Introduction
In this essay we are going to deal with Black American English and its specific features and differences to Standard English. The analysis includes an introduction to the grammar of BAE, its specific vocabulary, the African elements in BAE and the ethnographic speech behaviour connected with the use of BAE. At the beginning a short survey will be given on who actually speaks BAE.
1. Who speaks Black American English?
In general, we can say that all those speak BAE (= Black American English) who consider themselves to be Black. Those are 80% of the Black American population. But also some Puerto Ricans and members of the southern plantation owning class do use this language. In former times BAE was also used by some Indian tribes and Seminoles. The dialect patterns depend on social factors rather than racial or geographic. Many people are capable of several dialects, and also some Whites do speak those dialects.
The history of the Afro–American languages correlates with a caste system. The use of BAE indicates a low level of education as well as a low social standard. It indicates that the speaker belongs to a social group that has remained unassimilated to the white culture. Rich black families tend to speak Standard English. In the use of Standard English among Blacks agegrading plays a great role. First the children adopt the language they learn in their peer groups, later on they learn Standard English in school. The age-grading towards Standard English is closely connected with status grading, i.e. children of families with a higher social level tend to the use of Standard English. The higher a Black climbs on the social ladder the more he tends to Standard English.
In general, women find it easier to affiliate with the middle-class and to adopt the white culture standards.
But the use of BAE is also an indicator of racial awareness and identity. And even highly educated Blacks want to express their roots linguistically to show their identification. They do so by the use of ethnic slang which they use, even if they detest the grammar and phonology of BAE 1.
1 Dillard, J.L.; Black English, New York, 1972. (p.229 – 240)
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Who speaks Black American English?
- Grammar
- Tense and verb categories
- Point-of-time and phase category
- Remote Perfective Aspect and Immediate Perfective Aspect
- The auxiliary have in StE and is in BAE
- Contrast between the zero copula and be
- Pronoun system
- Relative clauses
- Pluralization System
- if-clauses
- Conjunctions
- Prepositions
- Tense and verb categories
- The Vocabulary of Race
- Labels for Whites
- Negative labels
- Neutral labels
- Positive labels
- Summary
- Labels for Blacks
- Negative labels
- Neutral labels
- Positive labels
- Summary
- Labels for Whites
- Ethnographic Speech Behaviour
- The African Element in Black American English
- List of Africanisms in BAE
- Bibliography
Objectives and Key Themes
This essay aims to analyze Black American English (BAE), highlighting its grammatical structures, vocabulary, African influences, and ethnographic speech patterns. It explores the relationship between BAE and Standard English (StE), examining differences and similarities. The essay also investigates who speaks BAE and the social factors influencing its use. * Grammatical structures of BAE and comparison with StE. * Vocabulary of BAE, particularly terms related to race. * African influences on the development of BAE. * Ethnographic speech behavior associated with BAE. * Social factors influencing the use of BAE.Chapter Summaries
Introduction: This introductory section sets the stage for the essay by outlining its scope. It promises an exploration of BAE's unique features, contrasting it with StE. The introduction briefly mentions the areas to be covered: grammar, vocabulary, African influences, and ethnographic speech behavior, and it begins with a preview of who speaks BAE. Who speaks Black American English?: This chapter investigates the demographics of BAE speakers. While primarily associated with Black Americans (80% of the population), it notes the use of BAE among Puerto Ricans, some members of the southern plantation-owning class, and historically, certain Native American tribes. The chapter emphasizes that dialect use is determined by social factors rather than purely racial or geographic ones, with many individuals capable of code-switching between dialects. The chapter also explores the correlation between BAE use and social class, with wealthier Black families generally favoring StE. Age and gender also play a role, with younger generations showing a gradual shift towards StE, and women more readily adopting middle-class norms, although maintaining a linguistic connection to their roots. Grammar: This chapter delves into the grammatical differences between BAE and StE. It argues that while BAE doesn't employ words absent in StE, its syntax differs significantly. The key distinction lies in tense and aspect marking, where tense marking is optional in BAE, unlike its mandatory status in StE. The chapter gives examples illustrating the use of unmarked verb forms, often referring to past actions, and discusses the use of various negations, explaining the point-of-time and phase