African American African American Vernacular EnglishVernacular English

PhonologyPhonology

GrammarGrammar

Phonological Differences from Phonological Differences from SAESAE

In order of frequencyIn order of frequency

Reduction of similarly voiced final Reduction of similarly voiced final consonant clustersconsonant clusters [h[hæn] for [æn] for [hhænd]: /n/ and /d/ are voicedænd]: /n/ and /d/ are voiced [d[dεεs] for [ds] for [dεεsk]: /s/ and /k/ are voicelesssk]: /s/ and /k/ are voiceless except in high frequency negative except in high frequency negative

constructions like constructions like can’t, won’t, didn’tcan’t, won’t, didn’t

Deletion of word-final consonantsDeletion of word-final consonants [mæ] for [mæn][mæ] for [mæn]

Devoicing of final stop consonantsDevoicing of final stop consonants [p[pɪk] for [ɪk] for [ppɪg], sometimes followed by a glottal ɪg], sometimes followed by a glottal

stop stop [p[pɪkʔ] ɪkʔ] -ing endings with alveolar [n] rather than -ing endings with alveolar [n] rather than velar [ŋ] ‘walkin’velar [ŋ] ‘walkin’Realization of voiceless interdental Realization of voiceless interdental fricative [fricative [θθ] with [t] or [f] ‘mouf’] with [t] or [f] ‘mouf’Realization of voiced interdental fricative Realization of voiced interdental fricative [ð] with [d] or [v] ‘den’[ð] with [d] or [v] ‘den’Simplification of interdental/retroflex Simplification of interdental/retroflex combinations as interdental: [combinations as interdental: [θθo] for [o] for [θθro]ro]Deletion or vocalization of [l] after vowel: Deletion or vocalization of [l] after vowel: [h[hεεp] or [hp] or [hεəεəp] for [hp] for [hεεlp]lp]

Deletion of retroflex after unstressed Deletion of retroflex after unstressed vowel: [fo] for [for]vowel: [fo] for [for]Deletion of voiced stops [d] and [g] in Deletion of voiced stops [d] and [g] in some tense-aspect markers: ‘I’m a do it’ some tense-aspect markers: ‘I’m a do it’ for ‘I’m gonna do it.’for ‘I’m gonna do it.’Ain’t for didn’tAin’t for didn’tDeletion of unstressed initial and medial Deletion of unstressed initial and medial syllables: [ssyllables: [sεεktri]ktri]Metathesis of adjacent consonants: [aks] Metathesis of adjacent consonants: [aks] for [ask]for [ask]Realization of SE [v] with [b] and [z] with Realization of SE [v] with [b] and [z] with [d] in medial position before nasals: [s[d] in medial position before nasals: [sεεbn:] bn:] for [for [ssεεvn:] and [ɪdn:t] for [ɪzn:t] vn:] and [ɪdn:t] for [ɪzn:t]

Realization of syllable-initial [str] as [skr], Realization of syllable-initial [str] as [skr], especially before high front vowels [skrit] especially before high front vowels [skrit] for [strit]for [strit]Monophthongal pronunciation of [aMonophthongal pronunciation of [aɪ] as ɪ] as [a] ‘I’ and [ɔɪ] as [ɔ] ‘boy’[a] ‘I’ and [ɔɪ] as [ɔ] ‘boy’Merger of [ɪ] and [Merger of [ɪ] and [εε] before nasals: [pɪn]] before nasals: [pɪn]Lowering of [ɪ] to [æ] before velar nasal.Lowering of [ɪ] to [æ] before velar nasal.Primary stress in many words borrowed Primary stress in many words borrowed with secondary stress: ['polis] for [pə'lis]with secondary stress: ['polis] for [pə'lis]More varied intonation than other More varied intonation than other American varietiesAmerican varieties

Grammatical DifferencesGrammatical DifferencesPre-verbal tense, mood, aspect markersPre-verbal tense, mood, aspect markers

