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Where to find some slang by African Americans?

07:30 PM Nov 13 2002 \| Reply
seaocean Taiwan	Hi, there~ I’m so impressed by the sweetness of you guys. Every day there are so many questions popping up here, and you guys always give us some good pointers on how to improve our English or some answers to those questions. Thank you so much. And I do learn a lot on the website. =) Several questions here. (1)When do you say “I rest my case”? I know it’s often used by attorneys in courts. But people often use it in daily life as well. (2)When do you say “it’s not my dime”? (3)What’s “someplace higher”? I saw it on the website and the sentence is “we wanted to keep her safe at home, but destiny called her someplace higher”. What does that mean? (4)Do you guys like Nelly? His latest album named “nellyvilly” is very impressive. However, they lyrics can’t be easily understood. Where can I find some slang spoken by African Americans? Or are there any websites offering the interpretation of those type of lyrics? Besides that, if you guys do listen to his music,what do you think the conversation on track 8? I do like the way the black customer talks. However, do you know the real word he’s talking about? I can’t figure it out. Thanks for taking the time to read the message. Just wanna say I love you guys. And thanks a bunch . =) Gary from Taiwan

07:30 PM Nov 13 2002 | Reply

seaocean

Taiwan

Hi, there~

I’m so impressed by the sweetness of you guys. Every day there are so many questions popping up here, and you guys always give us some good pointers on how to improve our English or some answers to those questions. Thank you so much. And I do learn a lot on the website. =)

Several questions here.
(1)When do you say “I rest my case”? I know it’s often used by attorneys in courts. But people often use it in daily life as well.
(2)When do you say “it’s not my dime”?
(3)What’s “someplace higher”? I saw it on the website and the sentence is “we wanted to keep her safe at home, but destiny called her someplace higher”. What does that mean?
(4)Do you guys like Nelly? His latest album named “nellyvilly” is very impressive. However, they lyrics can’t be easily understood. Where can I find some slang spoken by African Americans? Or are there any websites offering the interpretation of those type of lyrics? Besides that, if you guys do listen to his music,what do you think the conversation on track 8? I do like the way the black customer talks. However, do you know the real word he’s talking about? I can’t figure it out.

Thanks for taking the time to read the message. Just wanna say I love you guys. And thanks a bunch . =)

Gary from Taiwan

06:43 PM Nov 22 2002 \| Reply
seaocean Taiwan	Dear Soholt~ Thanks for your help. After your explaination, I know how to use these words now. Thanks a bunch. However, I still have a question. Do most Americans, especially white guys or older people, understand those slang spoken by African American? If they don’t, where can they find the information for reference or dictionary kind of stuff? I believe there must be some websites arming people with this kind of reference? Right?

06:43 PM Nov 22 2002 | Reply

seaocean

Taiwan

Dear Soholt~

Thanks for your help. After your explaination, I know how to use these words now. Thanks a bunch. However, I still have a question. Do most Americans, especially white guys or older people, understand those slang spoken by African American? If they don’t, where can they find the information for reference or dictionary kind of stuff? I believe there must be some websites arming people with this kind of reference? Right?

02:53 AM Nov 27 2006 \| Reply
Bex United States	Well hello again, Gary! >>Several questions here. (1)When do you say “I rest my case”? I know it’s often used by attorneys in courts. But people often use it in daily life as well. You use this phrase to mean you've been proven right about something. Let's say you feel Joe is a loser and you are arguing this point with your friend, Becky. Becky says, no, Joe is not a loser! Then Bob, who knows Joe, comes in and announces with disgust that Joe lost his job AGAIN. You look smugly at Becky, fold your arms and say, "I rest my case". Becky is speechless. She has been proven wrong. (2)When do you say “it’s not my dime”? Usually used in conjunction with a phone call, when waaaaay long ago a call cost a dime. You will also hear quarter used, (here's a quarter, call someone who cares) though it is 50 cents now. "Not my dime" means it costs you, personally, nothing. So if someone asks to use a phone and they say they will pay you for it, but you don't pay to use it anyway, then it is not your dime. Also used to mean that while you personally pay nothing, someone else has to. I didn't explain that one very well. Let me work on more examples. (3)What’s “someplace higher”? I saw it on the website and the sentence is “we wanted to keep her safe at home, but destiny called her someplace higher”. What does that mean? Someplace higher means a higher (greater) purpose. Safe at home is not a higher calling, but becoming a doctor is. Or a Mayor, or anything that is above average. (4)Do you guys like Nelly? His latest album named “nellyvilly” is very impressive. However, they lyrics can’t be easily understood. Where can I find some slang spoken by African Americans? Or are there any websites offering the interpretation of those type of lyrics? Besides that, if you guys do listen to his music,what do you think the conversation on track 8? I do like the way the black customer talks. However, do you know the real word he’s talking about? I can’t figure it out. Heh. You and the African American slang thing. I can actually help you here. ...Or i could, if I could find my CD. sighs I'll get back to you on that track then, but in the meantime a great deal of that slang is intuitive and not easily explained. Heck, I have to have some of it explained to me and much of it is just incredibly broken English. However, here are some links for you: http://www.voxcommunications.com/slang15.htm http://www.riceplate.com/rap/rap.php http://goinside.com/97/10/slang.html Peace out, homes!

02:53 AM Nov 27 2006 | Reply

Bex

United States

Well hello again, Gary!

>>Several questions here.
(1)When do you say “I rest my case”? I know it’s often used by attorneys in courts. But people often use it in daily life as well.

You use this phrase to mean you've been proven right about something. Let's say you feel Joe is a loser and you are arguing this point with your friend, Becky. Becky says, no, Joe is not a loser! Then Bob, who knows Joe, comes in and announces with disgust that Joe lost his job AGAIN. You look smugly at Becky, fold your arms and say, "I rest my case". Becky is speechless. She has been proven wrong.

(2)When do you say “it’s not my dime”?

Usually used in conjunction with a phone call, when waaaaay long ago a call cost a dime. You will also hear quarter used, (here's a quarter, call someone who cares) though it is 50 cents now. "Not my dime" means it costs you, personally, nothing. So if someone asks to use a phone and they say they will pay you for it, but you don't pay to use it anyway, then it is not your dime. Also used to mean that while you personally pay nothing, someone else has to. I didn't explain that one very well. Let me work on more examples.

(3)What’s “someplace higher”? I saw it on the website and the sentence is “we wanted to keep her safe at home, but destiny called her someplace higher”. What does that mean?

Someplace higher means a higher (greater) purpose. Safe at home is not a higher calling, but becoming a doctor is. Or a Mayor, or anything that is above average.

(4)Do you guys like Nelly? His latest album named “nellyvilly” is very impressive. However, they lyrics can’t be easily understood. Where can I find some slang spoken by African Americans? Or are there any websites offering the interpretation of those type of lyrics? Besides that, if you guys do listen to his music,what do you think the conversation on track 8? I do like the way the black customer talks. However, do you know the real word he’s talking about? I can’t figure it out.

Heh. You and the African American slang thing. I can actually help you here. ...Or i could, if I could find my CD. sighs I'll get back to you on that track then, but in the meantime a great deal of that slang is intuitive and not easily explained. Heck, I have to have some of it explained to me and much of it is just incredibly broken English. However, here are some links for you:

http://www.voxcommunications.com/slang15.htm

http://www.riceplate.com/rap/rap.php

http://goinside.com/97/10/slang.html

Peace out, homes!