tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33159158.post2495279630680810196..comments2024-02-25T20:07:56.114-06:00Comments on Mr. Verb: What's up with 'uppity'?Mr. Verbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04048931596146402872noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33159158.post-57013443980610597162011-12-03T07:23:04.741-06:002011-12-03T07:23:04.741-06:00The last sentence is the one that matters.The last sentence is the one that matters.Mr. Verbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04048931596146402872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33159158.post-20701442604176734632011-12-03T00:54:57.633-06:002011-12-03T00:54:57.633-06:00jumping in late here, but dyed in the wool souther...jumping in late here, but dyed in the wool southern politicians called Obama 'uppity' during the 2008 campaign and then claimed they 'didn't know' there were racist connotations. Then, other southern men (also conservative) went out of their way to say in a public setting that it's impossible -- absolutely impossible -- not to know. So I don't think plausible deniability is much of an excuse. And you know what? They don't care.Rosina Lippi Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10225088772824782200noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33159158.post-76086815906558094792011-11-24T13:24:28.021-06:002011-11-24T13:24:28.021-06:00Thanks. I guess given how infrequent it is in the ...Thanks. I guess given how infrequent it is in the Ngram data, you aren't alone in not using it, and I think it probably does strike me as old-fashioned too -- having thought about it for a couple of days, I wouldn't bet that young people know it. <br /><br />Maybe that means that the generalizations in the article I quoted and my own generalizations have to be restricted to those who use the term.Mr. Verbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04048931596146402872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33159158.post-23248592286937626272011-11-24T13:03:44.355-06:002011-11-24T13:03:44.355-06:00I have to say, I've never heard the word '...I have to say, I've never heard the word 'uppity' in a racist context before. It's not a word I use, because it sounds old-fashioned to me, but I nave no thought in my mind about it being racist.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33159158.post-88909307806779620732011-11-23T17:23:08.818-06:002011-11-23T17:23:08.818-06:00As a man, I can only use 'uppity women' wh...As a man, I can only use 'uppity women' when the context makes clear and the audience will surely understand that I'm being ironic. That seems, I guess, consistent with the notion that this is 'taking back' the term.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33159158.post-5219137484293618422011-11-23T17:20:28.230-06:002011-11-23T17:20:28.230-06:00I kind of stumbled over the article's formulat...I kind of stumbled over the article's formulation too, but I guess my real point is that denying knowledge of this doesn't seem plausible to me today, certainly not for media professionals who trade in these issues for a living. (I'm guessing we're in basic agreement here, but maybe not.)Mr. Verbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04048931596146402872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33159158.post-55821806313308733752011-11-23T17:17:27.559-06:002011-11-23T17:17:27.559-06:00I think it's only plausible deniability, not i...I think it's only plausible deniability, not ignorance, that these people are maintaining.Jonathonhttp://www.arrantpedantry.comnoreply@blogger.com