AAVE is a part of Black culture please acknowledge it. Photo courtesy of Tamiyah Murrieta.

San Luis Obispo Highschool students are using AAVE that is being rebranded as Gen Z slang. 

What is AAVE exactly? AAVE is African American Vernacular English and differs from each region. Where speakers of AAVE use different tones and use AAVE structure slightly differently.

“I don’t have a problem with people using AAVE but when they use it constantly or try to sound “Black” it gets really annoying and awkward when I’m around them.” Said freshman Tamiyah Murrieta. 

AAVE plays a big role in Black Culture and how they identify. Words like “Slay” and “Period” that are used frequently do give some recognition. Yet is another example of delegitimization of AAVE to simple slang fun for kids to play with. 

It does not recognize AAVE as a complex, creative, and deeply detailed way of language. AAVE has its own language costumes, rules, and standards.

“They’re pretty funny when it’s ironic or not it shows that you are on the internet so you have to be just a little funny.” Said freshman Finn Zimmermann. 

When non-Black people use AAVE others (non-Black people) think it’s cute and trendy and think the speaker is using Gen Z slang. In the absence of acknowledgement about AAVE it could face the whitewashing of this language. 

The artistry and skill behind AAVE won’t be recognized to Black American community and just stray to being apart of pop-culture fad.

When non-Black people speak in AAVE they should be mindful and not undermine the centuries of history of this language and call it Gen Z slang. 

Source: Outline of AAVE grammar , The mislabeling of AAVE as internet slang , Gen Z ‘slang’: A blatant appropriation of AAVE