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Features of Aal

The document discusses the key linguistic features of African American Language (AAL). It notes that AAL originated from West African languages and English during slavery. Some core features of AAL include use of habitual "be", zero copula, "been" to refer to remote past, "done" to refer to completed actions, and multiple negation. AAL also has distinct phonological patterns and incorporates vocabulary and expressions from African American communities. Nonverbal expressions and rhetorical styles like signifying are additionally discussed as important aspects of AAL.

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167 views21 pages

Features of Aal

The document discusses the key linguistic features of African American Language (AAL). It notes that AAL originated from West African languages and English during slavery. Some core features of AAL include use of habitual "be", zero copula, "been" to refer to remote past, "done" to refer to completed actions, and multiple negation. AAL also has distinct phonological patterns and incorporates vocabulary and expressions from African American communities. Nonverbal expressions and rhetorical styles like signifying are additionally discussed as important aspects of AAL.

Uploaded by

api-317041536
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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FEATURES OF AAL

ERICA HEILBRONN

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF AAL


PIDGIN: A LANGUAGE THAT IS USED WHEN TWO SPEAKERS DO NOT KNOW
EACH OTHERS NATIVE LANGUAGE
CREOLE: IT USED TO BE A PIDGIN BUT THEN IT BECAME THE NATIVE
LANGUAGE OF A GROUP OF SPEAKERS

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF AAL


DIALECTOLOGISTS SAY AAL IS A DIALECT OF BRITISH ENGLISH
CREOLISTS SAY AAL WAS CREATED FROM PARTS OF WEST AFRICAN
LANGUAGES AND PARTS OF ENGLISH
BOTH AGREE AAL IS THE LINGUISTIC LEGACY OF SLAVERY

WEST AFRICAN LANGUAGES


BANANA

HIP

ZEBRA

BANJO

YAMS

SAMBA

CHIMPANZEE

BAD MOUTH

GUERILLA

NITTY GRITTY

VOODOO

TOTE

GUBO

JIVE

MOJO

BOOGIE WOOGIE

RUCKUS

JAZZ

HABITUAL BE
HABITUAL BE IS USED TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT IS A HABIT, SO IT
HAPPENS CONSISTENTLY.
WE BE GOING TO SCHOOL.
THEY BE SITTING BY THE WINDOWS AT LUNCH.
WE BE PLAYING BASKETBALL EVERY SATURDAY, YOU SHOULD COME!

ZERO COPULA
COPULA VERBS (LIKE IS) ARE OPTIONAL (THIS DOES NOT APPLY FOR FIRST
PERSON SINGULAR)
AFTER SCHOOL WE GOING OVER TO JOHN HOUSE.

BEEN
BEEN TALKS ABOUT THE REMOTE PAST. YOU WILL KNOW HOW LONG AGO
DEPENDING ON THE CONTEXT OF THE SENTENCE.
WE BEEN WALKED THE DOG.

DONE
DONE IS USED TO TALK ABOUT AN EVENT THAT IS ALREADY OVER, BUT
SOMETHING HAPPENED THAT STILL IS TRUE IN THE PRESENT.
HE DONE GOT HIMSELF KICKED OUT OF SCHOOL.

REGULARIZED AGREEMENT
THIS ALLOWS SUBJECTS AND VERBS TO AGREE THAT USUALLY WOULD NOT
AGREE IN ISE
JENNY WALK TO SCHOOL ON FRIDAYS.

STEADY
STEADY MEANS DOING SOMETHING CONSISTENTLY, AND NON-STOP
HE STEADY TALKING ON HIS PHONE.

INTENSIVE HABITUAL PROGRESSIVE


THIS IS AN EVENT OR STATE THAT IS HABITUAL AND CONTINUOUS.
THEY BE STEADY WORKING OUT.

MULTIPLE NEGATION
A SENTENCE THAT USES MORE THAN ONE NEGATIVE WORD.
WE AINT GOT NO TIME FOR NOTHING BUT SCHOOL NO MORE.

