Actually, when I think about it, I think most people would consider AAVE the basilect.
What is the acrolect and basilect in your country?
The idea that Southern American English is the basilect is an over-simplification on steroids.
My father, who attended college in the early 50s, speaks of a prestige Southern dialect taught in finishing schools and speech classes; it was based closely on Tidewater, with some Savannah influence.
Prestige Southern English ceased to be taught about 1955, when speech classes in the South began to re-orient towards General American. I suspect the profound social effect of television was the reason.
You can hear this dialect in the movie "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil". Listen to the millionaire.
My father, who attended college in the early 50s, speaks of a prestige Southern dialect taught in finishing schools and speech classes; it was based closely on Tidewater, with some Savannah influence.
Prestige Southern English ceased to be taught about 1955, when speech classes in the South began to re-orient towards General American. I suspect the profound social effect of television was the reason.
You can hear this dialect in the movie "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil". Listen to the millionaire.