(back) in the day

[Margaret Lee]

I've found that African American students use it primarily in terms
of historical references, particularly as they relate to civil rights
struggles, great acomplishments, etc., before or soon after they were
born. For example, "My grandfather said that he worked for
twenty-five cents an hour back in the day." I've also heard it used
as a gesture of respect that today's hip-hop artists, dee-jays, etc.
give to the work of early rap music founders of the late 70's and
early 80's.


--- Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at IX.NETCOM.COM> wrote:
> Does the expression back in the day just mean a long time ago and
> is
> there a specific amount of time that has to have passed to be in
> the
> day?
>
> Benjamin Barrett


=====
Margaret G. Lee, Ph.D.
Associate Professor - English and Linguistics
 & University Editor
Department of English
Hampton University, Hampton, VA 23668
(757)727-5769(voice);(757)727-5421(fax);(757)851-5773(home)
e-mail:  mlee303 at yahoo.com  or  margaret.lee at hamptonu.edu

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