Tuesday, September 2, 2008

What Is AAE?

Wat It Do!
When I asked myself what African American English was, I didn't think of it as an official dialect or variation of the English language. What first comes to mind is some type of "uneducated vernacular", even though I use AAE myself and hear it daily.
This article provokes enlightening thought about the ignorance of culture and the social status of language. It is a shame that power has to be behind a dialect to actually make it respectable. The author brings up three conditions for the development of a pidgin :

- Restricted access to the target language (in this case, English)

- A shortage of bilingual speakers

- The need to communicate

These are precise reasons for the development of AAE during slavery up until now. This is essential information for teachers due to the fact that the majority of African American students understand or speak AAE on a daily basis. In school, is where many Black students are taught that the way they speak is "WRONG"!!! This gives the students an inferiority complex that can hinder their desire to try in school and discourage them from using Standard American English while writing. When students feel that they are unappreciated for who they are and merely encouraged to change their language habits because they are "wrong", they tune out to the lesson and fail the course.
After reading about AAE eventually being respected as an official dialect of a language instead of being frowned upon by teachers and professionals, I thought it was impossible; but after reading that students thought they were stupid because of their dialect, the information only confirmed that learning this info could instill in AAE speakers the morale it takes to succeed in school. As an AAE speaker, I am now also proud to be bilingual!

Example: (AAE) I'm bout to go to da store an get some grease fo' my waves. Ya feel me?

(SAE) I'm about to go to the store and get some Castor Oil for my hair. Do you understand me?

For Discussion: Do you know how to speak AAE? If you "sincerely" can, then feel free to write a sentence or two using "yo AAE skillz". If you can't, then at least try, who knows?...It might be tight son.

One,
Dre

25 comments:

Sarah Klingler said...

Yo, man. I'm bout ta go to da hood. Ya, dig?

Gordon Smith said...

Mon, I bout ta go git da meat from da market. Mon, git dat out o' here.

Andre Dyson said...

I'm bout ta see...how weak yo game is.

Andre Dyson said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Andre Dyson said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Andre Dyson said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Brian Harris said...

Yo I got this

Ain't nobody can touch this

Alexandra Rude said...

That teacher, she ain't doin nobody no good. I be gettin work done. She always tryin start somethin. She bogus.

Marissa Freese said...

I'm finna go check out ol' girl's whip. Yall wanna go? I'm bouncin' now.

Laura Treat said...

I be provin how lil I know 'bout Ebonics. Y'all seein how bad dis be?

Ashley Epps said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ashley Epps said...

Aye yo check dis out kid...I'm finna to go to da store and grab dese fresh kicks, so people can be jockin my swag at da party dis weekend. U down?

Raquel Maxey said...

I myself am Not very good at speaking in AAE. I have tried, and it's been met with mixed results.
I do favor certain slang terms, however, like saying "ya dig" whenever appropriate.

Donald said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jacob Talbert said...

Yo, man, what her name be? She fine.

Leah West said...

Wat Down, i wish i had the whip cuz im sick of heal toe.in it in the rain. I kno when winter comes i refuse to walk on sheets of ice like last year. If they don't put some salt down this winter SIU can kick rocks down a long dusty road cuz im not going to class. Know dat.

Melisa Ogle said...

I can relate to Raquel...I'm not good at AAE whatsoever. If you've ever seen "She's the Man", recall how Amanda Byne's character sounds like, and that's pretty close to how I would sound speaking AAE. hahaha

Sharon Espina said...

Im really bad with AAE, lol. I mean sometimes I will use certain words or phrases when Im talking with my friends joking around. But besides that I pretty much stink at it.

Emily Muren said...

Dammn Gurl your hur is supa tight tonight.The boyz are gunna be all ova you! After the party, i'm finna get me some chicken!

Heather Mormino said...

Oh my...I suck at AAE. Every now and again you may here me say Fo' shizzle or something like that, but I'm so white I'm practically neon clear...G.

Lori Bedell said...

Aye shorty, wud it do? Dis party be wack. Im finna bounce out dis mug and hit up a real party yo wit some fine lookin brotha's.

Holla at cha grl! what what!!

Lori Bedell said...

Aye shorty, wud it do? Dis party be wack. Im finna bounce out dis mug and hit up a real party yo wit some fine lookin brotha's.

Holla at cha grl! what what!!

Kenneth Stoner said...

I ain't tellin' you no mo', I'm out.

Sharita Haralson said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sharita Haralson said...

Man, i ont even know, g. we prolly just gon chill at my crib. My o.g. went outta town so ima be in charge, know wat im sayin.