- Ebonics, also known as African American Vernacular English (AAVE), is a variety of English spoken by many African Americans that has distinct vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation compared to other English dialects. - Linguist Robert Williams formally defined and studied Ebonics in 1975, describing it as representing the communicative competence that developed among slaves and their descendants in the United States, Caribbean, and West Africa. - There has been much debate around Ebonics and whether it should be considered a separate language or dialect, as well as how schools should address students who primarily speak AAVE.