Juba to Jive: A Dictionary Of African American Slang (1994)

Since the days of slavery, when the conversations of black slaves served as the classic example of a secret tongue, a kind of "home talk" in the sense that it was not meant for listeners beyond the nest, to the 1980s and '90s and the expressions of rap and hip-hop, the evolution of African-American slang from private to public language has irrevocably influenced American culture and speech. Illuminating this vibrant language, Juba to Jive offers a comprehensive collection of terms, from the oldest to the most modern, as well as clear straightforward definitions of words, phrases, and expressions, with many examples in context; approximate date of each term's arrival into the language; modifications of meanings as the terms entered the mainstream; cross-references to similar terms; linguistic roots, from onomatopoetic sources to rhyming jargon; and shifts in word forms and grammatical usage. Juba to Jive is the only up-to-date record of this rich, ever-evolving language born in the African-American community and permeating every aspect of our culture.