Let's Talk About AAVE! (A-O)

What is AAVE?

AAVE, or African American Vernacular English, is a vocabulary created by and specifically catered to Black communities. Although many of these words and phrases have been made popular as slang among young people, AAVE is its own distinct dialect, whose words - like any dialect - are used for more than just expressing yourself. When it comes to language, there's often more involved than using a word or phrase. We must pay attention to the tone, contexts, and emotions we display within it. Using AAVE as a white or non-black person of colour is language appropriation. Language appropriation is the usage of language by oppressors in order to profit off or benefit from the oppressed.

The origins of AAVE language have been debated by linguists for years. One hypothesis concludes that AAVE emerged from African slaves coming in contact with white slave owners, who learned African dialect in order to better communicate. Over time, this dialect became AAVE. A second hypothesis believes that AAVE began when various West African languages merged with English, evolving into the Black vernacular used today.

By using Black language as a non-black person, we erase the influence of Black culture on a word or expression. The appropriation of Black language has long been normalized in media by non-black artists, social media influencers, and public figures, which has led to its everyday usage by white people who really don't know the history of the language they use. Language appropriation is harmful because it perpetuates stereotypes and uses history and culture as a trend, while the originating group continues to experience discrimination for using the same language.

What are some examples of AAVE phrases, and what can non-black people use instead?

A

■ Aight/Ight

Meaning: Yes, alright, or okay then

What to use instead: The word "alright is fine. Or the word "okay". Literally any basic word of agreement.

■ Aggy

Meaning: Aggressive or agitated

What to use instead: The full forms of aggressive or agitated. Or even some of their many synonyms, including belligerent, hostile, turbulent, shaken, or combative.

■ ASF or Ass

Meaning: as fuck - used to emphasize an adjective (i.e: cold as fuck to mean extremely cold, or it's a hot-ass day today!"

What to use instead: Use the adjective itself, as in: It's cold outside! You can also use an adverb like very, extremely, quite, or really.

■ As You Should

Meaning: Used to express approval or encouragement, or to say that you agree with someone's actions.

What to use instead: You can show agreement or approval with phrases such as "I agree; good for you!" or the like.

■ Ate

Meaning: Used to express amazement or awe at someone's flawless performance (i.e: he ate). The AAVE term ...and left no crumbs is often added to emphasize how well the person performed or presented themselves. (i.e: you ate and left no crumbs.)

What to use instead: Describe something with adjectives such as flawless, impeccable, amazing, immaculate, impressive, or awe-inspiring.

■ Aye

Meaning: An interjection; used in place of yo or hey

What to use instead: Yo! Or hey! Or other interjections to get the attention of someone else.

B

■ Bae

Meaning: An acronym meaning before anyone else, used to refer to a romantic partner or close friend.

What to use instead: Terms of endearment like babe, sweetie, honey, darling, etc.

■ Bank

Meaning: Used to describe someone who makes an immense amount of money (i.e: doctors make bank!)

What to use instead: Descriptions using other adjectives to describe an income (i.e: "doctors make a lot of money!" or "doctors get paid a lot!"

■ Basic

Meaning: An adjective to describe the mundanity or unoriginality of something (i.e: you're so basic)

What to use instead: Adjectives like boring, bland, drab, vapid or dull.

■ Beef

Meaning: To have a conflict or disagreement with someone

What to use instead: You can say something about having a problem with someone, or getting into an argument, or not getting along.

■ Bet

Meaning: Used as affirmation when agreeing to a challenge with another person (i.e: "I'll beat you in this 1v1!" "Aight, bet."

What to use instead: Just a simple affirmation is fine. (i.e: "I'll beat you in this 1v1!" "Okay, you're on."

■ BFFR

Meaning: Acronym meaning be fucking for real. (i.e: BFFR; you're making that up.)

What to use instead: Non-black people don't need to use AAVE acronyms. You can express your annoyance by just saying "be honest" or "come on, quit lying."

■ Bomb

Meaning: A word used to emphasize something positively (i.e: "That concert was bomb!")

What to use instead: Adjectives such as cool and its variants: amazing, incredible, extraordinary, breathtaking, or awesome.

■ Boutta

Meaning: About to; synonym of finna.

What to use instead: About to

■ Bruh

Meaning: Used to refer to a friend or an unbelievable situation.

What to use instead: Terms of endearment often used to refer to friends, such as friend, buddy, pal, etc.

■ Bussin'

Meaning: Used most often to describe when food tastes good

What to use instead: Use any word you used before discovering this one: delicious, tasty, mouth-watering, delectable, yummy, etc. Many adjectives exist that don't have roots in AAVE.

C

■ Cap

Meaning: Lying. No cap means no lie.

What to use instead: The word lie, or synonyms/variations of it.

■ Carry

Meaning: Used to refer to someone who contributes most to their sports team or organization (i.e: Man, you carried that game last night).

What to use instead: Express contribution or benefit by saying something like "You contributed so much to that game yesterday!" or "Man, that win couldn't have happened without you."

■ Chile

Meaning: A term for a child, pronounced like the word child with an E instead of a D.

What to use instead: The word child.

■ Clapping 👏🏿 Between 👏🏿 Words

Meaning: In text, clapping between words is used to emphasize important information and to make a point. In conversation, clapping hands can be used in tense or high-emotion conversations.

What to use instead: You!!! can!!! use!! exclamation!! points!! like!! this!!! Similarly, just say what you are trying to say, or Capitalize Every First Letter.

