Survive Your Blackness: Language

Black people in America communicate in a variety of ways, which includes language, style and dress, and even hand gestures, with the inclusion of the occasional neck roll and head boppin', but I digress. 

As a Jamaican American female, who grew up in a suburb outside of Chicago, my speech was mocked for sounding "white," by other African Americans. So, along the way, I had to pick up on some words to survive my "Blackness." Words that form a dialect know as African American Vernacular English (AAVE). 

So, I compiled a small list of words so you too can survive your "Blackness." I'm not going to explain "Blackness" at this point, "cuz if u black, then u kno what I'm talkin' bout." <----- AAVE---HOLLA!!! 

- What up?, Wuzz hannin?

- Haters (also referred to as B*^%$s, Hoes, Chicken Heads, Skanks, oh and Ni&%#a's)

- Yo!

- Dip out!

- B!, G! (yes, letters having meanings too, several)

- Ni$%a, Nicca, My Nig (I don't recommend these, "dey played out in my book")

- Bet

- Cakin'

- Playa

- Baby daddy, Baby momma

- Drama

- Phony (one of my fav's seeing how I have phony phriends, HA)

- I feel you!, I got you!

- Hell naw!

- Fo real?!, Fo sho!

- Bogus

- Jukin

Now, I may not be the most "down" or "ride or die" chick, but I'm Black and I know what I hear when I hear it. And then I just repeat.

So, my list might be short for your liking, but it'll get you through most AAVE conversations that will affirm your "Blackness" with Black people.

Here's an instructional video on the word "no homo", oh and a DICTIONARY for further use:

What's the reality?...dey kno, dey kno