AAVE is Not Internet Slang. It is Black Culture.

Black Vernacular English, also known as African American Vernacular English, is rooted in both African dialects and Caribbean Creole English. These linguistic patterns arose during slavery when slaves invented their own version of English in order to communicate with each other and create a common unity and identity separate from their enslavers. Additionally, according to linguists at the University of Hawaii, “West Africans newly arrived on plantations would have limited access to English grammatical models because the number of native speakers was so small.” This led to American Ebonics (the language of all people descended from enslaved Black Africans) being shaped by the high proportions of Creole-speaking slaves that were brought to North America from the Caribbean. 

Words like “lit,” “woke,” “ratchet,” “sis,” “slay,” “hella,” or “bae” are phrases that originated from AAVE, that are now commonly used in digital spaces. However, they are often misused and overly emphasized, taking away their meaning. When AAVE is misused by non-black people and on social media, this erases its origin and commodifies aspects of Black culture.

AAVE is often criticized as not being “proper English,” and it has also been labeled as “inferior” to standard English. When non-Black individuals use AAVE to be trendy or for any other reason, it is harmful because Black people are often frowned upon for speaking this way. In fact, when using AAVE, Black people have been denied jobs and access to institutions of higher education for speaking in a manner that is considered “uneducated.” This dichotomy results in Black people having to code-switch (alternate between two or more languages, dialects, or language registers), while non-Black people can appropriate AAVE without having to worry about any consequences. 

AAVE is also commonly used by many non-Black members of the LGBTQ+ community and it is often thought of as “gay slang.” However, many of these terms like “yas queen,” “spilling tea,” or “throwing shade” originated from drag, which found its inspiration within the Black community of New York City. These terms were then introduced to mainstream media through shows like Rupaul’s Drag Race and Queer Eye, which led to greater misuse by an even bigger group of people seeing as both of those shows had such big audiences. 

Speaking in AAVE while being non-Black is also often called a “blaccent.” Many celebrities, in fact, have been accused of using a blaccent, such as Awkwafina. She rose to fame through her comedic rap career, in which she has been recorded using a blaccent many times, despite having grown up in a predominantly Asian and White community. In one of her most well-known roles, Peik Lin in Crazy Rich Asians, Awkwafina speaks in an obvious blaccent. Furthermore, many people have noted how Awkafina used a blaccent to rise to fame, but seemed to lose it as she shifted to more serious roles.

When non-Black individuals use AAVE, it can contribute to a culture of appropriation; a culture that continues to take from Black people. Non-Black individuals have the ability to use AAVE whenever they want and without criticism; they can use this dialect when it benefits them, then stop and revert to their privilege. Black people, however, do not have that option, and they have no control over how others choose to perceive them. Here’s the takeaway: it is important for non-Black people to check their privilege and ensure that they are not assuming a dialect at the expense of Black people and their experiences.