Testing Negro-Standard English Dialect Differences

Abstract

PRESENTS THE PROCEDURES used in developing a measure designed to reliably discriminate Negro dialect speech from standard English. Four trial tests were reported which were administered to children in Oakland, California. The final measure, the Rystrom Dialect Test, was administered to 120 Negro and 100 white children in Georgia. Results indicated a significant mean score difference between Negro and white subjects on the final measure. Suggestions were offered for further research into dialect differences.