Why do people take slang & terms from black or queer communities? ie. “clock that tea”

Why do people take slang & terms from black or queer communities? ie. "clock that tea"
Why do people take slang & terms from black or queer communities? ie. “clock that tea”

They borrow language from groups using in-group language to establish group identity. And people want the cachet of that authenticity. Why don’t they take slang and terms from librarians? They should! IDK why “Check line 520 in the MARC record” doesn’t have cachet.

Slang naturally trickles up over time, in almost all languages it starts with the most marginalized abd moves up until everyone's saying it. It's just kinda how words work naturally
Slang naturally trickles up over time, in almost all languages it starts with the most marginalized abd moves up until everyone’s saying it. It’s just kinda how words work naturally

This is also an interesting theory.

Any good jazz recommendations?

Any good jazz recommendations?
Any good jazz recommendations?

If you are getting into jazz, I recommend you start with a few essential albums like Kind of Blue by Miles Davis, Love Supreme by John Coltrane, Time Out by Dave Brubeck, Moanin’ by Art Blakey, or Saxaphone Collosus by Sonny Rollins. If you are looking for more recent albums, Downbeat Magazine (https://bit.ly/downbeatmag) is a well-established jazz magazine that reviews current releases and publishes a Top 10 Album list each year.

What makes something a representation of other things?

What makes something a representation of other things?
What makes something a representation of other things?

Humans. Humans do that. They use words, signs, and signals, and other humans either understand the representations or not. The key is that people making representations have to agree what represents what. Problems happen when they think they do but they don’t. Which is often.

Is Huckleberry Finn good because of the rascism? I don’t get why I’m reading it

Is Huckleberry Finn good because of the rascism? I don't get why I'm reading it
Is Huckleberry Finn good because of the rascism? I don’t get why I’m reading it

This happens quite a lot when we read things from the past. Ideas or words can reflect a previous time’s understanding and this if often different from our own. It can be very hard to read at times, but can also be important to understand the current moment, the past, and how we got to where we are now. All of this doesn’t make the racism in Huckleberry Finn good. But this question sounds like it might start a good class discussion!

Edging or gooning

edging or gooning
edging or gooning

Either is fine. As with all intimate activities, whether alone or with another, being clear about what you want will avoid unnecessary frustration.

Where is my wife?

Where is my wife?
Where is my wife?

IDK. But in Italian, that would be dov’è mia moglie? One of my assistants had to dredge that phrase from memory (before the days of Google Translate) to get sympathy from a gun-wielding member of the carabinieri while parked in Rome where he shouldn’t have parked. A great example of the value of learning a foreign language!

Studying: Music or Silence| Snacks or not?

Studying: Music or Silence| Snacks or not?
Studying: Music or Silence| Snacks or not?

Great question! I’ve watched students study with music (through their headphones) and also ask my helpers and me for silent space so I guess it depends on which has helped you study better in the past. I suggest try both and then decide. As for snacks, my Post-it Note diet keeps me full and energized to answer questions like yours so I recommend it.