Phonological Features of the Consonant System of African American Vernacular English

Focusing on the phonological features of African American Vernacular English (AAVE), this term paper analyzes the systematic sound patterns within its consonant system. It challenges stereotypes of AAVE as "lazy speech" by demonstrating that its sound combinations follow defined linguistic rules. Additionally, the paper explores the linguistic environments where these patterns occur and highlights both the distinct and shared characteristics of AAVE compared to Standard American English, providing a comprehensive understanding of this linguistic variety.