African-American
Vernacular English /
Ebonics
Introduction to American English
24.11.2008
Saija Lehtonen
Feifei Liu
Annamaria Payer
Short History of Black English
Ebonics, AAVE, Black English
 Definitions: ebony + phonics =>> dialect of
SAE
Dialect: subgroup of a language, which
differs in vocabulary, pronunciation and
grammar
 Roots: West- Africa, Niger-Congo=>>
developed in European colonies (South)
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Short History of Black English
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Different native language speakers =>>”safest
way to trade” (slave ship captain, 1744)
Early slave trade- no language mixing
The birth of Pidgin English
The next stage: English Creole
1715- African Pidgin English (Negro Pidgin); clear
Black characteristics
1750- complicated variations in the English of
Afro-American population (due to social factors)
Short History of Black English
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Identity- built on African foundations (values and
benefits)
speaking- African words
food- integrated in the national cuisine
music- traditional melodies and complex African
rhythms
Remember
and teach their cultural ideal and
entertainment
Ebonics – More Than a
Language
Ebonics -- a term referring to a dialect of
English (African American Vernacular
English)
Ebonics -- a complex product of historical,
environmental and racial factors.
 The main issue over Ebonics is not
language, but perspective.
Ebonics – More Than a
Language
Linguistic Perspective -As a tool for communication, all languages
and dialects are equal.
 Social Perspective -Ebonics  lower, informal, useless in
upper and formal situations
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People speak Ebonics  low-educated,
less-skilled
Ebonics – More than Language
Public Education for Ebonics-speaking People ---Many students fail in school with unfamiliar Standard
English as the primary language
1996, Oakland California School asserted Ebonics as
the primary language of Black students.
 Bringing the term Ebonics to public, and heated
discussion
Linguistic Perspective -- Speakers of other varieties can
be aided in their learning of the standard variety by
pedagogical approaches, which recognize the
legitimacy of other varieties of a language.
Use of Ebonics is linguistically and pedagogically
sound
Social Perspective – Students unable to speak standard
English have a negative influence to their career,
social network etc.
Ebonics – More than Language
Ebonics, lying at the vortex of public
education, linguistic aspect and nationrace relation, is being treated more and
more equally regardless of racial prejudice.
 Increasingly being encountered in
literature, television and filmed drama, etc.
 It is only 45 years since Martin Luther King
delivered the message ‘I have a dream’,
until Barack Obama was selected as the
first Black president of the U.S.A.
Grammar in a Nutshell
No present tense auxiliarity or linking verbs
I am going = I going
 Double negative and use of ain’t
I ain’t got no money I ain’t drop the book
NOTE: Modern French grammar uses
double negative Je ne sais pas
I don’t know (Old English used double
negative)
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Grammar in a Nutshell
No suffix –s (plural, genetive, 3rd person
singular) My brother book
 Phonological inversion
aks
NOTE: Middle English verb acsian
 no post-vocalic -r
car = ca’
 Reduction of consonant clusters in word
endings cold = col’
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References
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Ebonics: African American Vernacular
English.Preview By: Coppus, Sally A..
Research Starters Education: Ebonics:
African American Vernacular English, 2008,
p1-1, 12p; (AN 31962587)
A Sketch of the History of Black
English.Preview By: Dillard, J. L.. Southern
Quarterly, Winter2008, Vol. 45 Issue 2, p5386, 34p; (AN 31480095)
Baugh, John; Beyond Ebonics- Linguistic
pride and racial prejudice
Horton, James Oliver; In hope of liberty,
culture community and protest among
northern free Blacks
References
Yule, George : The Study of Language
 American Voices: How Dialects Differ from
Coast to Coast (Edited by Walt Wolfram and
Ben Ward)
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Ebonics vs Standard English
http://www.bizbag.com/Misc%20articles/Rap
%20Lyrics%20Translated.htm (Lyrics)
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHDRkO_
UmXY (video)
 www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_KKLkmIrDk
(Fox News- video: ax or ask)
 www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0ucW41HqVA
&feature=related (Garrard McClendon)
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