DW 4a

African American Vernacular English is a very complex dialect. There are many complexities that have to deal with when and where Black Dialect speakers actually use AAVE is used as well as why BD speakers use AAVE. I'm going to discuss how AAVE is used/not used in different environments.

Black dialect is used in all forms of communication. As long as their is a mode of communication, AAVE can be used. It is used in daily conversation, as well as over the internet, and also schools. There are places where AAVE is spoken, like in home life, and there are times where it is not spoken, like at schools and work. Growing up, you learn your very first dialect. When you care younger, you use that dialect because its the only one you know, but as you grow older, you gain alternate dialects and then you begin using them at different times. But when you come home, it is easy to refute back to the time where you spoke freely in the dialect that felt most comfortable in the situation. AAVE is not the standard language in the work place. Actually, Standard English is the the standard language for more workplaces. Because of this, classrooms try to help AAVE speakers to write and speak in Standard English more fluently. Judith Nembhard gave tips on how to successfully teach AAVE speakers SE. For example, Nembhard states, "Teachers must demonstrate confidence in the students as potential learners"(Nembhard 437).

AAVE is also used on the internet. The internet is an environment where anyone can use any kind of language they like. There is no standard language, it is whatever language you are comfortable using. BD speakers will use AAVE all the time on the internet. On his blog, Kanye West posts photos of a beautiful models. Upon reading a post that was picture of a beautiful woman, “adubbisfinallyfamous“ had said, “she got dem boyz for a nigga and dey are natural. thats what i like about her” (Kanye West Blog, “Veronica Zemanova,” par. 10). On the internet, thsoe who see the things that you say cannot directly see you say it. You're guarded by the internet, because you are able use any kind of language you'd like without worry what someone might think.

Black Dialect is not used in composition journal writings. Though a journal article may discuss the issue of AAVE and AAVE usage, it will never be written in Black Dialect. Instead, it is written in Standard English. Here is an excerpt for a journal article written entirely in SE by Valerie Kinloch with tips that can be implemented to help students to get involved in the study of AAVE: "Invite students into a discussion of phonology, semantics, syntax, accent, and dialect"(Kinloch 105). The quote directly relates to a tip that Kinloch I believe that this is true is because SE is a more standardized form of communication with which more people can communicate with.

These are just a few examples of when and where AAVE is used.

Works Cited

Kanye Universe City. 2009. Kanye West/Mascotte Holdings, LLC. 3 March 2009.
< http://www.kanyeuniversecity.com/blog/?>.

Kinloch, Valerie F. "Revisiting the Promise of "Students' Right to Their Own Language": Pedagogical Strategies." College Composition and Communication 57 (2005): 83-113.

Nembhard, Judith P. “A Perspective on Teaching Black Dialect Speaking Students to Write Standard English.” A Reader for Writers. U.S.A.: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2008.