Publications
Publication details [#19516]
Lanehart, Sonja L., ed. 2001. Sociocultural and Historical Contexts of African American English. (Varieties of English Around the World G27). John Benjamins. xviii + 373 pp. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
Publication type
Book – edited volume
Publication language
English
Keywords
Language as a subject
ISBN
90 272 4885 0
Annotation
This volume, based on presentations at a 1998 state conference at the University of Georgia, critically examines African American English (AAE) socially, culturally, historically, and educationally. It explores the relationship between AAE and other varieties of English (namely Southern White Vernaculars, Gullah, and Caribbean English creoles), language use in the African American community (e.g., Hip Hop, women’s language, and directness), and application of our knowledge about AAE to issues in education (e.g., improving overall academic success). To its credit (since most books avoid the issue), the volume also seeks to define the term ‘AAE’ and challenge researchers to address the complexity of defining a language and its speakers. The volume collectively tries to help readers better understand language use in the African American community and how that understanding benefits all who value language variation and the knowledge such study brings to our society.