I was recently asked a question about English which started me thinking about grammar, but then led on to culture, creativity and ultimately - Soul.
What was the question which can lead us on such a metaphysical path?
Radio music.
Yes indeed. If you are young enough, or your children are old enough, there was no escaping One Direction's Zayn Malik's "She don't love me." which was playing on the radio some time ago. Over and over. "She don't love me. She don't love me. She don't..."
Wait a minute - she what? Wasn't it...you remember from school... I do. You do. He/ she/ it does. We do. You do. They do.
So shouldn't it be... she doesn't love me?
Yes, she doesn't. That's right. Verb conjugation conundrum. But here is a native speaker singing it differently. Surely Zayn should know? Surely he should know better?
And while we're at it, what about that old classic "Ain't no sunshine." In school you learned; "There isn't any sunshine today", or even better; "Don't forget your umbrella!"
So what's the correct word to use here and how can a non-native speaker, like you, know which words to use, when the natives can't even agree?
The answer is like so many questions to do with the English language. I'm afraid there isn't any rule book, which will give you a clear case for when to use which words. It is not a matter of right and wrong. Of correct and incorrect. It's like the use of the comma. It's a matter of feeling, a matter of meaning, of style.
It's even a matter of soul.
But before we get too transcendental, let's look at the mechanics of the language. What are we hearing here, and why? This will give us the tools we need to decide for ourselves - are we "does" people or "don't" people.
There is no standard English
What you're hearing is the grammar used in certain types of speech and music. It's found in spirituals, blues, jazz, R&B, soul and now in hip hop. What do these genres all have in common? They are all associated with and have their roots in African American music. There is a variety of English used by large numbers of African Americans called African American Vernacular English (AAVE). It is a system of English language - pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary and has a lot in common with southern American dialects. It is widely used, not only in African American speech, but also in American music, which, we know, travels the world. It is not standard English, because...hands up who knows the right answer? That's right, because there is no standard English.*
In AAVE you might hear the word "ask" being pronounced "aks", "been" might be pronounced "bin", "feel" changes to "fill". It's not just pronunciation. There's a grammar system there too. You won't learn about the "habitual be" in school, but it's used often in AAVE to express something that happens on a regular or habitual basis. You are hearing Nina Simone's wisdom, experience and acceptance all through one word when she sings "It be's that way sometime". What other verb could say it better?
You're probably familiar with the word "ain't" meaning there isn't. This is used in many types of English and is also quite common in British English. I love it's use in "Ain't no mountain high enough" by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
The take away for you is - we ain't gonna look too closely at no double negatives. She don't mind if we don't have no subject verb agreement. We're in love, we're in pain, we've got Soul - we are too cool for school grammar. Channel your inner Soul through Aretha or your secret cowboy, with country heartbreakers such as "She don't love you, she's just lonely" from Bright House Field. Whether it's AAVE, deep south or borrowed cool. Drop a verb. Don't pick it up.
You feelin' it yet?
You don't have to own it, to own it
But what does this say about British artists whose voices sound more than a touch American when they sing. For example, Adele speaks with a cockney London accent. That means for example that words such as "night" or "excite" are pronounced more like "noight" or "excoite". However when Adele sings the opening bars of One and Only "You've been on my mind" the cockney has vanished and we hear "mind" broaden towards a southern/soul "mand".
There's a concept in language that's called code switching. It is defined as the practice of alternating between two or more languages or varieties of language in conversation. You often find this in bilingual people, who tend to switch language mid conversation to define a particular concept relevant to that language. By code switching through accent, Adele is echoing the greats before her, such as Etta James and the feel of the Deep South. We hear so clearly how she has pondered the steamy aftermath of an southern emotional storm.
