grammar - "He doesn't" vs "He don't"
Grammatically, for he/she/it we use "does" or "doesn't" like in,
He doesn't eat meat.
but these days I'm observing the usage of the above sentence(especially in American movies) like this,
He don't eat meat.
So, after a lot of observations, I'm assuming that both usages are correct.
My assumption - When to use "don't"?
In temporary situations like,
He don't have a pen.
when to use "doesn't"?
In more of a permanent situation like,
He doesn't speak French.
Please correct if my assumption is wrong.
Or tell me if both the below sentences are correct.
He doesn't speak French.
He don't speak French.
Answer
This is a sticky subject in the US and lots of varied opinions exist on whether "he don't" is correct or incorrect. The traditional way to say this is most certainly:
He doesn't eat meat.
But "he don't" is becoming increasingly common in various dialects. African American Vernacular English (abbreviated as AAVE; once known as Ebonics) is the most commonly noted example but there are other various regional dialects that include this pattern.
Whether "he don't" is acceptable in a particular dialect is a dialect specific issue and should be addressed as a separate question. Whether "he don't" is acceptable in General American English, the answer is no, it is not.
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