Language in the Inner City

Studies in the Black English Vernacular

Author: William Labov
ISBN: 0812276582

"Language in the Inner City firmly establishes African American Vernacular English not simply as slang but as a well-formed set of rules of pronunciation and grammar capable of conveying complex logic and reasoning. Studying not only the normal processes of communication in the inner city but such art forms as the ritual insult and ritualized narrative, Labov confirms the Black vernacular as a separate and independent dialect of English. His analysis goes on to clarify the nature and processes of linguistic change in the context of a changing society"--Jacket.

Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press
Publish Date: 1972

Subjects: Language Arts & Disciplines / General

This book is available in the following Community Centers: Black Resource Center (Location: 2A)