[9] African-American Vernacular (AAVE) is the native variety of the majority of working-class and many middle-class African Americans, particularly in urban areas,[2] with its own unique accent, grammar, and vocabulary features.
[12] Common features of the phonology include non-rhoticity (dropping the r sound at the end of syllables),[11] the metathetic use of aks instead of ask,[13] simplification of diphthongs (e.g., eye typically sounds like ah),[14] a raising chain shift of the front vowels,[15] and a wider range of intonation or "melody" patterns than most General American accents.
This variety exhibits standard English vocabulary and grammar but often retains certain elements of the unique AAVE accent,[19][20] with intonational or rhythmic features maintained more than phonological ones.
[24] Despite its distinctiveness, AAAE shares many features with other varieties of Appalachian English, including the use of nonstandard pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary.
The language is a relative of the African-American Vernacular English, with significant variations unique to the group's history in the area.
[37] Sea Island Creole English, or "Gullah", is the distinct language of some African Americans along the South Carolina and Georgia coast.
The commission has partnered with universities, museums, and other organizations to develop programs and initiatives to preserve Gullah language and traditions.
[42] Early popular works are also used to determine the similarities that historical varieties of black speech have in common with modern AAVE.
[51][page needed] Some other notable works that have incorporated representations of black speech (with varying degrees of perceived authenticity) include:[52] As there is no established spelling system for AAVE,[56] depicting it in literature is instead often done through spelling changes to indicate its phonological features,[57] or to contribute to the impression that AAVE is being used (eye dialect).
[61] More authentic performances, such as those in the following films and TV shows, occur when certain speech events, vocabulary, and syntactic features are used to indicate AAVE usage, often with particular emphasis on young, urban African Americans:[62] African American English has been used in television and film since the early days of Hollywood.
For example, the 1990s television show Martin featured a main character who speaks in AAE and is often the source of comedic moments.
Nonstandard African-American varieties of English have been stereotypically associated with a lower level of education and low social status.
Since the 1960s, however, linguists have demonstrated that each of these varieties, and namely African-American Vernacular English, is a "legitimate, rule-governed, and fully developed dialect".
[67] The techniques used to improve the proficiency of African-American students learning standard written English have sometimes been similar to that of teaching a second language.
Both the phonological and syntactic features of a student's speech can be analyzed and recorded in order to identify points for contrast with Standard American English.
[68] Another way AAE can be taught is based on a strategy, communicative flexibility, that focuses on language used at home and analyzes speech during dramatic play.
[69] Using this method, children are taught to recognize when SAE is being used and in which occasions, rather than conforming to the speech around them in order to sound correct.
By understanding the similarities and differences between AAE and mainstream American English, teachers can provide students with effective strategies for learning and using both dialects.
He also acknowledges that we have a long way to go as a society in recognizing Black English as anything but "full of slang and bad grammar".