categories within BAE's verb system. It also analyzes the irregular use of present tense markers in BAE, attributing some instances to hypercorrection. The Vocabulary of Race: This chapter analyzes the vocabulary of BAE, focusing on terms used to label both White and Black individuals. The chapter systematically categorizes these terms into negative, neutral, and positive labels for both groups, providing a detailed analysis of the connotations and usage of each category. This section aims to offer a comprehensive overview of racial classifications within the language, illuminating how linguistic choices can reflect and reinforce social hierarchies. The chapter uses a summary to further explain its analysis. Ethnographic Speech Behaviour: This chapter explores the relationship between the use of BAE and social context, examining how and where BAE is used and by whom, focusing on ethnographic observations. It would presumably analyze the social situations where the use of BAE is preferred or expected, and possibly contrast this with usage of StE. This section would delve into the sociolinguistic aspects of BAE use. The African Element in Black American English: This chapter addresses the linguistic legacy of Africa in BAE. It likely explores the etymological roots of specific words and grammatical structures in BAE, tracing them back to African languages. The chapter's focus is on identifying and analyzing the Africanisms present in BAE, shedding light on the transatlantic linguistic exchange.Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Language Preview of Black American English
What is the main focus of this text?
This text provides a comprehensive overview of Black American English (BAE), analyzing its grammatical structures, vocabulary, African influences, and ethnographic speech patterns. It compares and contrasts BAE with Standard English (StE), examining their similarities and differences. The text also explores the social factors influencing the use of BAE and who speaks it.
What topics are covered in the Table of Contents?
The Table of Contents includes an introduction, a section on who speaks BAE, a detailed look at BAE grammar (covering tense, verbs, auxiliaries, pronouns, clauses, pluralization, conjunctions, and prepositions), an analysis of the vocabulary of race (including labels for both White and Black individuals), a chapter on ethnographic speech behavior, a chapter on African influences in BAE, and a bibliography.
What are the key objectives and themes of the essay?
The essay aims to analyze BAE's grammatical structures and vocabulary, explore its African influences, examine its ethnographic speech patterns, and investigate the social factors influencing its use. It compares BAE to StE, highlighting both similarities and differences.
Who speaks Black American English?
While primarily associated with Black Americans, BAE is also spoken by some Puerto Ricans, members of the historical southern plantation-owning class, and historically, certain Native American tribes. Dialect use is influenced by social factors, not just race or geography. Many individuals code-switch between BAE and StE. Wealthier Black families often favor StE, and age and gender also play a role, with younger generations and women often shifting towards StE while maintaining linguistic roots in BAE.
What are the key grammatical differences between BAE and StE?
While BAE doesn't use words absent in StE, its syntax differs significantly. Tense marking is optional in BAE, unlike in StE. BAE uses unmarked verb forms, often referring to past actions, and has distinct negation patterns. The use of present tense markers can be irregular, sometimes due to hypercorrection. The text also details differences in the use of auxiliaries, copulas, pronouns, relative clauses, pluralization, if-clauses, conjunctions, and prepositions.
How does the text analyze the vocabulary of race in BAE?
The text analyzes vocabulary used to label both White and Black individuals, categorizing terms into negative, neutral, and positive labels for each group. It examines the connotations and usage of each category, providing a comprehensive overview of racial classifications within the language and how linguistic choices reflect social hierarchies.
What is covered in the chapter on ethnographic speech behavior?
This chapter explores the relationship between BAE use and social context. It examines where and how BAE is used and by whom, focusing on ethnographic observations of social situations where BAE is preferred or expected, contrasting this with the use of StE.
What is the focus of the chapter on African influences in BAE?
This chapter investigates the linguistic legacy of Africa in BAE. It explores the etymological roots of specific words and grammatical structures, tracing them back to African languages, and analyzing Africanisms present in BAE.
What kind of summary is provided in this text?
The text includes chapter summaries, providing concise overviews of the key points and arguments presented in each section. These summaries offer a helpful guide to the main ideas and findings of the essay.
- Citation du texte
- Maritta Schwartz (Auteur), 1998, Black American English, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/5111
