Street language and slang give a vibrant snapshot of any era, shifting in response to popular songs, slogans, and catchphrases. They illuminate a decade’s moods and vogues, a certain group’s tastes, a rich moment of communication. In the present time, our clichés appear to be nothing more than mundane clichés but looking back at the jargon of the 20th century in theUS, even the … [Read more...] about New Slang: Colloquialisms of the 1900s
Archives for September 2012
Incest and Innocence
A primary facet of the American literacy consciousness is the ideal of American innocence and the tragic consequences if that innocence is lost. Yet many American authors remain deeply troubled by the role of sexuality within that conception of American identity, and more importantly, the role of those desires that have been deemed deviant. When Vladimir Nabokov first … [Read more...] about Incest and Innocence
TV Culture: “The New Normal” is Hardly New
By Makiah Green Ryan Murphy and Ali Adler's new comedy series, The New Normal, aired for it's anticipated debut last week on NBC. In its attempt to redefine societal norms and family values, the pilot episode, instead, reinforces the modern familiar. Though the coincidental family depicted on The New Normal certainly doesn't reflect traditional American values, it is in … [Read more...] about TV Culture: “The New Normal” is Hardly New
Strangers in a Strange Land
By Amy Schilit You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt – Exodus 22:21 Last Passover, as I was walking in Jaffa, I passed a theatrical demonstration against the government’s treatment of plitim. Intrigued and confused about the meaning of the word, I walked through the demonstration to observe the actors as they … [Read more...] about Strangers in a Strange Land