Why is it important to validate AAVE?

The legitimization of AAVE can also potentially reduce or replace the need for Black professionals to constantly rely on code-switching in their careers. Opponents of treating AAVE as a language often cite it as a symptom of the socioeconomic and cultural conditions of Black communities.

How has AAVE been stigmatized?

AAVE has long been subject to prejudice. It has been highly stigmatized as “broken” or “incorrect” English. One study shows that hiring managers attempt to identify race based on spoken English and choose White candidates who speak standard English.

What is the difference between Ebonics and AAVE?

AAVE stands for African-American Vernacular English and is occasionally referred to as Ebonics, or speaking with a “blaccent". AAVE is essentially a partially spoken vocabulary in urban communities and is claimed to have been created by African American communities and Black Canadians.

Where did AAVE originate from?

AAVE is considered one of the nonstandard varieties of English and is often associated with urban communities and poverty. While the origins of AAVE come from pre-Civil War plantations, enslaved African people, and servants, these terms have quickly become a part of popular culture thanks to internet social media sites like Twitter.