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Walter Edwards, Professor of English, Wayne State University

Everyday African American Vernacular English is a dialect born from conflict and creativity

Linguists believe Black English might have originated from West African or Creole languages. Getty Images

Dr. Walter Edwards is a professor of linguistics at Wayne State University, Michigan, where he teaches courses on African American Vernacular English, sociolinguistics and American dialects. Until Aug. 31, 2022, he was also the director of the Humanities Center at Wayne State. Below are highlights from interviews with The Conversation U.S. and another online interview. Answers have been edited for brevity and clarity.

Exactly what is African American Vernacular English? A linguist explains.
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