Acronymed from African American Vernacular English, is an American English dialect uniquely spoken in African-American communities. Its origins stems from Old
Southern American English dialects, which themselves originate from Southern English and
Scots-Irish accented immigrants to the American South in the 17th century. Though more recently related to the Appalachian English dialect and Cajun Vernacular English, it also contains West African grammatical structures and pronunciations originating from black African slaves in the American South. Given its origin along the Southern US coast, it became widespread across America with the migration of freedmen from former slaving ports, plantations, and ghettos into Northern and Western states. Now in the 20th century, the dialect has branched and diversified as African American communities have cemented themselves across America over the centuries and decades; though it is still typified by its distinguishable southern drawl.