1887
Volume 12, Issue 1
  • ISSN 2211-3770
  • E-ISSN: 2211-3789
USD
Buy:$35.00 + Taxes

Abstract

Abstract

This study focuses on switches into and out of African American English among contestants of the television series RuPaul’s Drag Race. Following Barrett (1995), I note that Black contestants who are comfortable in White Middle-Class American English tend to use it as their primary dialect, switching to AAE in order to develop rapport. I suggest that non-Black performers switch into AAE either in order to mitigate the effects of comments which might otherwise be interpreted as rude, or to reinforce strength in moments of emotional self-disclosure, and that this is possibly reflective of an interpretation on the part of the speaker that forwardness and strength constitute a normal element – ‘sass’ – of Black women’s speech. Finally, I explore the possible social impact of this phenomenon from the perspective of two common themes in the popular discourse on race: one centered on cultural appropriation, the other on the perception of Black Women’s Language.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1075/jls.20001.kon
2023-02-02
2024-12-13
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Barrett, Rusty
    1995 Supermodels of the world, unite! Political economy and the language of performance among African-American drag queens. InBeyond the Lavender Lexicon: Authenticity, Imagination, and Appropriation in Lesbian and Gay Languages, William Leap (ed), 207–226. Newark: Gordon and Breach.
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Baumeister, Roy, Zhang, Liqing & Vohs, Kathleen D.
    2004 Gossip as Cultural Learning. Review of General Psychology8(2): 111–121. 10.1037/1089‑2680.8.2.111
    https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.8.2.111 [Google Scholar]
  3. Bhabha, Homi
    2012The Location of Culture. New York: Routledge. 10.4324/9780203820551
    https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203820551 [Google Scholar]
  4. Blaque, Kat
    2016 Performative blackness and the problem of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’. HuffPost.com. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/performative-blackness-an_b_9545212 (March 20, 2020)
    [Google Scholar]
  5. Brown, Penelope & Levinson, Stephen
    1987Politeness: Some Universals in Language Usage. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 10.1017/CBO9780511813085
    https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511813085 [Google Scholar]
  6. Bucholtz, Mary & Lopez, Quiana
    2011 Performing blackness, forming whiteness: Linguistic minstrelsy in Hollywood films. Journal of Sociolinguistics151: 680–706. 10.1111/j.1467‑9841.2011.00513.x
    https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9841.2011.00513.x [Google Scholar]
  7. Butler, Judith
    1993Bodies that Matter: On the Discursive Limits of Sex. New York: Routledge.
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Charles, RuPaul
    2007Lettin’ It All Hang Out: An Autobiography. New York: Hyperion Books.
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Coupland, Nikolas
    2007Style: Language Variation and Identity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 10.1017/CBO9780511755064
    https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511755064 [Google Scholar]
  10. Crenshaw, Kimberle
    1989 Demarginalizing the intersection of race and sex: A black feminist critique of antidiscrimination doctrine, feminist theory and antiracist politics. University of Chicago Legal Forum81: 139–168.
    [Google Scholar]
  11. D’Addario, Daniel
    2014 Let’s talk about white gays ‘stealing black female culture’. New York Magazine. https://www.thecut.com/2014/07/why-White-gays-steal-black-female-culture.html (March 20, 2020)
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Dynel, Marta
    2016 Conceptualizing conversational humour as (im)politeness: The case of film talk. Journal of Politeness Research121: 117–147. 10.1515/pr‑2015‑0023
    https://doi.org/10.1515/pr-2015-0023 [Google Scholar]
  13. Eberhardt, Maeve & Freeman, Kara
    2015 ‘First things first, I’m the realest’: Linguistic appropriation, white privilege, and the hip-hop persona of Iggy Azalea. Journal of Sociolinguistics19(3): 303–327. 10.1111/josl.12128
