Australian Aboriginal English and African American Language: The Development of Marginalized Language Varieties

Abstract

The development of distinct varieties of English is a diverse and interesting process. In places over the entire globe where once existed exclusively non-English speaking peoples, various forms of English are now used as the primary means of communication in many different settings: governmental, business, educational, and home. Frequently, new varieties of English form out of necessity as a way for groups of people with differing linguistic and cultural backgrounds to communicate and effectively coexist. Two such languages, Australian Aboriginal English and African American Language, though they developed within different circumstances, have some interesting similarities in terms of their origins and source language influences, linguistic features, and social stations. In analyzing these similarities and why they exist, we can draw some important conclusions about language as a frequently overlooked form of social injustice as well as its role in developing cultural and individual identity.

Department(s)

English and Technical Communication

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2018 Western Michigan University, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Jan 2011

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