Add on's edit
1 AAE is a vibrant and evolving language, and is an important part of African American culture. It is increasingly being recognized as a legitimate form of communication, and is gaining greater acceptance in mainstream society.
2 AAE has a distinct set of linguistic features, including its own slang, pronunciation, and grammar. It often contains loanwords from other languages, such as Spanish and French. AAE speakers often leave out the verb "to be" when speaking in the present tense, and the verb "was" when speaking in the past tense. They also often use double negatives in certain contexts.
Television and film
AAE has been used in television and film since the early days of Hollywood. For example, in the 1940s, the popular radio show Amos 'n' Andy featured African American characters who spoke in AAE. This show was popular and influential, and it established AAE as a part of popular culture. In the decades since, AAE has continued to be used in television and film as a way to depict African American characters. It is often used to provide comedic relief or to illustrate the unique characteristics of African American culture. For example, the 1990s television show Martin featured a main character who speaks in AAE and is often the source of comedic moments.
In education edit
Studies have consistently shown that teachers perceive AAE as a sign of lower intelligence and lack of education. This leads to lower expectations for students speaking AAE, and a tendency for teachers to focus on “correcting” AAE rather than recognizing and celebrating its distinctiveness. This kind of language policing has been shown to lead to a decrease in student engagement and a decrease in academic achievement.
In recent years, educators have begun to recognize the importance of AAE and its role in academic success. Studies have shown that African American students who are exposed to AAE in the classroom have higher academic achievement than those who are not. For example, a study by the National Council of Teachers of English found that when African American students are taught in a way that respects their AAE, their reading comprehension and writing skills improve significantly. In addition, research has also found that AAE can be used as a bridge to mainstream academic English. By understanding the similarities and differences between AAE and mainstream American English, teachers can provide students with effective strategies for learning and using both dialects. This can help African American students develop a greater understanding of the language and become more successful in their academic studies.
In literature
A classic example of AAE in literature is Langston Hughes’s poem “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” (1921). In this poem, Hughes uses AAE to capture the voice of African Americans and to express the unique experiences of African Americans. The poem is written in AAE and the language conveys a sense of pride and strength in the face of struggle and oppression. For example, Hughes writes, “My soul has grown deep like the rivers.”[1] This phrase conveys the strength and resilience of African Americans and is an example of AAE. AAE has been used in literature to express the unique experiences of African Americans and to capture the distinct way of speaking of African Americans. It has been a tool to create a sense of authenticity in the way characters speak and to express the particular characteristics of African American culture.
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References edit
Gates, Jr., Henry Louis. “Amos 'n' Andy: The Original Radio Show.” NPR, NPR, 24 May 2006, www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5348745.
Li, Christine. “If Beale Street Could Talk: Exploring Racial and Gender Issues in African American Culture.” Reflection, vol. 4, no. 1, 2020, pp. 33–41., doi:10.1080/23308249.2020.1758836.
Irvine, J. T. (2010). African American English in the Classroom: Understanding the Rules of Standard English. The English Journal, 99(4), 39-45.
Bailey, A. L., & Lindsey, A. (2016). African American English in Education: A Comprehensive Guide. Routledge.
Hughes, Langston. “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.” The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes, Alfred A. Knopf, 1994, pp. 5-6.
- ^ Knopf, Alfred (1994). “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”. pp. 5–6.
Kamil, M. L., et al. (2013). Teaching African American English: From research to practice. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Hudson, R., & Walcott, T. (2017). African American English: A linguistic introduction. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Gollnick, D. M., & Chinn, P. C. (2020). Multicultural education: Issues and perspectives. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Cappelli, P. (2016). African Nova Scotian English. In A. D. Tongue (Ed.), The Oxford Handbook of World Englishes (pp. 547–563). Oxford University Press.
Reis, M. (2017). A Study of African Nova Scotian English. Journal of African Languages and Linguistics, 38(4), 435–466.