[Ads-l] "slave"

Joel Berson berson at ATT.NET
Wed Aug 31 15:02:17 UTC 2016


Sali,

Do you consider 1814, when "The Star-Spangled Banner" was written, as being during the colonial period of the US?  A very Anglo-philic stance, just what the British were still believing then?  :-)  I would say there were "enslaved African-Americans" in 1814.

Joel


      From: Salikoko S. Mufwene <s-mufwene at UCHICAGO.EDU>
 To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU 
 Sent: Wednesday, August 31, 2016 9:51 AM
 Subject: Re: [ADS-L] "slave"
   
Just a minor correction, JL. From a historical perspective, there were 
enslaved Africans, not enslaved African Americans during the colonial 
history of the US or of the 13 English colonies. During that time the 
class of Americans was very restricted, even some Europeans did not 
count as Americans.

Sali.

On 8/31/2016 7:06 AM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
> Former tennis star James Blake has explained to CNN that "The Star-Spangled
> Banner" is "a song that advocates the killing of slaves."
>
> The "hireling and slave" in the song, of course, are not enslaved
> African-Americans but redcoats, Hessian mercenaries, and cringing Tories.
>
> Proof? Read the lyrics.
>
> Of course, as D----d T---p has demonstrated, words don't mean much anymore.
>
>
> JL
>

-- 
**********************************************************
Salikoko S. Mufwene                    s-mufwene at uchicago.edu
The Frank J. McLoraine Distinguished Service Professor of Linguistics and the College
Professor, Committee on Evolutionary Biology
Professor, Committee on the Conceptual & Historical Studies of Science
University of Chicago                  773-702-8531; FAX 773-834-0924
Department of Linguistics
1115 East 58th Street
Chicago, IL 60637, USA
http://mufwene.uchicago.edu/
**********************************************************


------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org


   

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org



More information about the Ads-l mailing list