Consider the following list: “Jazz,” “High-five,” and “Cool.” What about “Chill out,” “My bad,” and “That’s bogus”? While these words and phrases may appear to have nothing in common, they all originate from Black English, also known as African American Vernacular English (AAVE).
This year’s Black History Month marks the 100th year of celebrating Black history. Black History Month began as Negro History Week in 1926, and in 1970 students and educators suggested it be expanded to a month-long celebration. Then, in 1976, Black History Month was officially recognized, making every February a celebration of accomplishments of Black Americans.
The anniversary invites the question of how Black people have influenced contemporary American society. While many recognize their contributions to American history and culture, their impact on American English is often not the first thing that comes to mind. Yet, despite the lack of acknowledgment, Black English has undeniably made its mark.
Where did Black English come from? Linguistic theories point towards roots in the seventeenth century, when the Atlantic slave trade brought enslaved Africans into the South. The enslaved Africans communicated through a language shaped by English dialects, combining elements of West and Central African languages. Because Black people were excluded from White society for so long, Black English—often considered a dialect—developed distinct grammatical patterns, pronunciation, and vocabulary. For instance, grammatical features such as double negatives—“I don’t have no money”—and the habitual be—“he be driving”—set Black English apart from standard English. Phonological features such as metathesis—“aks” instead of “ask”—and final consonant cluster reduction—“col” instead of “cold”—also give Black English a distinct sound. However, there is no one “Black accent”—pronunciation and grammar vary across regions, reflecting patterns from The Great Migration (1910-1970), during which six million Black Americans moved from the South to the North to escape discrimination and pursue opportunities. Those who migrated carried their own versions of Black English into their communities; thus, a Black English speaker from New York might sound noticeably different from one from California or Texas.
Black English grew more visible in the 1950s and 1960s during the Civil Rights Era, in part due to the popularization of blues and jazz, and the prominence of Black literature and politics. Linguists also began to study Black English more closely. Dr. Robert Williams, a Black professor of African-American studies, coined the term “Ebonics” to refer to Black English in 1973. The term generated nationwide controversy due to the Oakland Ebonics Resolution, but it also drew attention for framing Black English as a legitimate form of English. From the 2000s onwards, the worldwide diffusion of Black culture has led to the widespread use of Black English terms among non-Black people. We can observe these effects by listening in on conversations in the hallways of South High: “What’s good?” “That’s lowkey funny.” “I have tea on the situation.” “It’s giving AI-generated.”
Despite Black English’s complexities, critics stigmatize its use—and users—as improper and uneducated. However, the Linguistics Society of America (LSA) asserts that the “systematic… nature of the grammar and pronunciation patterns of [AAVE] has been established by numerous scientific studies,” and that “characterizations of Ebonics as… ‘ungrammatical,’ or ‘broken English’ are incorrect and demeaning.”
Though the origins of Black English go unnoticed in our day-to-day speech, Black English shapes our language and the larger cultural zeitgeist. From the 17th century, when enslaved Africans created a language to communicate with each other, to the 20th century, where Black English spread and flourished across America, and to the 21st century, where use of Black English continues to thrive in Black communities and affect our modern speech, the presence of Black English remains strong and sound.
