Introduction
The origin of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) is not associated with any particular theory; instead, there are many explanations of the causes and ways of its origin. However, the most common is The English Origins Hypothesis, which defines the origin of AAVE through its connection to early British dialects. In particular, Winford determines an almost direct connection between the two linguistic phenomena (Winford, 2015). In this essay, I express solidarity with this position and focus on the possibilities of its use with other related hypotheses.
The English Origins Hypothesis
The English Origins Hypothesis (EOH) is described as a Neo-English hypothesis that evolved as the sociocultural context of the African American community was defined. It is the product of a mixture of English vocabulary with African pronunciation and, in part, grammar, which emerged in what, is now the United States with the beginning of the intensive importation of enslaved people. Specifically, the hypothesis builds on the fact that AAVE uses the ending -s in the context of the third person plural, which was noted in Scottish-Irish dialects in Ulster as of the early 18th century (Herk, 2015). This was done by comparing letters: thus, the semi-literate African-American population of the 19th century and their letters were contrasted with the Scots-Irish immigrants (Herk, 2015). The established similarities made it possible to assess the similarity of languages and formulate a hypothesis. The results established common nous and relative pronouns; existential linguistic aspects were also similar.
Pros and Cons of EOH
Like any hypothesis, EOH has both advantages and disadvantages compared to the other common hypothesis, Creole descent. On the plus side, there is genuinely documented and reliable knowledge of the date of the letters. Also, the letters belong to African Americans who were not writers. The sample size to support the EOH hypothesis is also acceptable (Herk, 2015). However, the disadvantages include the representativeness of these letters, which is questionable because of the small percentage of the African American population who could read and write. In addition, the socio-demographic characteristics of the sample are not specified.
As previously argued, the Creole hypothesis is contrasted with the EOH. According to this hypothesis, AAVE emerged due to the emergence of Creole languages, a new means of communication that evolved through language contact (Rickford, 2015). In particular, the lack of bundling was one of the well-studied structures and played a crucial role in developing and further arguing the Creole hypothesis (How did AAL develop?). This means that formed language norms were tested and adapted to unique grammatical norms.
Personal Attitude
My opinion regarding the emergence of these theories is based on the claim that EOH prevails over the other hypotheses. I believe that its evidence, despite all its minuses, is more extensive. Moreover, they lend themselves to explanation and interpretation in the context of modern English. At the same time, to explain the context of AAVE’s origin fully, one has to synthesize it with Creole theory. The most complete and plausible version of the origin of AAVE will be obtained by identifying each strategically correct variant of language development. In particular, an independent grammatical adaptation should be taken from the Creole hypothesis, and the socio-historical context of the slave system should be taken from the EOH.
Conclusion
Thus, AAVE results from a synthesis of various linguistic contacts between social groups. Among all the theories of origin, The English Origins Hypothesis dominates, indicating the presence of direct connections between AAVE and British dialects. It is opposed by the Creole hypothesis that sees AAVE as a separate entity. Although I maintain that EOH dominates and plays a more significant role in forming AAVE, both theories should be considered to form a complete picture.
Reference List
Herk, G. V. (2015) ‘The English origins hypothesis’, in Bloomquist, J., Green, L.J. and Lanehart, S.L. (eds.) The oxford handbook of African American language.
How did AAL develop? (n.d.).
Rickford, J. R. (2015) ‘The creole origins hypothesis’, in Bloomquist, J., Green, L.J. and Lanehart, S.L. (eds.) The Oxford Handbook of African American Language.
Winford, D. (2015) ‘The origins of African American vernacular English: Beginnings’ in Bloomquist, J., Green, L.J. and Lanehart, S.L. (eds.) The oxford handbook of African American language.