African American English Vernacular is a dialect. Why are there such harsh views regarding its use? The purpose of this blog is to educate people that AAVE is a dialect and to stand up to the linguistic oppression that AAVE speakers face. There is no one way of speaking correctly. Black children who speak AAVE should not feel ashamed for using their native dialect.
A 2013 journal article of developmental psychology seeks to rebrand AAVE as a true dialect. The paper states that African American Vernacular english is a "rule-governed linguistic system." The goal of many linguists, speech language pathologists and psychologists is to impart education on this subject. Hopefully, this results in a better understanding of dialectical differences to prevent the misdiagnosis of children with normal language development. To read the paper in its entirety, please click the link provided. psycnet.apa.org/record/2012-12946-001?doi=1 Black children who speak AAVE should not be labeled with a language disorder. They simply speak a minority dialect. All dialects and languages are equal. Therefore, every child should be made to feel that the way they choose to verbally communicate is perfectly valid. Lets break free of the strict prescriptivist language mold and embrace linguistic equality for the present and the future. We must stop simply hearing kids speak African American English Vernacular. We must listen to them as well.
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There seems to be a perception that dialects are some form of foreign, fancy, flowery speech. However, everyone speaks a dialect. Dialects are a variant of any particular language. They are often formed based on region. The main dialect in the United States is known as Standard American English. However, there are many other dialects spoken in various parts of the country. The exact number of dialects in the United States is a topic of great debate by many sociolinguists. Speech in each region of the U.S. shares certain grammar and pronunciation rules. Each region also has multiple dialects. However, there is a consensus on the main regions in the nation. The image above reflects the consensus of many sociolinguists. This blog will focus on the dialect many African Americans speak. It is widely known as Ebonics, but it is referred to by linguists as African American Vernacular English (AAVE).
Here are some of the main grammatical features of AAVE.
www.ello.uos.de/field.php/Sociolinguistics/ThelinguisticcharacteristicsofAAVE digitalcommons.brockport.edu/divconf/2017/schedule/12/ Black culture, itself, is like a mirror looking back into different aspects our history. It was borne out of struggle and triumph. AAVE or African American Vernacular English, has been found to reflect syntax of African languages. According to linguistic society, AAVE shares similar features with West African languages. www.linguisticsociety.org/content/what-ebonics-african-american-english AAVE became controversial in 1996 when the Oakland District school board decided that it was the native language of more than 20,000 African American students in its jurisdiction. This was the beginning of the proliferation of the word "Ebonics." The words ebony and phonics were combined by Robert Williams in 1973 to replace the stigmatized term "Nonstandard Negro English". There was a contentious debate as to whether Ebonics was a really a language or a dialect. The individuals involved ranged from representatives of the house and senate, educators of the Oakland district to ministers. journals.linguisticsociety.org/proceedings/index.php/BLS/article/viewFile/1152/933 If you would like to learn more about the AAVE and it's stigmatization, please watch the video below. For those who may not be familiar with the terminology, allow me to explain code switching. This term is used to refer to moving back and forth between two different dialects or languages based on the social situation. For example. The way you speak to your friends may not be the way you speak to your professor. You may also find that you speak to your White friends in one dialect and your Black friends in another. Here are possible situations where code switching would be likely to occur.
Below is a fascinating view into the life of a black girl who learned AAVE as a second dialect. Many individuals don't see the point in learning AAVE. Why would you want to learn a stigmatized dialect? Kinsey Clarke had to learn when and how to code-switch. Read her experience below. http://stateofopportunity.michiganradio.org/post/how-i-learned-talk-black-confessions-well-spoken-black-girl According to a recent study at Southern Illinois University, although African Americans admit that they code switch in the workplace, they themselves still view someone who uses AAVE heavily to be of a lower class. This is a perfect example of internalized racism. AAVE is an integral part of African American culture. Internalized racism as it relates to AAVE does not occur overnight, but is the result of years of linguistic oppression. To see the entirety of the study, click the link button below. From a young age, we are provided with false linguistic information. We are taught that there is only one right way to communicate verbally. It is the way of the majority: Standard American English. It is the language of politics, corporate America and ultimately, success. Then, we are ostracized and ridiculed whenever we are nonconformist. This is how society perpetuates this false narrative about speech and language. Thus, bi-dialectical African American children are placed in boxes from which they have no hope of escape. The stigmatization of AAVE causes repression instead of expression. In each grade level, the grammatical structures of Standard American English are constantly emphasized and outlined. Through exams, essays and speeches, the educational reinforcement ingrains the prescriptivist concept: this is the right way to speak. Any other form of language usage becomes unacceptable. Sadly, this results in internalized oppression. Children stop using the AAVE dialect and learn to police others to conform as well.
Speech Language Pathologists are at the forefront of educating teachers and parents about language. Students in Communication Sciences and Disorders must be sufficiently educated if they are to change perceptions of AAVE as slang or "broken English." A research article from 2012 seeks to uncover whether or not proper education of SLP students helps them learn the grammatical and phonological features of AAVE. journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1525740111430524 How amazing would it be for schools to teach a curriculum that promotes linguistic diversity! Every child should be made to feel that their dialect or language is a valid means of communication. Oppression through educational means is still oppression. It is wrong and it needs to stop. |
AuthorMy name is Shedira and I am a senior Communication Sciences and Disorders Major. My professional goal is to become an SLP. My personal goal is to inform people that AAVE is a dialect and a valid means of communication. ArchivesCategories |