▁Louisiana , ▁and ▁Gul lah , ▁common ▁to ▁the ▁Sea ▁Islands ▁off ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁South ▁Carolina ▁and ▁Georgia . ▁ ▁African - American ▁Vern ac ular ▁English ▁( AA VE ) ▁is ▁a ▁variety ▁( dia lect , ▁eth no lect , ▁and ▁so cio lect ) ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁English ▁language ▁closely ▁associated ▁with ▁the ▁speech ▁of , ▁but ▁not ▁exclusive ▁to , ▁African ▁Americans . ▁While ▁A AV E ▁is ▁academ ically ▁considered ▁a ▁legit imate ▁dialect ▁because ▁of ▁its ▁logical ▁structure , ▁some ▁of ▁both ▁whites ▁and ▁African ▁Americans ▁consider ▁it ▁sl ang ▁or ▁the ▁result ▁of ▁a ▁poor ▁command ▁of ▁Standard ▁American ▁English . ▁Many ▁African ▁Americans ▁who ▁were ▁born ▁outside ▁the ▁American ▁South ▁still ▁speak ▁with ▁hints ▁of ▁A AV E ▁or ▁southern ▁dialect . ▁Inner - city ▁African - American ▁children ▁who ▁are ▁isolated ▁by ▁speaking ▁only ▁A AV E ▁sometimes ▁have ▁more ▁difficulty ▁with ▁standard ized ▁testing ▁and , ▁after ▁school , ▁moving ▁to ▁the ▁main stream ▁world ▁for ▁work . ▁It ▁is ▁common ▁for ▁many ▁speak ers ▁of ▁A AV E ▁to ▁code ▁switch ▁between ▁A AV E ▁and ▁Standard ▁American ▁English ▁depending ▁on ▁the ▁setting . ▁ ▁African - American ▁English ▁shares ▁similar ities ▁with ▁Gh ana ian ▁English . ▁ ▁F ashion ▁and ▁a est het ics ▁ ▁Att ire ▁The ▁Black ▁Arts ▁Mov ement , ▁a ▁cultural ▁explos ion ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s , ▁saw ▁the ▁incorpor ation ▁of ▁surv iving ▁cultural ▁dress ▁with ▁elements ▁from ▁modern