How does African American Vernacular (AAVE) effect AAVE speakers at the University?

This project seeks to understand how African American Vernacular English (AAVE) effects the experiences of African American students who identify as AAVE speakers at the University. What are the opinions of African Americans who do not identify as AAVE speakers on AAVE and those who speak it? How is AAVE defined? Based on nine interviews and participant observation, this study reveals how AAVE speakers feel the need to code switch to Standard American English in certain settings to avoid being perceived as dumb or ignorant. Code switching happens quite automatically. Many participants in this study did not have a clear understanding of AAVE and conceptualized it as ghetto slang rather than as a distinct dialect.unpublishe