Question concerning Black English

[Paul Mackin]

How might it have come about that verb inflections in Black English are
exactly the opposite of those in standard English? 

Standard		Black 

I live                  I lives	
you live                you lives
he, she, it lives       he, she, it live
we live                 we lives
you live                you lives
they live		they lives

Hard to imagine this was planned. That anyone ewer said, we'll just say
things the opposite to the way white people do.It would make more sense
to think standard English was a reaction against Black English,  though
of course this would be unhistorical.

Did the slaves of Haiti do anything like this with French? 


On another point, Black English seems sometimes to be a streamlined,
simpler, more rational English.  For example, the verb 'to be' drops
entirely BOTH inflection and the standard English irregularity.

I be  (no one would say I bes, would they, as they might say I lives)
you be
he be  
we be 
you be  (or you all be)
they be



P.