Pokimane Expresses Apology for Using AAVE Language

Pokimane Expresses Apology for Using AAVE Language.

Pokimane, a Twitch variety streamer, apologies on Twitter for "overusing" African American slang in her most recent live and VOD title.

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Pokimane, a popular Twitch variety streamer, has apologized to followers for utilizing AAVE in a disrespectful manner. In a very late-night tweet, she reached out to admirers on Twitter at 4 a.m. yesterday.

The term AAVE, or African American Vernacular English, refers to the African American dialect spoken by persons of color in the United States. Other civilizations have long hijacked it, typically in a way that mocks the culture of its original aim. Pokimane "overused" AAVE on her Twitch feed yesterday, to the extent where some of her Black followers mistook her for ridiculing them.

Pokimane, one of Twitch's most popular female broadcasters, stated in an early morning Tweet that she wanted to "apologize if I overused have in my twitch title today," adding that she didn't mean the title in a "mocking sense whatsoever." The streamer's live title was "on God for? It's bussing in here," with two 100 emojis and two fire emojis. Pokimane said in her Tweets that she was unaware that these frequently used slang words were AAVE, and that her usage of the dialect was in no way meant to insult the African American community.

sorry for late night tweet but wanted to apologize if i overused aave in my twitch title today, was not aware that some of those terms were aave & didn’t mean it in a mocking way whatsoever.

trying to change the vod title too :) much love to those who brought it to my attention!

— imane 👑💜 (@imane) August 20, 2021

While some followers reacted positively, others mocked the streamer for being too "woke." Some followers demanded that the streamer "do better," while others stated that they would be canceling their membership as a result of the apology. Others praised her for recognizing that her ostensibly "mocking" title had caused pain to some people, and for taking the time out of her day to offer a real apology. As with other Twitch issues, including the recent amendment to Twitch ToS that outlawed blackface and other offensive imagery, social media was virtually evenly divided on whether the apology was warranted.

AAVE is still used by many people in the Black community today. Celebrities like Nicki Minaj and NeNe Leakes have gone viral in the past for their usage of the accent. As a result, AAVE is now widely used on the internet in the form of memes, such as "chile, anyhow."

pokimane mocking aave in her stream title as a joke having had used the n slur is unsettling, and she misuses aave all the time talking too pic.twitter.com/CEk6nvcmtH

— xuahn (@genzukiii) August 19, 2021

Whether or not fans agree with the apologies, it's difficult to deny that AAVE is viewed differently depending on who uses it. While Pokimane's Twitch title may appear "trendy" or "cute" since the terminology has lately been popular on social media, non-Blacks sometimes criticize it when it is used by people of color. Not to add that Black Americans who utilize AAVE in their everyday speech are ridiculed for speaking in an "uneducated" manner. Whether Pokimane was mocking the language or simply imitating terms she'd heard others say, AAVE is a vital aspect of modern African Americans' lives, and her apologies were kind.

H/S: Dexerto

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