D

■ Deadass

Meaning: A word meaning seriously or serious, or used to emphasize the truth of a statement (ie: "Are you deadass? I can't believe you did that."

What to use instead: Use another modifier to get your point across, or just say what you're trying to say.

■ Dope

Meaning: A positive adjective for something. (i.e: aye, you got a new watch? That's dope!)

What to use instead: Words like cool, great, or awesome.

■ Dough

Meaning: A synonym for money.

What to use instead: The word money. Or cash. Or even buckaroos.

■ Down bad

Meaning: Used to describe someone who is at a low point in life. Can also refer to someone who's sexually deprived or desperate. (i.e: Damn, he's down bad RN.)

What to use instead: You can say someone is having a hard time, or hit a rough patch, or simply that they're struggling.

■ Drag/Dragged

Meaning: To call someone out and/or critique them. (i.e: "Wow, they need to be dragged for their use of problematic language.")

What to use instead: You can tell someone off, or call them out.

■ Drip

Meaning: An word used to describe someone whose style is fashionable or put-together. (i.e: That guy's got drip.)

What to use instead: You can say someone has style, or that they're well-dressed, or that they're fashion-forward.

E

■ Extra

Meaning: A word used to describe a person who tries too hard or does too much. (i.e: I don't want to hang out with her again. She's so extra!"

What to use instead: You can say that something is excessive, or over the top, or that someone is trying too hard.

F

■ Facts | [That's] Facts

Meaning: Used to express agreement or respond to someone whose statements are factual or agreeable.

What to use instead: "That's so true!" or "I completely agree."

■ Fierce

Meaning: Used as a compliment to refer to something or someone that is high-quality or superior. Often describes someone's appearance. (i.e: You look fierce!)

What to use instead: Words like amazing, fantastic, flawless, incredible, breathtaking, extraordinary, or sensational.

■ [On] Fleek

Meaning: Used to describe something that looks flawless or well-done.

What to use instead: See Fierce.

■ Fuckboy/fuckboi

Meaning: You know what it means. We all know what it means.

What to use instead: Asshole, predatory, player, etc.

G

■ Gag/Gagged

Meaning: To be taken aback or amazed by something, such as an outfit.

What to use instead: Maybe you're astonished. Maybe you're awestruck, or astounded.

■ Go off

Meaning: Often used during rants or vents; a way of expression that encompasses passion or emotion. (i.e: That's not at all what I meant when I said that, but go off, I guess.)

What to use instead: That's not at all what I meant when I said that, but okay.

■ Got this in the bag

Meaning: A term of encouragement. (i.e: Come on, you got this in the bag!)

What to use instead: The in the bag part of this expression is a metaphor for security. To express encouragement or to tell someone you believe in their capability, you can say, "you got this!" instead.

H

■ Have a seat | Have [several] seats

Meaning: An expression used to tell someone to mind their own business/stop being nosy.

What to use instead: Just tell someone to mind their own business.

■ Hella

Meaning: To describe an excessive amount of something. (i.e: he's hella tall!)

What to use instead: Adverbs like really, extremely, very, etc.

■ Hunnid | Hunnit

Meaning: A hundred, or the state of being honest. (i.e: Be a hunnid with me right now...)

What to use instead: The word hundred.

I

■ I feel you

Meaning: used to relate to a statement or feeling of someone else.

What to use instead: You can say you relate, or a variant of this.

■ It's giving...

Meaning: A prompted statement used to compare two things, or to point out a resemblance. (i.e: This outfit is giving Medieval.)

What to use instead: This reminds me of [ ], or this makes me think of [ ].

■ It's the [ ] for me.

Meaning: Normally used in a passive-aggressive way; a statement that points out a trait, behaviour, or possession of someone else. (i.e: It's the clothes for me.)

What to use instead: Just point out the thing, and whatever point you're trying to get across.

K

■ Killing it

Meaning: To do well at something. (i.e: I'm killing it on this project right now!)

What to use instead: You could just say you're doing well, or that something is outstanding. Other adjectives include exceptional, brilliant, and superb.

L

■ Link

Meaning: To meet up.

What to use instead: Say meeting up, or getting together.

■ Lit

Meaning: A word used to describe an exciting event, such as a party.

What to use instead: Good replacement words include spectacular, amazing, exciting, awesome, and incredible.

■ Lowkey [& Highkey]

Meaning: Words used to describe how you feel about something, or to describe something as quiet, small, or intimate. (i.e: keeping a party lowkey, or being lowkey down for something). Highkey is the opposite of lowkey.

What to use instead: Instead of using lowkey to describe your feelings about something, use words like honestly or personally. Events can be described as small, hushed, quiet, or peaceful.

O

■ On God | ONG

Meaning: a phrase to show truthfulness, or to promise something.

What to use instead: Express honesty or make a promise by saying I swear" or "I promise".

■ On that [ ] ish

Meaning: to indulge in an activity, or to be an excessive amount of something. (i.e: I'm on that annoying ish again.")

What to use instead: Just describe the activity or character trait.

■ On the regular

Meaning: a term that means on a daily basis, or daily.

What to use instead: Daily, or on a daily basis. Alternatively: regularly.

■ Outta pocket

Meaning: An action taken by someone that is unexpected or out of the ordinary is outta pocket.

What to use instead: An unexpected or uncharacteristic action can be described as just that: unexpected or uncharacteristic.

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Note: Due to the length of the original article, it was separated into two sections. For a list of AAVE terminology from P to Z, see Part Two.