Data Analysis Method of the Study

AAVE Standard English She wearing a white lace blouse buttoned up like a nun Stockett, 2009: 5 She is wearing a white lace blouse buttoned up like a nun He too small for that kind a work, too skinny, but he needed the job Stockett, 2009: 3 He was too small for that kind a work, too skinny, but he needed the job. Whenever he here, he look like he just counting the minute Stocket, 2009: 17 Whenever he is here, he look like he just counting the minute Both are some examples of the absence of the copula. The first example „she wearing a white lace blouse buttoned up like a nun‟ is a sentence of present continues tense. It is different from Standard English because the sentence does not have a copula. For Standard English, it needs a copula for linking the subject and the predicate. In this cases the copula functions as an auxiliary verb The rule of present continues tense is clear that subject + to be + v-ing. While in African American Vernacular English, the copula is absent. Next examples are “He too small for that kind a work, too skinny, but he needed the job” and „whenever he here, he look like he just counting the minute‟. These sentences are other examples of the absence of the copula. From the sight of Standard English, these sentences do not have a verb. Standard English speakers use copula or to be not only to show present continue tense as in first example but also to show the feeling, the quality or the present the location of someone or something and many others. It can be followed by adjective, adverb or noun. ii. The use of copula ‘s s following first-person singular pronoun I. The absent of the copula in African American Vernacular English is not always appearing. There are some cases, which are found different to Standard English. It is the copula „s following the first-person singular pronoun. Pronoun I is used to refer to the first person singular. The appropriate copula to follow pronoun I as the first-person singular is am present tense or was past tense. Below are the examples of the use of copula „s to follow first-person singular pronoun I AAVE Standard English I don‟t know if I‟s gone use it, knowing it‟s a sin against God, but it wasn‟t in my right mind. Stocket, 2009:33 I do not know if I was going to use it, knowing it is a sin against God, but it was not in my right mind. “Course‟ I‟s happy. You happy too” Stockett, 2009: 57 “Of course, I‟m happy. You are happy too.” Both examples show the copula „s following the pronoun I. The copula „s in the first example refers to was, because when it relates to the novel, it tells about the past continuous tense. However for standard English the contraction of „s for was, is less appropriate. For the second example, the use of copula ‘s after first-person singular pronoun I actually refers to I am or I‟m for present time in Standard English. In the second example, the speaker explains her feeling at that time. iii. The use of singular copula to use with third -person plural personal pronoun. The other different cases of the use of the copula also happen in third- person plural personal pronoun, such as they and we. For they and we in Standard English, the appropriate copula is are present tense and were past tense. However, the African American Vernacular English speaker prefers to use singular copula is or was to follow plural personal pronoun. AAVE Standard English At the top a the driveway, Miss hilly and her crazy mama near bout back over me in they car, then yell out all friendly how sorry they is Stocket, 2009: 11 At the top of the driveway, Miss hilly and her crazy mama are near about back over me in their car, then yell out all friendly how sorry they are iv. The use of plural copula with third-person singular pronoun. This part is the reverse of the previous discussion. This part shows that African American Vernacular English uses plural copula to follow third-person singular pronoun it. It as the third-person singular pronoun is regularly followed by copula is present tense and was past tense. Still the African American Vernacular English speaker uses plural copula to follow the third-person singular pronoun. AAVE Standard English But it we ren’t too long before I seen something in me had changed Stockett, 2009: 3 But it was n’t too long before I saw something in me had changed. In Standard English, were appears after the third-person singular pronoun such as he, she or it only in certain situation. For example in conditional sentences or to state wishes. In the above example shows the speaker talks about a past event, not a conditional sentence or wish. Standard English speaker will use copula was instead of were.