Which test item would be LEAST biased against speakers of African American Vernacular English?

Which test item would be LEAST biased against speakers of African American Vernacular English?

• A. Use of the auxiliary verb "be"
• B. Use of the past-tense ending "-ed"
• C. Agreement of personal pronouns with antecedents
• D. Use of sentences with multiple negation

Answer: (C)

The reasoning behind the choice of personal pronoun agreement with antecedents as the least biased test item against speakers of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) lies in its relatively universal aspect across different English dialects. In AAVE, while there are distinct grammatical structures that may differ from Standard American English, the general principle of pronoun-antecedent agreement remains intact. This means that individuals, regardless of their dialect, typically understand and apply this rule, making it a fair measure of language skills. In contrast, the other test items reflect specific linguistic features that are characteristic of AAVE and may not be represented or may be used differently in Standard American English. For instance, the use of the auxiliary verb "be," the past-tense ending "-ed," and the use of multiple negation are all grammatical phenomena that can vary significantly between AAVE and Standard English. Thus, testing these elements may disadvantage those who primarily speak AAVE by not accounting for their linguistic norms. This makes personal pronoun agreement a more equitable assessment choice among the options, aligning with a broader understanding of language use that transcends dialectical differences.

The reasoning behind the choice of personal pronoun agreement with antecedents as the least biased test item against speakers of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) lies in its relatively universal aspect across different English dialects. In AAVE, while there are distinct grammatical structures that may differ from Standard American English, the general principle of pronoun-antecedent agreement remains intact. This means that individuals, regardless of their dialect, typically understand and apply this rule, making it a fair measure of language skills.

In contrast, the other test items reflect specific linguistic features that are characteristic of AAVE and may not be represented or may be used differently in Standard American English. For instance, the use of the auxiliary verb "be," the past-tense ending "-ed," and the use of multiple negation are all grammatical phenomena that can vary significantly between AAVE and Standard English. Thus, testing these elements may disadvantage those who primarily speak AAVE by not accounting for their linguistic norms. This makes personal pronoun agreement a more equitable assessment choice among the options, aligning with a broader understanding of language use that transcends dialectical differences.