Can a verb reveal ethnicity?
September 15th, 2008, by Kirk Mahoney
The short answer: Yes.
I asked an African-American the other day where his home was.
He replied, “I stay in Katy, Texas.”
In other words, he lives in Katy.
The use of the verb “stay” as a substitute for the verb “live” or for the verb “reside” is distinctly African-American.
The use apparently dates back to slavery in the U.S.
I wonder what other words are characteristic of various ethnicities in various languages around the world. If you have an example that you want me to share with other readers, please contact me.
Copyright © 2008 Kirk Mahoney, Ph.D.
Related Posts
