[Shunte]

Does anyone think there is such a thing as a black dialect or language? If so, do you think it should be an official dialect of the American English language? If not, why not?

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Name : Shunte, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Religion : Baptist, Age : 18, City : New Orleans, State : LA Country : United States, Occupation : student, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, 

[Nakhya]

I do know there is such a thing as 'black' dialect. It is primarily a derivative of the hundreds of Afrikan dialects that Afrikan Americans still possess today. I do not, however, feel that implementing 'black' dialect into American English will be beneficial to Afrikan Americans or any other American because of its complexities. Much like the Native American dialect, Afrikan dialect varies extensively, with each unique tribe giving different tones, vowel sounds and meanings, and in most cases, an entirely different language from tribe to tribe. Because Afrikan Americans, as descendants of their native Afrikan land, were purchased, sold, tricked and outright taken into slavery from not just one, but all parts of Africa and its mass variety of tribal communities, Afrikan Americans inheritantly continue to possess some of its true Afrikan cultures, including the use of native tongue. This is why Southern blacks speak a different dialect than blacks on the East Coast, West Coast and so forth. Not to mention that the evolving slang that tags along with the black dialect would make it almost impossible to keep up with word changes, meanings, definitions, pronunciation and dictionary update costs. The key, however, is to acknowledge that 'black' dialect does exist and will continue to exist, and to recognize its beauty. p.s. I spell "Afrika" with a K as recognition of my Afrikan conscience and independence of the American slave mentality.

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Name : Nakhya, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Ideology of Aura Exchange, Race : Black/African American, Age : 24, City : San Diego, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : Self-Employed, Education level : 4 Years of College, 

[Cynthia31732]

derived from various African languages, then why don't Asian Americans/Canadians have their own dialacts? Most Canadians/Americans of Asian descent who were born and raised here speak perfect, 'mainstream' English, without a trace of an accent.

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Name : Cynthia31732, Gender : F, Race : Asian, Age : 21, City : Somewhere, State : NA Country : Canada, Occupation : Student, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Christina32055]

Being black and having lived all over the world, I have learned of many cultures and traditions. Now I am in the South and have been exposed to many things I was never exposed to anywhere else. Ever since I moved to Mississippi five years ago, I have been teased and talked about because I don't 'sound' black, whatever that means. There is a black dialect, but there are different dialects around the world. Not all blacks sound the same. Blacks in California do not sound the same as blacks in Utah. Blacks down South do not sound the same as blacks in New York, and so forth. Because there are many black dialects, you can't make it an official dialect of the American culture.

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Name : Christina32055, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, City : McComb, State : MS Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Kelly26554]

This so called 'dialect' does not completely evolve around Africa. People talk in this so called slang because they don't want to pronounce the syllables. Simple as that! But if the people who talk like that want to pronounce all of the syllables they'll do it.

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Name : Kelly26554, City : New Orleans, State : LA Country : United States, 

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