At the end of the course, students will have developed the ability to answer two 
primary questions that guided the course: "What is African American English (AAE)?" 
and "Why is studying the language of American Slave Descendants important?" To 
answer these questions, students will survey, examine, and discuss theory-based and 
research-oriented texts as well as critical essays that address language use in the 
African American community in the sociocultural and historical contexts of its 
American Slave Descendants and the implications of those contexts (e.g., 
educationally, politically, and ideologically) for African Americans in particular 
and society in general. Students will be expected to critically think about texts 
and class discussions in order to analyze, synthesize, and build texts-including 
their own.

Topics will include definitions and history of African American
English, variation and structure, African American English in
relation to language variation in the US, and attitudes toward
and policy implications for African American English. Specific
topics vary by instructor and at different times. Periodically
during the semester, students will perform a number of graded
tasks, including some combination of tests and out-of-class
papers. In-class exams and the final exam will require essays as
well as objective questions and problems. Substantial
out-of-class writing will be required, including at least one
short paper (c. 5 pages), and a prospectus (c. 3-5 pages) that
proposes an idea for a major paper due at the end of the term 
(c. 20 pages).

Students in this course are expected to be familiar with and adhere to the 
University of Georgia policy on academic honesty, according to which all violations 
of academic honesty will be handled. Students may participate in graded group 
projects at the instructor's discretion.