William Alexander Stewart

William Alexander Stewart (September 12, 1930 – March 25, 2002) was an American linguist specializing in creoles, known particularly for his work on African American Vernacular English.

Biography Stewart was born in Honolulu, Hawaii to Scottish parents, and grew up speaking four languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese and Hawaiian). At the age of 8, he moved with his family to California. His parents were killed in a car crash one year later, and he was raised by his father's parents. In 1952, he was drafted into the United States Army and served in Paris, France and Frankfurt, Germany as a translator. He was on the faculty of the Graduate Center of the City University of New York for over 25 years. autonomy and heteronomy.