AAE slang terms while older generations adhere more to traditional grammar rules.
Use of AAE became stigmatized in educational settings in the 1960s and 1970s. Some bidialectal programs aimed to teach Standard American English to speakers of AAE to improve education outcomes. However, by the late 1990s, AAE became more accepted as a legitimate dialect of English. Linguists affirmed that AAE has a complex grammatical structure with rules equal to other dialects. The recognition of AAE as a distinct variety of English with African roots contributed to a growing sense of cultural pride.
Current Use and Status
AAE continues to evolve and change over time, especially as younger African Americans create new slang and expressions. Use of AAE is no longer discouraged in schools. Educators now take a more nuanced approach – teaching standard English for writing and formal contexts while acknowledging students’ home dialects.
Many African American artists, writers, and public figurestoday incorporate AAE features into their work as expressions of identity. AAE vocabulary and slang have heavily influenced contemporary American hip hop music and culture beyond the African American community.
Linguists see AAE not as substandard but as a rule-governed dialect equally capable of conveying complex ideas as other forms of English. As a dialect with roots extending back for centuries in America, AAE serves as an important aspect of African American cultural heritage and identity.
Conclusion
African American English is a distinct variety of American English originating among African slaves and their descendants. Through the Great Migration, it developed into a widely spoken dialect with unique grammatical, pronunciation, and vocabulary features. While stigmatized in the past, AAE is now recognized as a legitimate dialect intertwined with African American identity and culture. It continues to evolve and influence wider American speech patterns, especially through hip hop music.