    https://doi.org/10.1111/josl.12128 [Google Scholar]
  14. Eble, Connie C.
    1996Slang and Sociability: In-Group Language Among College Students. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  15. Forbes-Vierling, Suzanne
    2018 Stop calling it “Cultural Appropriation” and call it what it is: Colonialism. Afropunk: The Race Card. https://afropunk.com/2018/06/stop-calling-it-cultural-appropriation-and-call-it-what-it-is-colonialism/ (March 20, 2020)
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Goffman, Erving
    1959The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. New York: Doubleday.
    [Google Scholar]
  17. Goldsby, Jackie
    1993 Queens of language: Paris is Burning. InQueer Looks, Martha Gever, Pratibha Parmar & John Greyson (eds), 108–115. New York: Routledge Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  18. Harris-Perry, Melissa
    2013Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women in America. New Haven: Yale University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  19. Henderson, Taylor
    2018 These statistics prove Drag Race fans have a preference for White queens. Pride.com. https://www.pride.com/rupaulsdragrace/2018/6/22/these-statistics-prove-drag-race-fans-have-preference-White-queens (March 20, 2020)
    [Google Scholar]
  20. Henry, Ben
    2019 Black “RuPaul’s Drag Race” queens discuss the racism they’ve experienced from fans of the show and how it affects their success. Buzzfeed News. https://www.buzzfeed.com/benhenry/rupauls-drag-race-fandom-racism (March 20, 2020)
    [Google Scholar]
  21. Hey Qween
    Hey Qween 2015 Hey qween! BONUS: Morgan McMichaels is the Scottish scandal | Hey Qween. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHu6avU62t4 (March 20, 2020)
    [Google Scholar]
  22. hooks, bell
    1992Black Looks: Race and Representation. Boston: South End Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  23. Jung, Alex
    2016 Real talk with RuPaul. New York Magazine: Vulture. https://www.vulture.com/2016/03/rupaul-drag-race-interview.html (March 20, 2020)
    [Google Scholar]
  24. Labov, William, Ash, Sharon & Boberg, Charles
    2006The Atlas of North American English. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.
    [Google Scholar]
  25. Lakoff, Robin Tolmach
    1975Language and Woman’s Place. New York: Oxford University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  26. Lave, Jean & Wenger, Etienne
    1991Situated Learning: Legitimate Peripheral Participation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 10.1017/CBO9780511815355
    https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511815355 [Google Scholar]
  27. Lewis, Jioni, Mendenhall, Ruby, Harwood, Stacy & Browne Huntt, Margaret
    2016 “Ain’t I a woman?”: Perceived gendered racial microaggressions experienced by Black women. The Counseling Psychologist44(5): 758–778. 10.1177/0011000016641193
    https://doi.org/10.1177/0011000016641193 [Google Scholar]
  28. Martineau, William H.
    1972 A model of the social functions of humor. InThe Psychology of Humor, Jeffrey Goldstein & Paul McGhee (eds), 101–125. New York: Academic Press. 10.1016/B978‑0‑12‑288950‑9.50011‑0
    https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-288950-9.50011-0 [Google Scholar]
  29. Mannie, Sierra
    2014 Dear White gays: Stop stealing Black female culture. Time.com. https://time.com/2969951/dear-White-gays-stop-stealing-black-female-culture/ (March 20, 2020)
    [Google Scholar]
  30. Maron, Marc
    2014 Episode 496 – RuPaul Charles. WTF with Marc Maron Podcast. www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episodes/episode_498_-_rupaul_charles (March 20, 2020)
    [Google Scholar]
  31. Morgan, Marcyliena
    2005 African American women’s language: Mother tongues untied. InThe Oxford Handbook of African American Language, Jennifer Bloomquist, Lisa Green & Sonja L. Lanehart (eds), 817–833. New York: Oxford University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  32. McConnell-Ginet, Sally
    1988 Language and gender. InLinguistics: The Cambridge Survey IV, Language: The Sociocultural Context, Frederick Newmeyer (ed), 75–99. New York: Cambridge University Press. 10.1017/CBO9780511620577.006
