Essay on African American Vernacular - 1823 Words

Essential Works of the African American Vernacular Culture When thinking of musical genres such as jazz, blues, and hip-hop, most Americans do not realize that they are the essential components to the evolution of African American Vernacular Literature. In fact, it is the key factor that brought African American culture into the limelight in America. Since the first black peoples in America were slaves, and were not allowed to read or write, the African American Vernacular Traditions began as completely oral communications in the form of church songs, blues, jazz, rhythm and blues, and hip hop. The African American Vernacular began as Spiritual and Secular works, which portrayed the struggles of the slaves and black population over the†¦show more content†¦Jazz was created to encompass the many aspects of urban America, specifically the train. The locomotive represented moving away from old slave territories, images of trains from old spirituals, and the Underground Railroa d (Gates, McKay, 65). It is also described as â€Å"jam-session-like talk† that drove people to get up and dance (Gates, McKay, 65). Like the blues, jazz uses call and response and call and recall between the singer and instruments to create a conversation-like sound. It also uses improvisation, which is characteristic of African American vernacular. Jazz artists understand and base their works off the fact that things just might not turn out how they want them to, yet they still celebrate life and possibilities (Gates, McKay, 65). Rhythm and Blues came onto the scene thanks to the marketplace rather than musicians. After World War II, black dance music became popular and began to appear all over the world in dance halls and even variety shows. By the 1950’s, records were being produced and even worked up for â€Å"cross-over marketing to white audiences† (Gates, McKay, 69). Ramp;B music combined blues, jazz, Latin and gospel, and was influenced by blue-mo od crooners, gospel and blues stompers, and a cappella singers who created a style called doo-wop (Gates, McKay, 69). The Motown label developed aShow MoreRelatedAfrican American Vernacular English†¯ 1494 Words   |  6 PagesAfrican American Vernacular English†¯ Background: †¯ African American Vernacular English (AAVE) is the variety previously known as Black English Vernacular or Vernacular Black English by sociolinguists, and commonly called Ebonics outside the academic community. However, some characteristics of AAVE are seemingly unique in its structure. It also includes a number of standard and nonstandard English varieties are spoken by the US and the Caribbean people. AAVE has been the core of many public debatesRead MoreAfrican American Vernacular English Language Essay1732 Words   |  7 PagesAfrican American Vernacular English African American Vernacular English can be described as an assortment of American English that is mostly used by urban-working class and mostly bi-dialectical middle-class black Americans. The language is also commonly known as Black Vernacular English or Black English. In some cases, particularly outside the academic community, it is referred to as Ebonics given its distinctive features and similarities with other non-standard English varieties. The similaritiesRead MoreAfrican American Vernacular English (Aave)1503 Words   |  7 PagesAfrican American Vernacular English The United States of America is one of the world’s most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations. Even though there is not an official national language, most Americans speak Standard American English (SAE). 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Speaking in standard American English and then in African American Vernacular English (AAVE), or Ebonics, portrays the most prominent use of code switching in today’s society, especially among American youths. Today, people utilize code switching to associate better amongst a group of people. In William Wells Brown’s Clotel, code switching plays an im portant roleRead More The Ebonics Controversy Essay examples5572 Words   |  23 Pagessometimes very opinionated. The term Ebonics is the most recently coined name for a speech pattern that has been around for several hundred years. Synonyms for Ebonics include, but are not limited to, Black English, Black Vernacular, African American Vernacular English (AAVE),Jive, Rappin, even the derogatory term of Nigger Talk(Shabaz). The words language anddialect are ambiguous and often interchanged when they should not be, because of the confusion they can elicit. ForRead More Ebonics is Not a Seperate Language but Improper Form of English2948 Words   |  12 Pagesuse among African American students; language that has not been examined closely nor acknowledged until recently. Ebonics is classified as Black English or Black sounds, or Pan African Communication Behavior or African Language systems which originates from the West African languages such as Ibo, Yoruba, and Hausa (Amended Resolution of the Board of Education, 1997. P. 1). During the times of slavery, ebonics was also spoken as Gullah, which is a combination of West African languages