African-American Language (AAVE)
Common Rules List
Category: Sounds
Example
Dis is my mouf.
I put my tes on the des.
Translation
This is my mouth.
I put my test on the desk.
It’s col.
It’s cold.
4. The /L/ sound when it
precedes the /w/, /j/, or /r/
sounds
5. Inflectional Ending “ing”
I won a miyon in the lottery.
I won a million in the lottery.
They are runnin very fast.
They are running very fast.
6. Vowels Short /e/ and Short /i/
7. Vowel Pairs/ homophones
I am tin years old.
I am ten years old.
Yo sista is Ca’ol.
Your sister is Carol.
Linguistic Feature
1. /th/ Sound (digraphs)
2. Consonant Clusters
3. Consonant Cluster and “L”
Sound
8. The /R/ Sound
Reflexive /r/ Sound
/er/ Sound
9. Syllable Stress Patterns
She stayed at a hotel.
Category: Markers (Morphemes)
Linguistic Feature
Example
10. The Past Tense Marker “ed”
My mother cook dinner last
night.
11. Possessive Marker
12. Plural Marker
She stayed at a hotel.
Translation
My mother cooked dinner last
night.
That is Carla car.
She spent 35 cent.
Category: Syntax
Example
He don’t have no friends.
My mother be at home.
Translation
He doesn’t have any friends.
My mother is usually at home.
16. Topicalization
That boy he funny.
That boy, Jared, is funny
17. Present Tense Copula Verb
The cat in the tree.
The cat is in the tree.
18. The use of “go” as
copula verb
There he go.
There he is.
19. First Person Future
I’m gonna wash the car.
I’m going to wash the car.
Linguistic Feature
13. Multiple Negation
14. Habitual Be
15. (Meaning usually)
Linguistic Feature
20. Reflexive Pronoun
21. Demonstrative Pronoun
22. Third Person Singular
23. Past Tense Auxiliary Verb
Category: Regularized Patterns
Example
He drove hisself to the hospital.
That is Carla’s car.
She spent 35 cents.
Translation
He drove himself to the hospital.
I see dem children.
Miles swim everyday.
I see those children.
Miles swims everyday.
We was in the classroom.
We were in the classroom.