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Happy black history month. Here's a thread on what AAVE is, including the history of it and how it's been appropriated in the modern day.
African-American Vernacular English, or AAVE for short, is a vernacular that was born in the American south during the times of slavery in the United States. Enslaved Africans developed AAVE by picking up bits and pieces of the English they heard used in America while (1/2)
in turn using words they already knew to continue communicating with one another. Today, we see all different types of AAVE used across many different states, but there are certain popular phrases that are commonly used in all states.
A common misconception that non-speakers have about AAVE is that it is just “slang,” or an “informal” version of the English we commonly use today, but that isn’t the case. AAVE is it’s own language with it’s own lexically unique words and grammar rules that are often. (1/2)
Here are some examples of the grammar rules that AAVE has and how they work.
Example one: the “habitual be.” The habitual be is a form of the verb be in AAVE that is used to express something that someone does often.
“She be partying’..”
Using the habitual be, this means that the subject parties often.
“She be partying’..”
Using the habitual be, this means that the subject parties often.
“I don’t know what he be talking about.”
This means that the speaker does not know what the subject is talking about.
Another way to communicate this is idea is by using the verb "stays."
"He stays confusing" means that he's always confusing people.
This means that the speaker does not know what the subject is talking about.
Another way to communicate this is idea is by using the verb "stays."
"He stays confusing" means that he's always confusing people.
Next, is the unique use of tense that AAVE has. For example;
Let’s take the phrase “He's been married.”
In American English, this phrase would express that the subject has been married before, but is no longer married because it is in the past. (1/2)
Let’s take the phrase “He's been married.”
In American English, this phrase would express that the subject has been married before, but is no longer married because it is in the past. (1/2)
But, in AAVE, we would put emphasis on the “been,” changing the meaning to “he’s been married a long time.”
Using the emphasis on a word and change the whole meaning of sentences in AAVE.
Using the emphasis on a word and change the whole meaning of sentences in AAVE.
Lastly, verb agreement.
In Standard English, verbs are marked to line up with the number of the corresponding subject. In AAVE, this is not the case
Some examples of this.
American English: “They have a huge dog.”
AAVE: “They has a huge dog.” (1/2)
In Standard English, verbs are marked to line up with the number of the corresponding subject. In AAVE, this is not the case
Some examples of this.
American English: “They have a huge dog.”
AAVE: “They has a huge dog.” (1/2)
American English: “They were going to .”
AAVE: “They was going to.”
So, as you can see, AAVE is not just slang, but a language just like Standard English that we use every day. So, why does this matter? I’ll go over a couple of reasons why here.
AAVE: “They was going to.”
So, as you can see, AAVE is not just slang, but a language just like Standard English that we use every day. So, why does this matter? I’ll go over a couple of reasons why here.
One reason that it is significant to acknowledge the AAVE is a language, especially in school spaces, is because many African-American children who speak and use AAVE are constantly told that their speech is “improper,” or “informal,” and are forced to change the way they (1/2)
speak at school in order to be respected by their teachers and non-Black peers.
Black children who have spoken AAVE their whole lives suddenly being told that their language and manner of speaking is “improper” and not fit for the classroom is a way of telling black children...
Black children who have spoken AAVE their whole lives suddenly being told that their language and manner of speaking is “improper” and not fit for the classroom is a way of telling black children...
they must censor themselves in order to be taken seriously, and that their manner of speaking is not valid or professional, which it most certainly is.
Because of so many educators telling black children that their way of speaking is informal, many black children who speak AAVE express to their parents that reading and writing is hard for them, and that they hate it. By not affirming the way they speak as valid at all,
and telling them that they're just using slang instead of understanding that they are learning a new language, you are confusing them and making it difficult for them to adjust to a new way of speaking. When AAVE speakers come to school as small children and learn to read
and write, there is often an expectation that they understand Standard English from the get-go because of the misunderstanding that many nonspeakers have about AAVE (that it's not a language and that it's just slang.) We must acknowledge that AAVE is a language in schools and
treat Black children who speak it gently as they adjust to learning Standard English.
Next, AAVE did start off as a language and means of communication between enslaved African Americans, and then as time went on became one of the pillars of Black culture in this country. Generations and generations of Black people have been speakers for their whole lives.
But, recently on this app and others like it, there has been a surge of non-Black people using AAVE disrespectfully, incorrectly, and without understanding the history of it and what it is, and boiling it down to just "internet talk" or "stan language."
AAVE is not stan twitter language. AAVE is not a meme. Taking out the language and watering it down to just a meme and disrespecting us and ignoring us when we ask non-Black people to use it is, at the least, ignorant, and at the most, racist.
When I see non-Black people arguing for their right to use AAVE as a joke for memes, I instantly think off the Black children that are censored in schools and denied their right to speak this language. I think of the Black men and women who are not taken seriously in professional
spaces for speaking this language. I am angered by the fact that non-Black people argue for their right to appropriate AAVE for jokes and memes when Black speakers of this language are denied to use it daily.
Closing this out, here's a TL;DR: AAVE is not slang, and it is a language that Black people in America have been speaking since the times of slavery in America. It does not deserve to be watered down to internet talk or a meme. It is an extremely important part of
Black and African American culture. If you are a Black native speaker like me, I see you. I hear you. Our language is beautiful and deserving of respect just like every other language out there. Have a great Black History Month.
If you would like to learn more about AAVE at school and in the classroom, I would recommend this article by Jennifer McCreight, who wrote her PH.D dissertation on this subject.
A very important thought.
Hey everyone! Thanks so much for your comments and I'm really glad this has reached so many people. I want to say that this actually started as a school project for my Black Student Union and that I am still a student and learning a lot of things about this topic!
I recommend exploring the article above and more like it and exploring media created by Black people on this topic to learn more, as I, unfortunately, do not have all the answers. Learning more about AAVE is incredibly important and I hope these conversations continue to happen.
Also, if you would like to support me, here is my venmo. I’m a Black non binary teen and talking about Black culture and anti-racism is a passion of mine. Again, thank you! 