Society can look down its nose at certain accents and dialects. Over time they acquire street cred. They become cool and then aspirational. Indeed, as politicians, singers and preachers know, the rhythm and pace of a song, speech or sermon hugely influence how words are vocalized, as do the emphasis on particular words and phrases. The voice is a tool to persuade, influence and to ignite. If I want to convey witty satire over a cup of tea, I'll echo Jane Austen. If I am the first black president of America addressing the Congressional Black Caucus, my tones might echo inspirational, lyrical and historical preachers such as Martin Luther King. Sometimes the reason for code switching "don't" and "doesn't" might as simple as getting the correct amount of syllables into a song line. Who are we to judge? Imagine Adele's breathy, intimate, directly in your ear "H" in her meaning loaded "Hello". Now compare it to a typical cheerful cockney "'Allo!"
I know which I prefer.
There are of course artists who choose a different road - despite the spread of American music and genre defining accents throughout the world, some British artists' accents can be heard clearly in their music. This immediately grounds them to be from a particular location. To go further, it can communicate bare honesty, authenticity, or the common touch. Ed Sheeran, Lily Allen and Kate Nash are some examples which spring to mind and together they form a particular Zeitgeist, like Britpop before them.
https://youtu.be/ryH5cga0yUI
It's not just Americans from whom singers borrow accents. My Irish ears detect a not exactly Irish pronunciation from the excellent Rea Garvey in his song "Can't say no." His pronunciation of the words "slightly, fighting, survivor, hold, fight, eyes, right" echoes London based punk folk legends like the Pogues.
The character Jimmy Rabbitte from Roddy Doyle's The Commitments summed it up code switching perfectly when he explained why his working class, white Dublin band needed to embrace their inner James Brown.
"The Irish are the blacks of Europe. And Dubliners are the blacks of Ireland. And the Northside Dubliners are the blacks of Dublin. So say it once and say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud."
With great power...
At the beginning of this article we asked how can you as a non native speaker know what language to use, when native speakers can't agree. I take a leaf out of Spider-Man's book. As his Uncle Ben said, "With great power comes great responsibility." Here is my advice.
1. Recognise what you hear. Know where it comes from. Know what's being said, why this language is used, and what it implies.
2. Decide what's appropriate for your own speech and situation. Can you use it in the boardroom, or is it better confined to the shower and hairbrush microphone? With your backs to the business wall, can you admit to your colleague, like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, "Ain't no way outta this one."
3. Use this language with conscious reference and respect to the origins. Remember, if you borrow something, aks nicely.
4. Beware of cultural appropriation. Be respectful. Don't correct native speakers, but don't imitate every aspect of their speech either. Of course you can break all these rules, if you are so uncool that you are cool, like the German Export Flula. Then you can be hilarious doing this:
Remember: English is a living, breathing, multicultural, widely influential example of a wonderful, flexible, subtle language.
Have fun out there.
Glossary:
Conundrum: puzzle
Transcendental: relating to a spiritual realm
Vernacular: the language or dialect spoken by the ordinary people of a country or region
Habitual: regular, usual, continual
Ponder: to think about something carefully
Greats: important or distinguished people.
Street cred.: short for street credibility. Commanding a level of respect due to experience in a certain environment.
Further reading / viewing:
President Barack Obama's speech to the Congressional Black Caucus, 2016: https://youtu.be/nKbY9wONBeI
President Barack Obama's speech on gun control: https://youtu.be/ZJCiDrqjjz8
*the Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC), a division of National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), issued a position statement on students' rights to their own language. This was adopted by CCCC members in April 1974 and appeared in a special issue of College Composition and Communication in Fall of 1974. The resolution was as follows:[120]
"We affirm the students' right to their own patterns and varieties of language—the dialects of their nurture or whatever dialects in which they find their own identity and style. Language scholars long ago denied that the myth of a standard American dialect has any validity. The claim that any one dialect is unacceptable amounts to an attempt of one social group to exert its dominance over another. Such a claim leads to false advice for speakers and writers and immoral advice for humans. A nation proud of its diverse heritage and its cultural and racial variety will preserve its heritage of dialects. We affirm strongly that teachers must have the experiences and training that will enable them to respect diversity and uphold the right of students to their own language."
https://youtu.be/9ptRi83pkUc President Obama's speech to the Congressional Black Caucus 2016