A Survey of Afro-American English

Abstract

The general field of research regarding Afro-American language is substantial, and I will examine a portion of the more productive trends here. This review is divided into four general sections: educational research, theoretical linguistic studies, anthropological research, and emerging topics. Those who are already familiar with the field will appreciate that these divisions are somewhat arbitrary, because several of the same scholars have produced research in more than one of these areas. This has, in actuality, been a source of interdisciplinary strength for Afro-American studies in general, and language related research in particular. Some additional background is necessary nevertheless, because of the controversial foundation of much of this literature, as well as rapid linguistic changes among Afro-American populations. It is essential to distinguish between Afro-American language, in the hemispheric sense of the term, and the dominance of studies on varieties of black American English, with primary emphasis on usage in the United States. In the first instance we find that Haitain French, dialects of Cuban Spanish, and select dialects of Brazilian Portuguese fall properly within the scope of Afro-American language. In the available space I will concentrate on the English-related studies, since they are the most substantial. The broader topic of Afro-American language is nevertheless quite interesting because the African slave trade has left unmistakable linguistic impressions on several languages and dialects throughout North and South America.