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Allusions
Letter 46
Explanation and Analysis—African American English:
African American English (AAE) is the predominant dialect Walker utilizes for both spoken and written language in The Color Purple. In the past, AAE has been referred to as AAVE (African American Vernacular English). This labeling has since been revised to exclude the word "vernacular," in an attempt to clarify that AAE is a formal and legitimate dialect of American English.
AAE, like other English dialects, is characterized by its own distinct grammatical hallmarks. Double negatives, for instance, are considered grammatically incorrect in Standard American English (SAE), but not in AAE. Walker uses double negatives frequently in The Color Purple, as in this excerpt from Letter 47:
After while I say, Mama finally ast how come she find his hair in the girls room if he don’t never go in there like he say.
Additionally, in AAE, the contraction "ain't" frequently replaces the SAE contractions "didn't" and "hasn't," among others. Walker utilizes this contraction twice in the following excerpt from Letter 46, first replacing "didn't" and then "hasn't":
He ain’t beat me much since you made him quit, I say. Just a slap now and then when he ain’t got nothing else to do.
Walker's use of AAE dialect in The Color Purple helps to immerse the reader in the lives of her characters, accurately depicting their mannerisms and modes of communication.
Related Themes:
Letter 47
Explanation and Analysis—African American English:
African American English (AAE) is the predominant dialect Walker utilizes for both spoken and written language in The Color Purple. In the past, AAE has been referred to as AAVE (African American Vernacular English). This labeling has since been revised to exclude the word "vernacular," in an attempt to clarify that AAE is a formal and legitimate dialect of American English.
AAE, like other English dialects, is characterized by its own distinct grammatical hallmarks. Double negatives, for instance, are considered grammatically incorrect in Standard American English (SAE), but not in AAE. Walker uses double negatives frequently in The Color Purple, as in this excerpt from Letter 47:
After while I say, Mama finally ast how come she find his hair in the girls room if he don’t never go in there like he say.
Additionally, in AAE, the contraction "ain't" frequently replaces the SAE contractions "didn't" and "hasn't," among others. Walker utilizes this contraction twice in the following excerpt from Letter 46, first replacing "didn't" and then "hasn't":
He ain’t beat me much since you made him quit, I say. Just a slap now and then when he ain’t got nothing else to do.
Walker's use of AAE dialect in The Color Purple helps to immerse the reader in the lives of her characters, accurately depicting their mannerisms and modes of communication.
Related Themes:
