[Linganth] African American "neighborhood oaths"

[Barbara Johnstone]

I received this message from a local high school student.  Can anybody
point me in the right direction?  Thanks!

My name is Daevan Mangalmurti. I am a student at Obama Academy in East
Liberty. During my time as a student there, I've come across several
different words that are used in various mostly African-American
communities to affirm loyalty to specific neighborhoods and which are taken
as affirmative oaths in a sense similar to, "I swear on my mother's grave."
Examples would be the use of "nephs" in parts of the Hill District and the
use of "showtime" in Garfield. Would you happen to be familiar with this
phenomenon, or know of any research that looks into it?


-- 
Barbara Johnstone
bj4 at andrew.cmu.edu
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