knowumsayin

[Charles Wells]

I hear young people say this, perhaps African Americans more often than white.
It sounds to me like "No-am sane?" (the a is a schwa and the vowel in "sane" is
rather long and NOT nasalized.)  Aaron McGruder, in his Boondocks cartoons,
spells it "knowhumsayin" or "knoowhumsaayin".  I don't know why the "h".

--Charles Wells

>Here's a question I can't answer. If you can, please include the inquirer's
>e-mail address in your reply. - Allan Metcalf
>
>>>I was wondering if you could help me find some information on the origin
>and use of the word "knowumsayin'." Do you know where I might begin?
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Ken Gordon
>melonayse at hotmail.com<<



Charles Wells,
Emeritus Professor of Mathematics, Case Western Reserve University
Affiliate Scholar, Oberlin College
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home phone: 440 774 1926.
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