Off The Hook
04/07/2006 @ 6:00 am
Check out this blog post at Becky’s Web about Off The Hook, a “dictionary of African-American slang” written by Randall C. Miller, Jr. for Japanese people.
The following is an image of a page out of the section titled “Relationships.”
Thanks to Francis Turner for the tip.
If that’s not counterproductive to English education for Japanese, I don’t know what is. Just what we need, more people using horrible slang. LOL though
April 7th, 2006 at 6:01 amWhen I studied linguistics, and this was a long time ago, the proper line was that this is not simply slang, but a dialect as acceptable as any regional dialect in the States. In fact, those who could switch between that dialect and “proper” English were highly praised (the son of a Supreme Court nominee in class could do it a bit).
To imply that this language was trash was racist.
I doubt things have gotten any less politically correct since then.
I would write more, but my bitch is calling…
April 7th, 2006 at 9:41 amThat is totally awesome.
April 7th, 2006 at 10:04 amTo imply that this language was trash was racist.
Yes, because that is just what it is. It is no more “trash” than Spanish and French are “trash” because they were vulgar derivations of Classical Latin.
I doubt things have gotten any less politically correct since then.
Since when was it “politically correct” to state a fact? You aren’t the only one who studied linguistics, hombre - there is no such thing as a “wrong” dialect, and just because this one is spoken by blacks doesn’t make it “trash.” It’s so tiresome to see bigots spouting nonsense and whipping out the “political correctness” charge to defend themselves from criticism. むかつく！
April 7th, 2006 at 10:17 amYou know… I was drinking milk when I read this, guess what happened?
Wow though… wow.
April 7th, 2006 at 12:27 pmamusing, but the translations aren’t entirely accurate… (i’m japanese)
April 7th, 2006 at 12:45 pmWow Ghetto Fabulous! I’ve seen that book in my local Barnes and Nobles bookstore. My first reaction: WTF!!!??
April 7th, 2006 at 12:58 pmGo to the link and it’s even better. That blog explains the publishing company that put this out. For a sample, read this… http://www.proteapublishing.com/unfinishedbusinesssw.jpg
April 7th, 2006 at 12:59 pmTo imply that this language was trash was racist.
I doubt things have gotten any less politically correct since then.
Stephen Pinker has a whole chapter on Black Vernacular English in his book The Language Instinct in which he demonstrates that BVE is a language like any other — as in it has set rules, etc. He’s definitely not a PC academic.
April 7th, 2006 at 1:13 pm[...] (Hat tip to Japundit) [...]
April 7th, 2006 at 3:27 pmI’m glad my find has reached such an appreciative audience.
April 7th, 2006 at 4:44 pmNow George, French and Spanish are vulgar only in the sense that they were common languages. The above is vulgar in the sense that it is obscene and offensive. Moreover, the environment that spawned this can hardly be compared to France or Spain.
It is politically correct to bend over backwards to qualify gross misuse of language or even illiteracy as a dialect, thereby giving it protection under the “all dialects are equally good” clause (which is itself open to question, but that’s for another time).
There are standards, even in this decade, and they are worth preserving. Sorry, but I don’t see our world being greatly enhanced by proudly calling someone a bitch as a term of endearment. Gutter langauge has a place, and, surprise, it is in the gutter. Not something desirable to teach anyone.
April 7th, 2006 at 6:33 pmSorry, George, I entirely overlooked that you called me a racist. Almost to prove my point.
You certainly wouldn’t want your children speaking this way, but for the lower orders, it’s OK? They can’t be expected to meet your higher standards. That might be perceived as racist.
Or maybe you would let your kids talk this way. That’s another thing….
April 7th, 2006 at 6:47 pmI’ll side with Bill Cosby on this one. Afterall, Dr Huxtible knows best.
April 7th, 2006 at 6:48 pmMarie,
I can’t comment on Stephen Pinker except to say that I wish I could write so prolifically.
That it’s a language like any other because of certain common rules may be true, but it’s a sterile and meaningless analysis. It has all the elements of a language, as defined by current linguistics perhaps. Accepting that point for expediency, then what? It’s a language and therefore what? It has immunity from criticism?
Languages serve a function of bonding groups together. What kind of group does this language bond? How does referring to women as bitches and “hoes” address this group’s needs in ways that a more standard English cannot? What needs exactly are being addressed by this? What kind of culture to the words reflect?
A bit of vulgarity is fine and sometimes good. A fetish of vulgarity is unhealthy in my opinion, and doesn’t need to be patronized by people who should know better.
April 7th, 2006 at 7:18 pmNow doesn’t this just foster the call for eugenics.
April 7th, 2006 at 11:34 pmGhoti — I actually agree with you. I think one thing we forget about — and I know how “old-fashioned” this makes me sound to people, but I don’t care — is plain old good manners. I don’t think it’s helpful to anyone to use terms like “bitches” and “hos.” I should have given my comments more context. I just brought up Pinker to show how the linguistics debate is going these days — even without the “help” of PC. In general I love Pinker, but his critics do say that he has a coldness to his theories, so you are in good company there.
April 7th, 2006 at 11:54 pmNow doesn’t this just foster the call for eugenics.
Ah. The eugenics troll is back.
April 7th, 2006 at 11:55 pmThe Fin’d One speaks for me on this. Many languages have died out; with any luck, the lifespan of this one will be short, its spread limited and its demise unlamented.
April 8th, 2006 at 1:38 amClassic! Maybe I oughta get the selling rights for the Korean market. I’d pay money to see some poor Japanese ESL student head to LA, Detroit, or NYC and try out some of these phrases. That’d actually make for a good David Chappelle skit, if he still had his show.
April 8th, 2006 at 7:45 amMarie-
Thanks for the clarification.
“plain old good manners.”
April 8th, 2006 at 9:56 amBeen replaced by dudes with ‘tude.