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Slate Debates

White Author, Black English. Problem?

Slate Debates

Slate Podcasts

Society & Culture, News

4.63K Ratings

🗓️ 10 November 2020

⏱️ 54 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Mark Twain famously depicted what he called the "Missouri Negro dialect" of Jim. Would that be acceptable today? Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on Lexicon Valley each week, and no ads. Sign up now to listen and support our show. Twitter: @lexiconvalley Facebook: facebook.com/LexiconValley Email: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

From New York City, this is Lexicon Valley, a podcast about language.

0:08.4

I'm John McWhorter and you know, in this episode, let's, as it were, take it to the streets.

0:15.8

This is Dooby Brothers 1976.

0:17.8

You don't know me but I'm your brother.

0:27.8

I was raised to in this living hell.

0:33.8

You don't know my kind in your world.

0:42.8

Well, this is the time we'll tell.

0:48.8

You, telling me nothing's your mother to call me.

0:57.8

I ain't lying and I don't like what I'm doing.

1:01.8

Don't you think it it too much, please?

1:03.8

Take it into the streets.

1:05.8

Take it into the streets.

1:07.8

Take it into the streets.

1:12.8

For the musicians among you, I love that flatted sixth.

1:16.8

That's such a nice thing to use within the context of that song.

1:19.8

This time, we're going to do what used to be called in say 1976 on network television, a very special episode.

1:28.8

I have decided that for this show, I need to go against my general idea that everything is happy down here in the valley.

1:37.8

That's because there's a problem.

1:40.8

As I record this, we don't know who's going to be the next president.

1:43.8

That's not what this show is going to be about.

1:46.8

It's going to be about something a little more local.

1:49.8

It's going to be something about language.

...

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