Black English
Systematic American dialect
Black English is a term for the varieties of English spoken by Black Americans, also called African American Vernacular English (AAVE) or Ebonics.
It encompasses distinctive grammatical structures, vocabulary, and pronunciation patterns that developed from the historical experiences of African Americans.
Linguists recognize it as a fully formed dialect with consistent internal rules, not broken or improper English.
Black English has contributed countless expressions to mainstream American slang.
African American vernacular
- sociolinguisticsStudy of language variation
- dialectologyStudy of regional speech differences
- phonologyScience of language sounds
- syntaxRules for arranging words
morphology · semantics · pragmatics · code-switching · diglossia · bilingualism · language change · prosody
Everyday regional speech
- oral traditionCulture passed by speech
- signifyingExpressing or conveying meaning
- call and responseAlternating vocal pattern
- dozensGroups of twelve
hip-hop · rap lyrics · spoken word · poetry · storytelling · preaching style · cultural expression · wordplay
Ebonics
African American vernacular
- sociolinguisticsStudy of language variation
- dialectologyStudy of regional speech differences
- phonologyScience of language sounds
syntax · morphology · semantics · pragmatics · code-switching · diglossia · bilingualism · language change · prosody · intonation
vernacular
Everyday regional speech
- oral traditionCulture passed by speech
- signifyingExpressing or conveying meaning
- call and responseAlternating vocal pattern
dozens · hip-hop · rap lyrics · spoken word · poetry · storytelling · preaching style · cultural expression · wordplay · double meaning
black, English, blacks, blacker, blackest, blacken, blackened, blackening, blackness