AAVE Explained: A Dialect That Transcends Internet Culture

Summary

This video explores African-American Vernacular English (AAVE), its rich history, grammatical structure, and cultural significance. The speaker emphasizes that AAVE is more than internet slang, tracing its origins to the language of enslaved Africans and highlighting its evolution over centuries. Key features include unique verb conjugations, the habitual 'be', and metathesis. The video stresses that AAVE should be respected as a legitimate dialect, often misunderstood and dismissed. It also calls for acknowledgment of its impact on modern language and the need to credit the Black community for linguistic innovations.

Takeaways

• 🌐 AAVE, or African American Vernacular English, is deeply intertwined with internet culture and has a rich history that predates viral videos and social media.
• 🗣️ AAVE is not uniform and varies between states and regions, reflecting the diversity of Black American experiences.
• 📚 The origins of AAVE are debated, with theories suggesting it's either a variant of American English or a separate creole language influenced by West African languages.
• 🏡 AAVE's grammar, particularly verb conjugations, differs from Standard American English, often omitting 'is' and 'are' and using 'be' to indicate habitual actions.
• 📚 AAVE's history is linked to the forced migration of enslaved Africans to North America over 400 years ago.
• 📈 The Great Migration brought AAVE to new regions, leading to variations in dialect across different parts of the United States.
• 🏫 AAVE is sometimes stigmatized and corrected in schools, which can be detrimental to Black children's cultural identity and linguistic development.
• 🌟 AAVE is more than an internet phenomenon; it's a dialect with over 400 years of cultural heritage and linguistic evolution.
• 💬 AAVE has influenced mainstream English and social media, with many terms and expressions originating from Black and queer communities.
• 🙏 It's crucial to acknowledge and respect AAVE speakers' history and contributions to language and culture, and to educate others about the dialect's rich background.

Q & A

What is African-American Vernacular English (AAVE)?

AAVE is the way many Black Americans communicate with each other, which has evolved over the last few centuries. It is a dialect that differs between states and regions and is more than just internet slang.

How is AAVE connected to the history of Black Americans?

AAVE has linguistic connections to the many enslaved Black Americans brought to North America over 400 years ago. It may have evolved from contact between English and several West African languages or adapted from the Germanic American English overheard on plantations.

Why is there a debate about the origins of AAVE?

The debate exists because AAVE shares similarities with other African-based creoles, but it is also structurally and phonologically closer to Standard American English compared to other creoles like Gullah or Louisiana Creole.

How did the migration of Black Americans affect the spread of AAVE?

During the era of Jim Crow and the Ku Klux Klan, many Black people relocated from the South, bringing their culture and AAVE with them to new homes, which resulted in regional variations of the dialect.

What are some grammatical features of AAVE?

AAVE has distinctive grammar features, such as verb conjugations where 'to do' is conjugated in the third person plural instead of the third person singular, and the dropping of parts of the verb like 'is' and 'are' because the meaning is implied.

What is the habitual 'be' in AAVE and how is it used?

The habitual 'be' in AAVE signifies that something is often or usually done. For example, 'Nadine be going shopping' implies that Nadine frequently shops.

What is metathesis in AAVE?

Metathesis in AAVE involves switching around sounds and words. It is a part of the dialect, but non-AAVE speakers often make fun of it or discredit it.

Why is it important for educators to acknowledge AAVE as a dialect?

Educators should acknowledge AAVE as a rich and important dialect to explain to students that while their home dialect is valuable, there are certain rules to follow when speaking Standard American English.

How has AAVE influenced English as a whole and social media?

AAVE has influenced English through its rich vocabulary and expressions that have become part of mainstream language and social media. It has inspired generations and continues to do so.

What is the significance of recognizing the creators of AAVE terms that have become popular on the internet?

Recognizing the creators of AAVE terms is important to credit the Black and queer communities that have been at the forefront of linguistic innovation for decades.

Why is it crucial to remember the historic mistreatment of AAVE speakers?

It is crucial to remember the historic mistreatment to understand the resilience from which the dialect grew and to ensure that AAVE speakers are respected and given credit for their cultural and linguistic contributions.