Comments on: Uppity-up http://blog.oup.com/2008/09/uppity/ Academic insights for the thinking world. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:14:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Slang 101 : OUPblog http://blog.oup.com/2008/09/uppity/comment-page-1/#comment-147489 Slang 101 : OUPblog Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:09:11 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=2113#comment-147489 [...] specializes in actions for personal injuries). This feature could particularly come in handy for politicians, “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize that term was offensive to [insert cultural or racial group [...] [...] specializes in actions for personal injuries). This feature could particularly come in handy for politicians, “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize that term was offensive to [insert cultural or racial group [...]

]]> By: The “Bush Doctrine” is about Lynching « zunguzungu http://blog.oup.com/2008/09/uppity/comment-page-1/#comment-147369 The “Bush Doctrine” is about Lynching « zunguzungu Sat, 13 Sep 2008 15:32:41 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=2113#comment-147369 [...] or England or Israel or France or Pakistan because, while they already have WMD’s, the “uppity” standard does not apply to them for that very reason. Having joined the concert of civilized [...] [...] or England or Israel or France or Pakistan because, while they already have WMD’s, the “uppity” standard does not apply to them for that very reason. Having joined the concert of civilized [...]

]]> By: Anna http://blog.oup.com/2008/09/uppity/comment-page-1/#comment-147354 Anna Thu, 11 Sep 2008 22:02:23 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=2113#comment-147354 I must say as someone who lived in Georgia for my first 3 decades (the last 5 years in NYC)and as someone with a graduate degree from an elite Northeast university I never knew there was a racial undertone to "uppity" until I read this passage. I had heard that Westmoreland offended some by calling Obama "uppity." I thought this was upseting because it brought back the whole "Obama is elitist" nonsense. I don't know that I've ever used the word "uppity" but my grandmother did quite frequently - always in reference to white people. She used as a synonym of "snobby". I most assuredly am not out to defend Westmoreland and shutter at any commonalities with an ignorant man who fought hard for the 10 commandments to be displayed in a public building but couldn't name a single commandment during his appearance on the Colbert Report. I guess I was ignorant on "uppity." I can't help but wonder how many people I've offended by unknowingly using potentially offencvie words. I must say as someone who lived in Georgia for my first 3 decades (the last 5 years in NYC)and as someone with a graduate degree from an elite Northeast university I never knew there was a racial undertone to “uppity” until I read this passage. I had heard that Westmoreland offended some by calling Obama “uppity.” I thought this was upseting because it brought back the whole “Obama is elitist” nonsense.

I don’t know that I’ve ever used the word “uppity” but my grandmother did quite frequently – always in reference to white people. She used as a synonym of “snobby”.

I most assuredly am not out to defend Westmoreland and shutter at any commonalities with an ignorant man who fought hard for the 10 commandments to be displayed in a public building but couldn’t name a single commandment during his appearance on the Colbert Report.

I guess I was ignorant on “uppity.” I can’t help but wonder how many people I’ve offended by unknowingly using potentially offencvie words.

]]> By: mollymooly http://blog.oup.com/2008/09/uppity/comment-page-1/#comment-147352 mollymooly Thu, 11 Sep 2008 20:40:45 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=2113#comment-147352 Looking at the British SARA corpus, the racial connotations are not so prominent as in the U.S.; but the word seems often to be used in a double-layered way: the author describes someone else as viewing a third person as "uppity"; implying a criticism of the second person by the author for holding such views. It's a kind of half-taboo word, which you can mention but not use. Looking at the British SARA corpus, the racial connotations are not so prominent as in the U.S.; but the word seems often to be used in a double-layered way: the author describes someone else as viewing a third person as “uppity”; implying a criticism of the second person by the author for holding such views. It’s a kind of half-taboo word, which you can mention but not use.

]]> By: Derry http://blog.oup.com/2008/09/uppity/comment-page-1/#comment-147350 Derry Thu, 11 Sep 2008 18:52:22 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=2113#comment-147350 A quick straw poll seems to confirm my gut feeling that "uppity" is used with class implications, not racist, in British English. One person said "You could use in a racist way if you thought race governed your position." It smacks of servants and the nouveaux riche. I'm more worried that I can't make sense of the sentence. I'm okay up to "class" but who's the individual and who thinks? A quick straw poll seems to confirm my gut feeling that “uppity” is used with class implications, not racist, in British English. One person said “You could use in a racist way if you thought race governed your position.” It smacks of servants and the nouveaux riche.

I’m more worried that I can’t make sense of the sentence. I’m okay up to “class” but who’s the individual and who thinks?

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