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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
A 2.5 page paper that discusses the different opinions regarding the development of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) or Ebonics. The writer then discusses the debates and controversy surrounding this dialect. Bibliography lists 3 sources.
Page Count:
2 pages (~225 words per page)
File: MM12_PGaave.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
term linguists typically use (Powell, 1997). Researchers and sociolinguists do not agree on the history or evolution of AAVE. Some believe this dialect evolved as West African slaves attempted to
learn English on plantations in the south; some believe AAVE is a form of pidgin that was expanded through contact with Creoles; others have other theories (Sidnell, nd). Sidnell
asserts that there is probably some truth in each of the theories and it may have been a combined effect of different conditions (Sidnell, nd). Monica Austin, from the University
of Michigan, commented: "Our slave ancestors had no choice but to speak a broken, tattered form of English, as they were not given the education to speak properly" (Powell, 1997).
Austin argues that African American Vernacular English should be eliminated: "If we as a people continue to speak as if we lack education we are both disgracing the memory of
our ancestors struggles to make the world better for us, and we are disgracing ourselves" (Powell, 1997). African American Vernacular English, however, is recognized by the American Speech, Language and
Hearing Association as a social dialect within the English language (Powell, 1997). Some of the earmarks of Ebonics include unconjugated use of the verb to be, such as in he
be hollering at us (Powell, 1997). Other aspects of this dialect is to drop the consonants at the end of words and using double-negatives (Powell, 1997). Sidnell commented that there
are "mistaken and prejudiced understandings of what AAVE is" (Sidnell, nd). Much of the public views Ebonics or African American Vernacular English as a sloppy way of speaking (Fillmore, 1996).
There are no estimates regarding the number of people who may be use AAVE in the United States (Sidnell, nd). It causes problems for children in school, however. There
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