Learn Black American English
“Standard English ain’t everybody’s standard.”
Let’s kick this off!
I want you to understand that this journey is for me. I am an author who writes books with Black characters centering Black people. But in this industry—and in society in general—erasure is prevalent. It is hard to fight for myself when I can’t explain the “how” or the “why” of a thing, even though simply saying, “Because it’s Black,” should be justification enough.
However, I want to know the mechanics of my language. I’m an author! Words are my tools, and I must know how to wield them better. So, when I write, my intentions are steeped in the pages. My readers, editors, naysayers, will know—this isn’t an accident. This is purpose.
What is AAE?
African American English (AAE) is a dialect of English spoken by African Americans. It has its own grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation rules. AAE is also known as African American Vernacular English (AAVE), Black American English (BAE), and Ebonics.
What Should We Call it?
At the moment, there isn’t any right or wrong answer. BAE (Black American English), AAVE (African American Vernacular English), or AAE (African American English) are all correct. But according to the OED (Oxford English Dictionary) and the LSA (Linguistic Society of America), AAE is the standard when referring to Black American English. For this series, AAE and BAE will be how I utilize the term.
AAE Word of the Month
Each month, I will be highlighting an AAE word of the month. I hope this will allow us to reclaim our language with pride. I even have some words lined up that I haven’t heard in a long time—ones my great aunts and grandmothers used to say. With each new monthly word, I will challenge myself to highlight it through a poem, short story, artwork, or another creative outlet that connects with the word of the month.
Kitchen (noun):
The hair at the nape of the neck, which is typically shorter, kinkier and considered more difficult to style.
African American English. A poem about Black hair. Also called the Kitchen. - E.A. Noble Speculative Fiction Author
The rest of this series will be under: Ungrammatically Correct
