English American

The English language is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. It is known as a bridge language that is often used in global trade, business, diplomacy, and communication. Although the United States does not have an official language, English is the primary language that is used and taught across the country. Meanwhile, English is the official language of many other countries and English speakers are found on each and every continent. Yet how did this come to be? Where else is English spoke across the world and how is it different from American English? Why is English so significant and widespread at the global scale? The answers to these questions come when examining the deep and fascinating history of one of the most popular…

there is no official language in the United States. There are several dialects of English spoken in the United States, yet none of those dialects are considered to be official. African American English (AAE) is just one of many dialects spoken in America, yet it can be argued that African American English is the most stigmatized language in this country. The assumption that African Americans are lazy and illiterate stems from their language being branded as “broken” English. Unfortunately, it…

African American English, while only a slight variation of traditional English, provides an interesting insight on the various African American vernaculars around the country. Its history is rooted from slavery. It was a time when African Americans weren 't allowed to be taught, teach each other, nor learn to read. In fact, it was illegal. Yet, as the world has progressed from those dark days, many people are seeing the African American society as a key demographic to reach. One such group is…

history, nations have been plagued with conflicts that have shaped society for what it has become today. Events as substantial and influential as these have often been the result of Revolutions. A key example would be the American Revolution. The American Revolution ultimately began in 1775 with the Battle of Lexington & Concord after a series of escalating conflicts. It ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1783. Leading up to independence, there were many recurring controversies and conflicts…

Did you know that Black English or African American Venicular Englsih was born by a combination of Africans grammar and what they heard from the White Europeans. Many believe that black english is wrong and it is slang, but in reality the black language is right. Black english is wright because it has its own history, grammar, phonology, lexicon, and intonation. First, I will talk about the history of African American English. African American english is also called Ebonics. Some scholars…

African American Vernacular English is a language created by African American slaves who had to create a means of communication because they all spoke different languages and were not taught Standard American English. Words like “fam” and “hella” are more Black slang than they are African American Vernacular English , and it’s important to draw some distinctions between Black slang and African American Vernacular English when discussing issues like code-switching because the concept of…

poems It’s A New Day, “We gon be some beautiful/ black/ women gon move like the queens we gon be full”(Sanchez,17). Like this example, Sanchez often writes in African American English. African American English (AAE) is commonly referred to as Ebonics, as well as black speech, black vernacular, and several other phrases. According to William Labov, “This African American Vernacular English shares most of its grammar and vocabulary with other dialects of English. But it is distinct in many ways,…

Standard American English In understanding the importance of language, one must understand the language they speak. In my case, the language is English – Standard American English to be exact. Where I live, English is the native tongue (for most), and no matter where you are, you are always being judged on how well you speak it. If you speak too proper, then you aren’t considered “black” enough, yet if you slaughter the language, then you are just showing your ethnicity. When I go home for the…

On June 14, 1984, at the age of twelve, I moved to the United States of America in the hope and dream of becoming an American citizen in the “land of opportunity.” The transition from the Jamaican culture to the American culture was difficult to get accustomed to. I was taught to read, write and speak the Standard American English which is basically a foreign tongue to the Jamaican people causing much pain and anguish. There was a point where I wanted to give up on reading and writing…

African American English has been viewed more as an obstacle than a dialect to the children who speak it. Since the 1960’s many have questioned the abilities of the children who speak African American English. The dialect has been considered a “slang” in the education system; and in 1979 it was ruled that African American English serves as a barrier in the classroom (Green, 2002). According to the 2000 Nations Report Card (National Assessment of Educational Progress) speakers of African…