African American English
Germanic
African American Vernacular English (AAVE) is a sociolinguistic variety of English with ~30M speakers in African American communities across the USA. Distinct grammatical features: habitual "be" (he be working = he habitually works), copula deletion (he tired), zero past tense -ed in some contexts, distinctive intonation patterns. Major influence on American popular culture, hip-hop. Linguistic legitimacy debated since the 1996 Oakland Ebonics Resolution.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in African American English
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Germanic
| Meaning | African American English | Appalachian English | Canadian English | English | American English | Southern American English | West Country English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | water /ˈwɑːɾɚ/ | water /ˈwɔːɾɚ/ | water /ˈwɑɾɚ/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔɾɚ/ | water /ˈwɔːɾɚ/ | water /ˈwɔːtɚ/ |
| Fire | fire /faːɚ/ | fire /faːɚ/ | fire /ˈfaɪɚ/ | fire /faɪə/ | fire /ˈfaɪɚ/ | fire /faːɹ/ | fire /faɪɚ/ |
| Sun | sun /sʌn/ | sun /sʌn/ | sun /sʌn/ | sun /sʌn/ | sun /sʌn/ | sun /sʌn/ | sun /sʌn/ |
| Moon | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /mun/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ |
| Star | star /stɑː/ | star /stɑːɹ/ | star /stɑɹ/ | star /stɑːɹ/ | star /stɑɹ/ | star /stɑːɹ/ | star /stɑːɹ/ |
| Night | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /nʌɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naːt/ | night /naɪt/ |
| Rain | rain /ɹeɪn/ | rain /ɹeɪn/ | rain /ɹeɪn/ | rain /ɹeɪn/ | rain /ɹeɪn/ | rain /ɹæɪn/ | rain /ɹeɪn/ |
| Snow | snow /snoʊ/ | snow /snoʊ/ | snow /snoʊ/ | snow /snoʊ/ | snow /snoʊ/ | snow /snoʊ/ | snow /snəʊ/ |
| Wind | wind /wɪn/ | wind /waɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ |
| Earth | earth /ɝθ/ | earth /ɝθ/ | earth /ɝθ/ | earth /ɜːθ/ | earth /ɝθ/ | earth /ɝθ/ | earth /ɝθ/ |
| Stone | stone /stoʊn/ | stone /stoʊn/ | stone /stoʊn/ | stone /stoʊn/ | stone /stoʊn/ | stone /stoʊn/ | stone /stəʊn/ |
| Mountain | mountain /ˈmaʊʔn̩/ | mountain /ˈmaːʊntn̩/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntən/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntɪn/ | mountain /ˈmaʊnʔn̩/ | mountain /ˈmæʊntn̩/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntən/ |
| Sea | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /si/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ |
| Mother | mama /ˈmɑːmə/ | mother /ˈmʌðɚ/ | mother /ˈmʌðɚ/ | mother /ˈmʌðə/ | mother /ˈmʌðɚ/ | mother /ˈmʌðɚ/ | mother /ˈmʌðɚ/ |
| Father | daddy /ˈdæɾi/ | father /ˈfɑːðɚ/ | father /ˈfɑðɚ/ | father /ˈfɑːðə/ | father /ˈfɑðɚ/ | father /ˈfɑːðɚ/ | father /ˈvɑːðɚ/ |
| Daughter | daughter /ˈdɑːɾɚ/ | daughter /ˈdɔːɾɚ/ | daughter /ˈdɑɾɚ/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔɾɚ/ | daughter /ˈdɔːɾɚ/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtɚ/ |
| I | I /aɪ/ | I /aː/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aː/ | I /aɪ/ |
| You | you /ju/ | you /juː/ | you /ju/ | you /juː/ | you /ju/ | you /juː/ | you /juː/ |
| We | we /wi/ | we /wi/ | we /wi/ | we /wiː/ | we /wi/ | we /wi/ | we /wiː/ |
| Name | name /neɪm/ | name /neɪm/ | name /neɪm/ | name /neɪm/ | name /neɪm/ | name /næɪm/ | name /neɪm/ |
| Person | person /ˈpɝsən/ | person /ˈpɝsn̩/ | person /ˈpɝsən/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ | person /ˈpɝsən/ | person /ˈpɝsən/ | person /ˈpɝsən/ |
| Head | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛəd/ | head /hɛd/ |
| Eye | eye /aː/ | eye /aː/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aː/ | eye /aɪ/ |
| Ear | ear /ɪɹ/ | ear /ɪɚ/ | ear /ɪɹ/ | ear /ɪɚ/ | ear /ɪɹ/ | ear /ɪɚ/ | ear /ɪɚ/ |
| Nose | nose /noʊz/ | nose /noʊz/ | nose /noʊz/ | nose /noʊz/ | nose /noʊz/ | nose /noʊz/ | nose /nəʊz/ |
| Mouth | mouth /maʊf/ | mouth /maːʊθ/ | mouth /mʌʊθ/ | mouth /maʊθ/ | mouth /maʊθ/ | mouth /mæʊθ/ | mouth /maʊθ/ |