OPTIONAL INFLECTIONAL SUFFIXES


OPTIONAL POSSESIVE S-THE POSSESSIVE S IS OPTIONAL
AFTER SCHOOL WE GOING OVER TO JOHN HOUSE.
OPTIONAL TENSE-THE ED SUFFIX IS OPTIONAL
SHE WALK THE DOG 15 MINUTES AGO.

VOCABULARY (LEXICAL)
WORDS AND PHRASES: THESE WORDS CROSS GENERATIONS AND REGIONAL BOUNDARIES
ASHY-DRY SKIN
SADDITY-STUCK UP
HUSTLE-WAYS OF MAKING MONEY
FAM-FAMILY OR FRIEND
FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT
LOW-KEY
HYPE-TO BE EXCITED ABOUT SOMETHING

VOCABULARY (LEXICAL)
SLANG-THIS IS USUALLY SPECIFIC TO A CERTAIN AGE GROUP AND IT IS SHORT
LIVED
SWAG
FLEEK
CLAP BACK
LIT
SQUAD GOALS

PHONOLOGY
SOUNDS REPRESENTED AS T, D, F, AND V
THEY CAN SOUND LIKE DEY
THESE CAN SOUND LIKE DESE
THEM CAN SOUND LIKE DEM
WITH CAN SOUND LIKE WIT OR WIF
SMOOTH CAN SOUND LIKE SMOOV
BATH CAN SOUND LIKE BAF

VOICELESS FINAL CONSONANT CLUSTERS


PT-KEPT CAN SOUND LIKE KEP
ST-BEST CAN SOUND LIKE BES
LD-COLD CAN SOUND LIKE COL
CT-ACT CAN SOUND LIKE AC
FT-LEFT CAN SOUND LIKE LEF
ND-SOUND CAN SOUND LIKE SOUN

NONVERBAL EXPRESSIONS
HEAD NOD (A GREETING, SAYING WHATS UP)
BLACK POWER SALUTE (SIGNAL OF SUPPORT)
EYE CONTACT (DIRECT AND PROLONGED WHEN SPEAKING)
GIVING DAP (HANDSHAKE USED TO EXPRESS AGREEMENT)
CUT EYE (A LOOK USUALLY GIVEN IN RESPONSE TO SOMETHING THAT WAS SAID)
SUCK TEETH (A SOUND USUALLY MADE OUT OF ANNOYANCE WITH THE OTHER PERSON)
SMACKING LIPS (RESPONSE OF DISAGREEMENT WITH WHAT SOMEONE HAS SAID OR DONE)
TWISTED LIPS (A RESPONSE THAT SHOWS YOU THINK SOMEONE IS LYING)

VERBAL TRADITIONS
BRAGGIN OR BOASTIN
PLAYIN THE DOZENS (YO MOMMA JOKES)

RHETORICAL/DISCOURSE FEATURES
SIGNIFYIN-SOMETHING THAT HAS A DOUBLE MEANING. USED FOR PLAYFUL
COMMENTARY OR SERIOUS SOCIAL CRITIQUE
SEMANTIC INVERSION- THE REVERSAL MEANING OF A WORD
ETHNOLINGUISTIC IDIOM- USE OF LANGUAGE THAT HAS PARTICULAR
MEANING TO AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES
RHYTHMIC, DRAMATIC, EVOCATIVE LANGUAGE-USE OF METAPHORS, VIVID
IMAGERY, OR REPEATED PATTERNS

RHETORICAL/DISCOURSE FEATURES
CULTURAL REFERENCES-REFERENCE TO A CULTURAL ITEM OR ICON THAT HAS
SYMBOLIC MEANING IN AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES
CULTURAL VALUES/COMMUNITY CONSCIOUSNESS-EXPRESSING CONCERNS FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF AFRICAN AMERICANS
PROVERBS, APHORISMS, BIBLICAL VERSES-USE OF A SHORT PHRASE THAT
EXPRESSES A TRUE, WISE IDEA, FAMILIAR MAXIM, OR BIBLICAL VERSES
CALL/RESPONSE-A SPONTANEOUS NON-VERBAL INTERACTION BETWEEN SPEAKER
AND LISTENER WHERE ALL OF THE STATEMENTS (CALLS) ARE GIVEN AN RESPONSE
FROM THE LISTENER

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