Talking back, talking Black : truths about America's lingua franca
Author(s)
Bibliographic Information
Talking back, talking Black : truths about America's lingua franca
Bellevue Literary Press, 2018
paperback ed.
Available at / 1 libraries
-
No Libraries matched.
- Remove all filters.
Note
Includes index
originally published: New York : Bellevue Literary Press , 2017
Description and Table of Contents
Description
"Superb." -Steven Pinker"An explanation, a defense, and, most heartening, a celebration. . . . McWhorter demonstrates the 'legitimacy' of Black English by uncovering its complexity and sophistication, as well as the still unfolding journey that has led to its creation. . . . [His] intelligent breeziness is the source of the book's considerable charm." -New Yorker"Talking Back, Talking Black is [McWhorter's] case for the acceptance of black English as a legitimate American dialect. . . . He ably and enthusiastically breaks down the mechanics." -New York Times Book ReviewLinguists have been studying Black English as a speech variety for years, arguing to the public that it is different from Standard English, not a degradation of it. Yet false assumptions and controversies still swirl around what it means to speak and sound "black." In his first book devoted solely to the form, structure, and development of Black English, John McWhorter clearly explains its fundamentals and rich history while carefully examining the cultural, educational, and political issues that have undermined recognition of this transformative, empowering dialect.Talking Back, Talking Black takes us on a fascinating tour of a nuanced and complex language that has moved beyond America's borders to become a dynamic force for today's youth culture around the world.John McWhorter teaches linguistics, Western civilization, music history, and American studies at Columbia University. A New York Times best-selling author and TED speaker, he is a columnist for CNN.com, a regular contributor to the Atlantic, a frequent guest on CNN and MSNBC, and the host of Slate's language podcast, Lexicon Valley. His books on language include The Power of Babel; Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue; Words on the Move; Talking Back, Talking Black; and The Creole Debate.
Table of Contents
Introduction
It's Complicated: A Toy Piano Isn't a Steinway, Right?: The Real Story About Black English Grammar
What Do You Mean "Sounds Black"?: Don't Black People Just Have Southern Accents?
But They Can't Talk That Way at a Job Interview!: Why Americans Think You Can Talk Only One Way
Speaking Black or Speaking Minstrel?: And How Much of It Did White People Make Up?
Through a Lens Darkly?: Perceiving Black English as It Is: Life Lessons
Endnotes
Index
by "Nielsen BookData"