African American Language

Undergraduate / Graduate

In this course, we explore how African American speech is defined and what it suggests about the relationship between race and language. Specifically, we explore the dialect's earliest linguistic descriptions, trace its historical development, interrogate its significance in entertainment and pop culture, and evaluate language attitudes and their implications in the education and courtroom settings. By the end of the course, you will recognize and describe dialectal patterns, as well as be able to challenge linguistic prejudice against the variety and its speakers.