    https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511620577.006 [Google Scholar]
  33. Montlack, Michael
    (ed) 2009My Diva: 65 Gay Men on the Women Who Inspire Them. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  34. Paris is Burning
    Paris is Burning 1990 Directed byJenny Livingston. Miramax Films.
    [Google Scholar]
  35. Patton, Stacey
    2009 What is this “thing” with gay men and divas?The Defenders Online. www.thedefendersonline.com/2009/05/01/what-is-this-“thing”-with-gay-men-and-divas/ (January 15, 2015)
    [Google Scholar]
  36. Pratt, Andy
    2017 Cultural appropriation: Theft or fair exchange?The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/cultural-appropriation-theft-or-fair-exchange-74892 (March 20, 2020)
    [Google Scholar]
  37. Poceski, Mario
    2020 Mindfulness, cultural appropriation, and the global diffusion of Buddhist contemplative practices. International Journal for the Study of Chan Buddhism and Human Civilization71: 1–15.
    [Google Scholar]
  38. Reyes, Angela
    2005 Appropriation of African American slang by Asian American youth. Journal of Sociolinguistics91: 509–532. 10.1111/j.1360‑6441.2005.00304.x
    https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1360-6441.2005.00304.x [Google Scholar]
  39. “Sass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sass (March 20, 2020)
    [Google Scholar]
  40. Schiller, Rebecca
    2018 ‘Drag Race’ queens tackle racism in the drag fandom: Watch. Billboard. https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/pride/8488635/drag-race-racism-drag-fandom (March 20, 2020)
    [Google Scholar]
  41. Scott, Karla
    2000 Crossing cultural borders: ‘Girl’ and ‘look’ as markers of identity in Black women’s language use. Discourse and Society11(2): 237–248. 10.1177/0957926500011002005
    https://doi.org/10.1177/0957926500011002005 [Google Scholar]
  42. Shangela.com
    Shangela.com 2020 BIO. https://shangela.com/pages/bio (March 20, 2020)
  43. Shaw, Andrea Elizabeth
    2006The Embodiment of Disobedience: Fat Black Women’s Unruly Political Bodies. Oxford: Lexington Books.
    [Google Scholar]
  44. Sica, Aïssa
    2019 The westernization of yoga: Between misconceptions, cultural appropriation, and no inclusivity. Womxn of Color. https://aissa-sica.com/2019/09/29/westernization-yoga-between-misconceptions-cultural-appropriation-and-no-inclusivity/ (March 20, 2020)
    [Google Scholar]
  45. Simmons, Nathaniel
    2014 Speaking like a queen in RuPaul’s Drag Race: Towards a speech code of American drag queens. Sexuality & Culture181: 630–648. 10.1007/s12119‑013‑9213‑2
    https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-013-9213-2 [Google Scholar]
  46. TATIANNA [@TATIANNANOW]
    TATIANNA [@TATIANNANOW] 2021 “Yes black and Italian”, 21 December 2021, https://twitter.com/tatiannanow/status/943946934645133312 (March 20, 2020)
  47. To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar
    To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar 1995 Directed byBeeban Kidron. Amblin Entertainment.
    [Google Scholar]
  48. Trix, Frances
    1993Spiritual Discourse: Learning with an Islamic Master. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  49. van Kessel, Looi
    2016 Digital drag: Queer potentiality in the age of digital television. InQueer TV in the 21st Century: Essays on Broadcasting from Taboo to Acceptance, Kylo-Patrick Hart (ed), 111–127. Jefferson: McFarland.
    [Google Scholar]
  50. Wert, Sarah & Salovey, Peter
    2004 A social comparison account of gossip. Review of General Psychology81: 122–137. 10.1037/1089‑2680.8.2.122
    https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.8.2.122 [Google Scholar]
  51. West, Carolyn
    2008 Mammy, Jezebel, Sapphire, and their homegirls: Developing an “oppositional gaze” toward the images of Black women. InLectures on the Psychology of Women (Fourth edition), J. Chrisler, C. Golden & P. Rozee (eds), 286–299. New York: McGraw Hill.
    [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1075/jls.20001.kon
Loading
/content/journals/10.1075/jls.20001.kon
Loading

Data & Media loading...

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was successful
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error