Absence of copula in present tense: He mad.Absence of copula in present tense: He mad. Invariant ‘be’ for habitual aspect: He be workin.Invariant ‘be’ for habitual aspect: He be workin. Invariant ‘be’ for future (due to loss of Invariant ‘be’ for future (due to loss of willwill through through

phonological processes): He be here tomorrow.phonological processes): He be here tomorrow. Use of Use of steadysteady as an intensified continuative marker: He be as an intensified continuative marker: He be

steady steppin in them nines.steady steppin in them nines. Unstressed Unstressed been been for present perfect: He been sick. for present perfect: He been sick. Stressed Stressed beenbeen [noted BIN in linguistic scholarship] to mark [noted BIN in linguistic scholarship] to mark

remote phase (suggesting continuation): She been married.remote phase (suggesting continuation): She been married. Done Done as completive aspect: He done did it.as completive aspect: He done did it. Be done Be done for resultatives or future/conditional perfect: She be for resultatives or future/conditional perfect: She be

done had her baby.done had her baby. Fitna Fitna or or fixin tofixin to to mark immediate future to mark immediate future ComeCome to express indignation about action or event: He come to express indignation about action or event: He come

walkin in here like he owned the place.walkin in here like he owned the place. HadHad to mark simple past: then we had went outside. to mark simple past: then we had went outside. Double modalsDouble modals (might could, may can, might can) (might could, may can, might can) to indicate to indicate

possibilitypossibility Quasi modals like Quasi modals like likta likta and and posetaposeta.. Last two common in southern vernacularsLast two common in southern vernaculars

Additional Verbal Tense Additional Verbal Tense MarkersMarkers

Absence of third person –s: He walk.Absence of third person –s: He walk.Generalization of Generalization of is is and and waswas to plural and to plural and second person subjects: They is crazy; We second person subjects: They is crazy; We was there.was there.Use of past tense or preterite form as past Use of past tense or preterite form as past participle: He had bit; she has ran.participle: He had bit; she has ran.Use of past participle form as past tense or Use of past participle form as past tense or preterite: She seen him yesterday.preterite: She seen him yesterday.Use of verb stem as past tense: He come Use of verb stem as past tense: He come down here yesterday.down here yesterday.

Nominal and Pronominal Nominal and Pronominal GrammarGrammar

Absense of possessive –s: “John house”Absense of possessive –s: “John house”Absense of plural –s (less frequent) as in “two boy”Absense of plural –s (less frequent) as in “two boy”Use of Use of and themand them to mark associative plurals: Felicia to mark associative plurals: Felicia and them…(Felicia and family and friends; Felicia and them…(Felicia and family and friends; Felicia and other faculty)and other faculty)Appositive or pleonastic pronounce: That teacher, Appositive or pleonastic pronounce: That teacher, she cool.she cool.Use of y’all and they to mark second person plural Use of y’all and they to mark second person plural and third plural possessive (respectively): It’s y’all and third plural possessive (respectively): It’s y’all ball; It’s they house.ball; It’s they house.Use of object pronouns after a verb as personal Use of object pronouns after a verb as personal datives: Get me a gig.datives: Get me a gig.Absence of relative pronouns: That the man come Absence of relative pronouns: That the man come here.here.

NegationNegation

Use of Use of ain’tain’t as a general preverbal as a general preverbal negator.negator.

Multiple negation or negative concord: Multiple negation or negative concord: He don’t do nothing for nobody.He don’t do nothing for nobody.

Negative inversion in intensive Negative inversion in intensive statements: Ain’t nobody here.statements: Ain’t nobody here.

Use of Use of ain’t butain’t but and and don’t butdon’t but for for ‘only’.‘only’.

QuestionsQuestions

Direct questions without inversion of Direct questions without inversion of subject and auxiliary (maintaining subject and auxiliary (maintaining rising intonation): Why I can’t play?rising intonation): Why I can’t play?

Auxiliary verb inversion in embedded Auxiliary verb inversion in embedded questions (without the questions (without the whether whether or or ifif found in SAE): I asked him could he found in SAE): I asked him could he go with me.go with me.