The omission of primary auxiliary verbs in Toni Morrison’s beloved: African American vernacular English novel

This paper discusses about the omission of primary auxiliary verbs in the sentences of characters’ conversation in the novel written by Toni Morrison titled ‘Beloved’. The aim of this research is to investigate the omission of primary auxiliary verbs as non-standard form in English language. This phenomenon is interesting to be analyzed, since this is related to the features of linguistic variation with social factors causing the language change. In fact, it will create language variation in social community. The research questions to answer are: (1) In what types of sentences, the omission of primary auxiliary verbs occurred in characters’ conversation of the novel written by Toni Morrison’s ‘Beloved’? (2) What are the features of social variation (if any) in relation to the omission of primary auxiliary verbs occurred in the sentences of characters’ conversation in the novel written by Toni Morrison’s ‘Beloved’? The theory underpinning according to Wardhaugh is used to identify the linguistic variable as basic working tool, then to see how linguistic variation related to social variation. In conclusion, the omission of primary auxiliary verbs is found as the features of linguistic variation that can be investigated by social variation. It is a kind of nonstandard English or vernacular dialect often used by African American Vernacular English, an ethnicity in the United States. This vernacular language is often used by lower social class based on the different social status in society, education, and occupation. The omission of primary auxiliary verbs as vernacular dialect is also used more by men based on gender in every social class, because it expresses machismo