L700/Section 23000
Stuart Davis
MW 4 - 5:15
meets with L485


This course examines the grammar of contemporary African American
Vernacular English (AAVE) and the controversy surrounding its
history.  In the first several weeks we review the grammatical
features that are said to characterize AAVE. Afterwards, we will
examine in detail the controversy over the origins of these
features. There are at least three hypotheses: the Creolist
Hypothesis, the Anglicist Hypothesis, and the Divergence Hypothesis.
The Creolist Hypothesis maintains that the unique feature of AAVE
reflect an earlier creole that was widespread throughout the
plantation south before the Civil War. The Anglicist Hypothesis
maintains that the features of AAVE reflect the nonstandard dialects
of English spoken by indentured servants and other poor whites (many
of whom were of Scotts-Irish origins) and who would have had contact
with the slave population. The Divergence Hypothesis claims that the
unique features of contemporary AAVE are of recent origin (within
the past 60 years) reflecting the social segregation of the urban
north since the Great Depression of the 1930's. Readings will be
drawn from the current literature. Students will be expected to
present a number of articles from the readings and write an original
research paper on some aspect of the course.  Students will also be
afforded experience in giving professional-style oral presentation
of their research.

For more information contact:
Stuart Davis, 855-2043
Memorial Hall 332
davis@indiana.edu