[Linganth] Query about the racist history of everyday words in American English

[Deborah Keller-Cohen]

I recommend Anne Curzan at Michigan.

 

This device uses auto-correct.
Deborah Keller-Cohen
Professor, Linguistics, Women's 
   Studies and Education
University of Michigan
 


 
 
 

> On Mar 23, 2018, at 5:49 PM, Susanne Unger <susanne.unger at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Dear ling anthers,
> 
> I am forwarding a query from David Vine, a cultural anthropologist at American University in DC who is looking for information on the racist history of different words in American English. I am pasting his request below. 
> 
> Thank you in advance, Susanne
> 
> ***
> "I've got a friend who works for 1A, the new NPR show with Joshua Johnson. Anyone have any good suggestions for linguistic anthropologists, linguists, and others who have deconstructed language? My friend describes what they're interested in below: "... a discussion about words that people use everyday that some academics/people argue have a troubling racist/misogynist history/origin/connotation - like the words picnic and nitty-gritty. There are obvious ones that most people know about - like hysterical. But words like picnic, not so much. Also, there is dispute over if some of these words do actually have a racist history or if it’s urban legend. Picnic is a good example. Snopes says it’s an urban myth, but SUNY Albany reportedly banned the use of the word in promoting an event."
> 
> Please e-mail your responses to David Vine, vine at american.edu
>  
> 
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