Black Talk: Words and Phrases from the Hood to the Amen Corner
Fully revised and updated—the ultimate guide to black talk from all segments of the African American community.Do you want to be down with the latest hype terms from the Hip Hop world? Black Talk is the perfect source. "Even if you think you're hip, you'd better look up kitchen, got her nose open, jump salty, and hundreds of other sayings, former or current, that testify to the linguistic originality of Black speakers," said Frederic G. Cassidy, chief editor of the Dictionary of American...
Search in google:
"Even if you think you're hip, you'd better look up kitchen, got her nose open, jump salty, and hundreds of other sayings, former or current, that testify to the linguistic originality of Black speakers," said Frederic G. Cassidy, chief editor of the Dictionary of American Regional English. With more than three hundred new words and phrases, and many other revisions and updatings throughout, this new edition of Black Talk reflects the ever-changing meanings and uses of this vital and rich part of our language. The author's approach is always informative, and always entertaining: "Geneva Smitherman is an internationally recognized scholar who, thank you Jesus, remains at heart a homegirl. She has expanded the knowledge and appreciation of the African American experience." To quote Henry Louis Gates, Jr.: "Embedded here is the hidden history of a people and their resonant culture."Library JournalPart dictionary, part historical guide, this somewhat amusing but informative work is a compilation of words and phrases from the African American experience. In her introduction, Smitherman (English, Michigan State Univ.) gives a thorough analysis and colorful history of what's commonly known as black talk. The expressions cited are used by blacks from all walks of life-blue-collar workers, preachers, political activists, musicians, and senior citizens. Some terms (down south, pay dues, and gold digger, for instance) are obvious and not necessarily limited to the black community. Others (e.g., big foe, which refers to hard-core, tough, usually big, urban police detectives; hammer, a good-looking woman; and jackleg, an unprofessional or phony preacher) are not as familiar and need to be defined. This book is for the unhip; it's not a necessary purchase for most libraries, but those with a steady flow of black patrons may want to consider. For another perspective on African American Slang, readers may want to check out Juba to Jive (LJ 1/94).-Ann Burns, "Library Journal"
Explanatory Notes xiiIntroduction 1Notes 39Selected References 44Black Talk A-Z 49
\ From the Publisher"Smitherman weaves her own understanding of language into a delightful introduction to the complexities of Black English . . . a must-read." The Washington Post\ "Embedded here is the hidden history of a people and their resonant culture. This is a major work of scholarship."—Henry Louis Gates, Jr.\ "The speech of African Americans has been defined by many terms—black English, Ebonics, African American vernacular, and African American language. Smitherman (Talkin' That Talk: Language, Culture, and Education in African America) traces the history of black language, describes its unique features, and demonstrates its impact on 'standard English' in her excellent introduction to this volume. She also provides a provocative discussion on the recent Ebonics' debate—whether black youth should be instructed in their 'native language' as well as 'standard English'. The bulk of Black Talk, however, is the dictionary of black language. Unlike most dictionaries, this one 'concentrates on the historical and contemporary significance of words and phrases in the context of African American culture and the Black experience' rather than providing the origin or etymological history of a word or phrase. This revised edition (the first was published in 1994) gives hundreds of definitions for word in current usage, including recent additions like 'jiggy', 'flava', 'benjamins', and 'D.W.B.' (Driving While Black). An essential volume for all libraries; smaller libraries that own the earlier edition need not purchase the update." Library Journal\ \ \
