Black English, Education, and Identity

T’Ara Tyler

What is Black English (AAVE)?

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African American Vernacular English (AAVE) is a form of English commonly spoken by African Americans, with its own set of grammatical and pronunciation rules. It’s typically learned early in childhood, from hearing people communicate. Originating among slaves in the southern United States, AAVE developed from various African backgrounds. This history shapes its use and how it is viewed today.

Prescriptivism vs Descriptivism

Prescriptivism is the belief that certain language usages are "correct" or superior, establishing rules to dictate how language should be used rather than describing how it is used.

Descriptivism is a linguistic approach that objectively analyzes and records how language is actually spoken and written, rather than prescribing rules for how it should be used. It treats language as a changing, natural phenomenon, focusing on usage rather than correctness.

Approaching AAVE in Learning Spaces

Prescriptive approach

Descriptive approach

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This approach can look like a teacher addressing a student using AAVE and saying phrases like “those aren't real words,” “smart students don't use those words,” etc.

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This approach looks like a teacher using phrases like “We aren’t using that language for this assignment,” “We will be using American English for this assignment,” and just explaining the difference amicably without being dismissive of its realness.

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Effects on Black Students

Effects on Black Students

Teaching prescriptively

• Intolerance to code-switching
• Viewing peers who use AAVE as less than or ghetto
• Warped cultural confidence
• Fear of family members who speak the same way coming to school events
• Distrust of teachers
• Discouraging the youth from using it socially
• Denying opportunities to those who use AAVE

Teaching descriptively

• A secure understanding of AAVE
• An earlier understanding of the weight of AAVE
• Optimistic views on code-switching for opportunity
• A deeper appreciation for cultural language
• Better relationships with teachers
• Teaching AAVE to the youth around them
• Overall acceptance of its use in society

Outlook on Code Switching

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• The way students are taught shapes how they view code-switching early on. This perspective can follow them into later life. For example, they may question whether speaking AAVE in their interview is the deciding factor in weather they secure a job. This also applies to academic social spaces. Even talking to a classmate can make students fear that they'll be perceived less intelligent if they don't code-switch. Students inevitably become aware that their cultural language is not respected equally across different groups. Prescriptivist experiences can push students to resist in an effort to challenge a system set up against them. But the system is still active and designed to produce this reaction. While you are rightfully standing up for yourself and your community, you are also put in a position to stand against yourself. Often, in places of power with a white majority, no one in the room is rooting for these individuals. This is an awful position to be put in. You shouldn't have to hide your authentic self, not only in interviews but also in your career.

Cultural Impact

That one learning experience can also slowly shape how students see their own culture and community. While some people choose to code-switch or not, others choose not to use AAVE in any setting at all. Thinking like that can lead to them projecting harsh ideologies onto youth around them. Ultimately, they pass on the lesson they learned so long ago.

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Summary

The primary text that sparked my interest in this conversation is "If Black English Isn't a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?” by James Baldwin. My perspective on this issue comes from my learned experience and what I've heard from those in the community around me. Telling students that they aren’t using “real words,” instead of explaining and being aware of the cultural aspect related to the student’s language, can be seen as belittling. This can further damage their educational self-esteem. Implying that students sound less intelligent solely by using words that aren't traditional English can feel like an attack on their character. If a teacher were to explain and recognize the differences in the languages the student is using and the one they are trying to teach, that student may have a better understanding and view on code switching and the role it can play in their life. Code switching isn't a need for survival.

A Black student's first experience with code-switching in the classroom can have long-lasting effects on how they view code-switching and AAVE. On a social level, it can be the start of a rocky foundation for their cultural identity. Situations like talking to peers can cause them to change their dialect, and they may feel an external pressure to do so as they build a career. On the other side, non-Black students can also be taught to be dismissive of AAVE as well. Students who receive a prescriptive approach may refuse to code-switch. This isn’t necessarily the problem; some interviewers in corporate America want you to look and speak a certain way. When you don’t fit the standard look or sound, it hinders you from getting certain jobs. Although African Americans are not physically enslaved, those same power dynamics still exist in other forms throughout America.

The End