shuckin' and jivin'

[Ben Zimmer]

On Wed, Oct 24, 2012 at 8:30 PM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>
> According to one-time sports anchor, half-term Alaska governor, and
> small-town beauty queen Sarah Palin, "President Obama's shuck and jive
> shtick with these Benghazi lies must end."
>
> http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/palin-accuses-obama-shuck-jive-schtick-212555554--politics.html

Here's Slate's take:

http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2012/10/25/shuck_and_jive_meaning_and_history_of_phrase_palin_used_is_it_racist.html

After unpacking the expression, Katy Waldman writes, "Palin surely was
unaware of all this history. But we often pick up racially coded
language without being entirely conscious of it." Which reminds me of
Palin's tone-deaf use of "blood libel" after the Arizona shootings
last year:

http://www.wordorigins.org/index.php/more/1635/

So many historical resonances, so many opportunities to be oblivious.

--bgz

--
Ben Zimmer
http://benzimmer.com/

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