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Talking back, talking Black : truths about America's lingua franca / John McWhorter.

by McWhorter, John H.

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Bellevue Literary Press, 2017.

427.973089 M177t

Black English -- United States.

English language -- United States.

Blacks -- United States -- Languages.

9781942658207 (hc.)

190 pages ; 20 cm.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 169-173) and index.

It's complicated -- What do you mean "sounds Black"? -- But they can't talk that way at a job interview! -- Speaking Black or speaking minstrel? -- Through a lens darkly?

"It has now been almost fifty years since linguistic experts began studying Black English as a legitimate speech variety, 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. 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. His books on language include The Power of Babel, Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue, What Language Is, The Language Hoax and Words on the Move.

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