| Tooth | tooth /tuːf/ | tooth /tuːθ/ | tooth /tuːθ/ | tooth /tuːθ/ | tooth /tuθ/ | tooth /tuːθ/ | tooth /tuːθ/ |
| Tongue | tongue /tʌŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ |
| Hand | hand /hæːnd/ | hand /hænd/ | hand /hænd/ | hand /hænd/ | hand /hænd/ | hand /hæːənd/ | hand /hand/ |
| Foot | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ |
| Heart | heart /hɑːɹt/ | heart /hɑːɹt/ | heart /hɑɹt/ | heart /hɑːt/ | heart /hɑɹt/ | heart /hɑːɹt/ | heart /hɑːɹt/ |
| Bone | bone /boʊn/ | bone /boʊn/ | bone /boʊn/ | bone /boʊn/ | bone /boʊn/ | bone /boʊn/ | bone /bəʊn/ |
| Blood | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blʌd/ |
| Poop | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ | poo /puː/ |
| Love | love /lʌv/ | love /lʌv/ | love /lʌv/ | love /lʌv/ | love /lʌv/ | love /lʌv/ | love /lʌv/ |
| Tree | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹi/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ |
| Dog | dog /dɔːɡ/ | dog /dɑːɡ/ | dog /dɑɡ/ | dog /dɒɡ/ | dog /dɔɡ/ | dog /dɔːɡ/ | dog /dɒɡ/ |
| Cat | cat /kæt/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kæːt/ | cat /kat/ |
| Fish | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ |
| Bird | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɝd/ | bird /bɝd/ | bird /bɜːɹd/ | bird /bɝd/ | bird /bɝd/ | bird /bɜːd/ |
| Butterfly | butterfly /ˈbʌɾɚflaː/ | butterfly /ˈbʌɾɚflaː/ | butterfly /ˈbʌɾɚflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbʌtəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbʌɾɚflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbʌɾɚflaː/ | butterfly /ˈbʌtɚflaɪ/ |
| Egg | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ |
| Bear | bear /bɛə/ | bear /bɛɹ/ | bear /bɛɹ/ | bear /bɛə/ | bear /bɛɹ/ | bear /bɛɹ/ | bear /bɛɹ/ |
| Horse | horse /hɔːɹs/ | horse /hɔːɹs/ | horse /hɔɹs/ | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔɹs/ | horse /hɔɹs/ | horse /hɔːɹs/ |
| House | house /haʊs/ | house /haːʊs/ | house /hʌʊs/ | house /haʊs/ | house /haʊs/ | house /hæʊs/ | house /haʊs/ |
| Milk | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ |
| Honey | honey /ˈhʌni/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ |
| Salt | salt /sɔːlt/ | salt /sɔːlt/ | salt /sɑlt/ | salt /sɔːlt/ | salt /sɔlt/ | salt /sɔːlt/ | salt /sɔːlt/ |
| Wine | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waːn/ | wine /waɪn/ |
| Rice | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹʌɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ |
| Chocolate | chocolate /ˈtʃɔklət/ | chocolate /ˈtʃɑːklət/ | chocolate /ˈtʃɑklət/ | chocolate /ˈtʃɒklət/ | chocolate /ˈtʃɑklət/ | chocolate /ˈtʃɑːklət/ | chocolate /ˈtʃɒklət/ |
| Iron | iron /aːɚn/ | iron /aːɚn/ | iron /ˈaɪɚn/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪɚn/ | iron /aːɹn/ | iron /ˈaɪɚn/ |
| Wheel | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wil/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ |
| Silk | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ |
| Book | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ |
| Eat | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /it/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ |
| Drink | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ |
| Sleep | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ |
| One | one /wʌn/ | one /wʌn/ | one /wʌn/ | one /wʌn/ | one /wʌn/ | one /wʌn/ | one /wʌn/ |
| Two | two /tu/ | two /tuː/ | two /tu/ | two /tuː/ | two /tu/ | two /tuː/ | two /tuː/ |
| Three | three /fɹiː/ | three /θɹiː/ | three /θɹi/ | three /θɹiː/ | three /θɹi/ | three /θɹiː/ | three /θɹiː/ |
| Four | four /fɔː/ | four /fɔːɹ/ | four /fɔɹ/ | four /fɔːɹ/ | four /fɔɹ/ | four /fɔːɹ/ | four /fɔːɹ/ |
| Five | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faːv/ | five /faɪv/ |
| Hundred | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ |
| Hello | what's up /wʌts ʌp/ | howdy /ˈhaːdi/ | hello /həˈloʊ/ | hello /həˈləʊ/ | hello /həˈloʊ/ | howdy /ˈhaʊdi/ | hello /hɛˈloʊ/ |
| Thank you | thanks /θæŋks/ | thanks /θæŋks/ | thank you /θæŋk juː/ | thank you /θæŋk juː/ | thank you /θæŋk ju/ | thanks /θæːŋks/ | thanks /θaŋks/ |
| Good | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ |
| New | new /nu/ | new /nuː/ | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ | new /nu/ | new /nuː/ | new /njuː/ |
| Red | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛəd/ | red /ɹɛd/ |
| White | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /wʌɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ |
| Black | black /blæk/ | black /blæk/ | black /blæk/ | black /blæk/ | black /blæk/ | black /blæːk/ | black /blak/ |
| Green | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹin/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ |
| Blue | blue /blu/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /blu/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /bluː/ |
| Cuckoo | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkuku/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ |
| Woof | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ |
| Cock-a-doodle-doo | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɔːkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɑːkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɑkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɒkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɑkəˌdudəlˈdu/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɑːkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɒkəduːdlˈduː/ |
| Computer | computer /kəmˈpjuːɾə/ | computer /kəmˈpjuːɾɚ/ | computer /kəmˈpjuːtɚ/ | computer /kəmˈpjuːtə/ | computer /kəmˈpjutɚ/ | computer /kəmˈpjuːɾɚ/ | computer /kəmˈpjuːtɚ/ |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaː/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaːfaː/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ |
| Sushi | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuːʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuːʃi/ |
| Tea | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ |
| Coffee | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɔːfi/ | coffee /ˈkɑfi/ | coffee /ˈkɒfi/ | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɔːfi/ | coffee /ˈkɒfi/ |
| Sugar | sugar /ˈʃʊɡɚ/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡɚ/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡɚ/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡɚ/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡɚ/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡɚ/ |
| Orange | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔːɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɒɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔːɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɒɹɪndʒ/ |
| Ninety-nine | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaːnti ˈnaːn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ |
| Dopamine | dopamine /ˈdəʊpəmiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoʊpəmiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoʊpəmiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoʊpəmiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoʊpəˌmin/ | dopamine /ˈdoʊpəmiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoʊpəmiːn/ |
| At sign | at /æt/ | at /æt/ | at /æt/ | at /æt/ | at /æt/ | at /æːt/ | at /at/ |
Word order compared
Compare with major world languages
Compare with languages in the same classification
Open the interactive map: Word Map · HanMap · Name Map · Word Order · Tree
Part of LangMap — a linguistic visualization project. This is a static, crawlable summary; the interactive maps offer pronunciation audio, filters, and a globe view.
Made by Heuron Inc. · GitHub · cho@heuron.com · LangMap home