[Ads-l] "slay" (adj.)

[Z Sohna]

Actually, one should reach "that far" for the semantic extension and when
considering the potential points of origin for speech in the United States
(and those countries assimilated by the US). If one can regularly look to
the languages of Europe (or elsewhere) for points of origin without it
being considered "reach[ing] that far," then why should the African
languages be off-limits or considered going too "far"? This is a rhetorical
question on my part.

As I mentioned in my earlier post, the African languages abound with
examples in which "kill," "murder," and "slay" share the same meaning and
nuance that occurs in Native Black American Language. (I should mention
that since my last email, I've identified additional cognates in the
languages of Central Africa with identical meaning and nuance.) Considering
that the population in question is descended from Africans enslaved in the
United States, not looking to the African languages as potential points of
origin would be irresponsible.

Also, regarding the statement:

    The use of /murder/ as a synonym for /devour/ is in my personal lexicon,
    but the senses of "doing something in an excellent way" aren't.

Even if it were in your lexicon, its usage on your part would not serve as
an indicator of a non-African origin for a given word or phrase in the
United States (or in the UK, where people are highly influenced/assimilated
by US speech and broader culture). Caucasians and other non-members in the
US and elsewhere actively employ Africanisms in their everyday speech - not
unlike the "white" populations of Brazil and other countries in the
Americas.

Moreover, even if the meaning did occur in a relevant non-African language
to which this population's ancestors were exposed, if that very same
meaning was already present among the languages of the progenitors of
Native Black Americans, then any non-African usage to which their
descendants were exposed would serve as a reinforcement of the African
meaning. As such, looking to the African languages - especially those that
most contributed to the Native Black American Lexicon - should be part and
parcel in the discussion and research of the language and lexicon of the
Native Black American population of the United States.

Regards,
Z. Sohna


On Wed, Nov 29, 2023 at 2:36 PM Amy West <medievalist at w-sts.com> wrote:

> On 11/29/23 12:00 AM, ADS-L automatic digest system wrote:
> > I should note that I am not stating that Basaa is the origin of this
> > phenomenon in Native Black American Language, but that the languages of
> > West Africa and Southwest Africa are the likely source; I am certain that
> > there are African cognates for the Basaa*nɔl*  'to kill', 'to do
> something
> > impressive, terrific, great, amazing', 'to be dressed flaa/fly'.
> > Best,
> > Z. Sohna
>
>
> Yeah, I don't think we need to reach that far for the semantic extension
> for /slay, kill. /I think that once one thinks of something as a
> challenge, the metaphor of the hunt can easily inform this metaphorical
> extension.
>
> I'll grant that this doesn't cover /murder/  or /body /uses, and I'll
> admit that I don't use either of those. The use of /murder/ as a synonym
> for /devour/ is in my personal lexicon, but the senses of "doing
> something in an excellent way" aren't.
>
> ---Amy West
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>

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