Linguistic Features ofAfrican American

Language

Present Tense Copula Verb

Examples: He happy. She always sad. They crazy. We usually funny. You weird.

Explanations: In AAL, the present

tense copula verb is not necessary to make a complete sentence.

In MAE, the present tense copula verb (is, am, are) is necessary to make a complete sentence.

Third Person Singular - Present Tense

Examples: She run really

fast. He play too much. That bird fly high. Malik catch really

well. It ring when you

push the bell.

Explanations: In AAL, the third

person singular verb is regular (it stays the same) and doesn’t need an “s,” “es,” or “ies” at the end.

In MAE, the third person singular verb must have an “s,”“es,” or “ies” added to the end.

Durative Be

Examples: She be sick. It be broken. He be acting

crazy. We be late to

school. My momma be at

home.

Explanations: In AAL, the durative be

is used to show an action that doesn’t stop and that repeats.

In MAE, the durative be is not used. Instead, ongoing action is shown through using phrases like “always,” “usually,” “often.”

Past Tense Auxiliary Verb Examples:

We was at the store. You was not here on

time. They was playing

around. Was you there last

night? What was you

doing?

Explanations: In AAL, the past

tense auxiliary verb is regular (it doesn’t change) and is always “was.”

In MAE, the past tense auxiliary verb changes with the pronouns - “they,” “we,” and “you.”

Past Tense Marker “ed” Examples:

I cook dinner last night.

She play by herself yesterday.

We visit them last Monday.

He call us two days ago.

It pass us by earlier.

Explanations: In AAL, the past tense

marker “ed” is not necessary because past tense is usually shown through time words (like “yesterday,” “earlier,” “last week”). Also, the “-ed” sound is not always pronounced.

In MAE, the past tense marker “ed” is necessary with regular verbs when you use them in the past tense.

Plural Marker Examples:

Can I borrow twenty-five cent?

He ate thirty french fry.

There are three church in our town.

It costs a dollar and fifty cent.

I saw a lot of car.

Explanations: In AAL, the use of the

plural marker is not necessary because of the use of plural adjectives (like “twenty-five,” “three,” “a lot”).

In MAE, the use of the plural marker (“s,” “es,” and “ies”) is necessary to make most nouns plural.

Possessive Marker Examples:

My sister bike is big. She has her cat ball. The boys bathroom

is upstairs. Kiechelle husband is

a teacher. The students

classroom is small.

Explanations: In AAL, the possessive

marker is not necessary because ownership is shown by placing the “owner” next to the “owned object.”

In MAE, the possessive marker (‘s and s’) is to show ownership.

Indefinite Article Examples:

I ate a apple. The car can go 120

miles a hour. There was a octopus

in the aquarium. She got a egg from

the refrigerator. The school had a

honor roll each year.

Explanations: In AAL, the indefinite

article before any noun is always “A.”

In MAE, the indefinite article becomes “an” before nouns that begin with a vowel sound.

Multiple Negation Examples:

You don’t have none.

They can’t go nowhere.

He wouldn’t never do that.

She wasn’t going to give us nothing.

I ain’t got no money.

Explanations: In AAL, multiple

negation is used to stress that something is negative.

In MAE, only one negative (no, nothing, not, no one) is used.

Its Examples:

Its a bird in the room. Its a pool back there. Its a party going on

in here. Its a haunted house

on our block. Its a fire on the roof.

Explanations: In AAL, its is used

instead of the pronoun “there” at the beginning of the sentence.

In MAE, “there” must be used as the pronoun at the beginning of a sentence.

Topicalization

Examples: That teacher she

mean. Her mother she

pretty. The dog it big. Michael he funny. That boy he crazy.

Explanations: In AAL, emphasis on

the topic of a sentence is done by following the subject noun with a subject pronoun.

In MAE, it is redundant to follow a subject noun with subject pronoun.

Same Voiced Consonant Clusters

Examples: This is my des’. I finished my tes’. It sure is col’. He was runnin’. We cook’ dinner.

Explanations: In AAL, when there are

same voiced consonants that are next to each other (clustered), only the first one is pronounced. Also, when a same voiced consonant cluster sound is produced because of an “-ed” ending (like in “cooked”), the “-ed” is not pronounced.

In MAE, the last consonant in same voiced consonant clusters is always pronounced.

/th/ Sound

Examples: Dis is my favorite

food. What is dat? Dere it is! Anfony is my

friend. My mouf hurts.

Explanations: In AAL, the /th/

sound does not exist and is replaced with the /d/ or /f/ sounds.

In MAE, the /th/ sound is pronounced.

/r/ and /er/ Sounds

Examples: My sistuh is nice. Where is her

brothuh? What is yo’ name? He has mo’ than

me? Her name is Ca’ol.

Explanations: In AAL, the /r/ is not

pronounced in some words and the /er/ sound is pronounced with the schwa sound /uh/ in some words.

In AAL, the /r/ and /er/ sounds are always pronounced.

/l/ Sound Examples:

They ahways go on vacation.

Did you caw last night?

I wish a had a mi’’ion dollars.

That’s ah’ight with me.

Is that Mr, Russo?

Explanations: In AAL, the /l/ sound

is often pronounced with the schwa sound /ah/, a long o sound, or a /yuh/ sound.

In MAE, the /l/ sound is pronounced like the “l” in “lion.”

AAL Homonyms Examples:

It is coal outside. Did you fine my

shoes? What did you want

me foe? My halloween mass

is scary. That is are

classroom.

Explanations: In AAL, some AAL

homonyms exist because the MAE word is pronounced like another MAE word that isn’t an MAE homonym.

In MAE, homonyms are words that sound alike, but have different meanings (like “there,” “their,” and “they’re”).