African American Language

Abstract

The term African American Language (AAL) is used in this article to refer to all variations of language use in African American communities. AAL is the more current term, but African American English (AAE) is still used. A few Black language, linguistics, and culture scholars are making a case for the term Black Language as a contrast to White Mainstream English to point to the realities of race, racism, and White supremacy on language and linguistics. Broadly defined, AAL or AAE is language by or among African Americans. As with any variety, such as Japanese or Arabic, AAL can be acquired and used by non-African Americans who engage and identify with African American communities and peoples. However, the focus is on African Americans as well as other Black people who acquire or learn the language variety among African American communities and peoples. AAL serves as an umbrella term that includes, for example, African American Vernacular Language (AAVL), Gullah (Geechee), African American Women’s Language (AAWL), African American Child Language, Hip Hop National Language (HHNL), African American Standard Language (AASL), Black American Sign Language, African American Church Language, a host of regional varieties, and many, many more—just as is the case with any language or variety. AAVL refers to the everyday variety of AAL that is on a continuum from the most nonstandard (AAVL) to the most standard (AASL) variety. AAVL is associated with working-class, less educated, mostly disenfranchised African American speech. For some, it is the most authentic variety of AAL and the Holy Grail of AAL. While this is an exoticism of AAL, it fueled much of the research on AAL in its early years. Many scholars focus on AAVL to the detriment of other varieties of AAL and sometimes in ways that perpetuate the lie that AAL is homogeneous. This is contrary to sociolinguistic research literature: all languages vary. Fortunately, with more diversity and inclusion of AAL researchers and the differing questions being asked and frameworks being used, the focus on AAL is broader and more complex now than ever before. Sociolinguists have proven that AAL, regardless of variety, is systematic in phonology (sounds), morphology (structure of words and relationships among words), syntax (sentence structure), semantics (meaning), pragmatics (context), and discourse patterns as well as nonverbal communication and embodiment (e.g., paralinguistics). Again, to be clear, despite its systematicity, AAL is not homogenous as evidenced by the many variations enveloped under this larger umbrella term and those varieties reflect differences in age/generation, sex, gender, gender identity, sexuality, social and socioeconomic class, region, education, religion, and other affiliations and identities that intersect with one’s ethnicity, race, and nationality. AAL is a language variety with a rich oral tradition as referenced in music, literature, arts, games, and other verbal arts. The reach of AAL is expansive and the need exists for research to catch up.