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Non-Black Writers: AAVE & Code-Switching in Story 

I’m going to present you with two sides. 

My factual opinion with advice on preparing to do this well.

And my personal one, which is to use AAVE sparingly in stories if you’re not a Black writer.

Doing this well

Execution is everything. Approach this as you would adding any secondary language within a story that has a different primary language. In this case, it’s adding African American Vernacular English to a story written in prescriptive, standard English. AAVE may use English words, but syntax (word order), context and so on follow its own rules. Those rules should be respected and there’s not much room to play if you don’t know AAVE. That’s how you get blotched AAVE from people outside of the culture throwing stuff together and making little sense. 

To write AAVE how you think it sounds vs. how it is quickly looks like a mockery or racist stereotyping. 

So the decision to include would truly depend on:

If you research it thoroughly

Have a Black, AAVE-speaking person to check over it 

Research

Our tags as well as Google has plenty of resources for learning, so i’ll avoid being repetitive here. 

Beta readers

As for the importance of having someone read it; just like you wouldn’t use google translate as your sole source for correct translation, you should not rely on what you think you know. There’s nuances that are hard to learn on paper. Plus, as AAVE is almost always spoken along with Standard English, most wouldn’t speak completely in Black English. It could easily be 1-2 sentences in a paragraph of dialogue in which it slips out. 

My personal opinion

Instinctively, I want to say no. Use it sparingly to little as a non-Black writer, because if it’s done poorly, it’ll distract and put me off as a reader. I’d feel betrayed reading this great story with a Black character only to come across poorly-written AAVE. Even done well, in theory, it’s pretty easy to mess up. 

Also, how it is spoken, how often, and to whom varies regionally, within families and even individuals. Just another point of research and decision to make if you do include it! 

For this in particular, I don’t consider it erasure leaving it out, especially if you make it clear the character is African-American in other ways, and include other pieces of culture and representation. Hair and skin care, decor, family life, culture, and cultural events, to name a few things.

Another reason I feel more protective of AAVE is from how commercialized it has become. Black language is under near constant scrutiny, used by non-Black people on the same breath that it’s disrespected. It is seen as a “cool misuse” of English or considered universal “Teen speak.” Sometimes it’s praised, but often made fun of or seen as speaking improperly.

Again, just my perspective and probably differently than how I felt when I started this blog in 2014! I encourage Black readers to share their own.

And that orange, it made me so happy, As ordinary things often do Just lately. The shopping. A walk in the park. This is peace and contentment. It’s new.

The rest of the day was quite easy. I did all the jobs on my list And enjoyed them and had some time over. I love you. I’m glad I exist.