RebKell's Junkie Boards

[beknighted]

I noticed that the word "articulate" didn't seem to get used too much to describe the Rutgers players. The word of choice, instead, was "eloquent." I kind of wondered if that was a response to the tiff over Senator Biden's comments on Obama.

I also noticed that "class" and "classy" were used a lot. I guess they were used in contrast to "ho," but after a while it kind of made me want to scream. "Classy" seems to be one of the compliments of choice in WCBB (and I'm among the people who use it - I think I said it about GG while she was pondering whether to take the Texas job), and I wonder why.

Any thoughts?

[cthskzfn]

[fancy_daniel]

I think we've gotten to the point where we're dissecting this issue way too much. Yes, perhaps it has struck a chord with people in this country. However, I think it's as simple as a shock jock making a big mistake. I wish this issue would go away already.

[FS02]

Interesting that the word "classy", in and of itself, implies that members of a certain social class are morally superior to members of another. The idea is entrenched in the very language we use. But I don't think we can change it now--just be aware of it.

Nowadays, I hear the term often used when a person is wronged in a vicious way, but does not respond in kind. It's also used to describe any act of good sportsmanship that goes above and beyond what is normally done.

[Queenie]

Articulate vs. eloquent: obviously I can only speak for myself, but I would use eloquent because it implies more about the statement being made, whereas articulate implies more about the manner in which a statement is made. I don't know if she was articulate, because I didn't see the press conference, and therefore don't know how she delivered the statement. I do know that she was eloquent, because I read the text, and it was good text.

As a 22-year-old college student at a public university, and an English major, I was impressed by Carson's statement (which I only read and did not hear). It was well-written and used language deftly and expertly. She made good points, including most of the points that most Rebkellians have been making.

As an English major, I've read classmates' work that was a hell of a lot less coherent, much less eloquent, and I think I would have loved to have her as a classmate in a writing workshop. That might say more about college education in this country than anything else, but if we're going to open up the can of worms that is the state of American education, let's do it in Area 51 and not muddy it up with this incident.

I think part of why people are impressed with Carson's presence is that a) most people in their early 20s don't *have* presence of any sort unless they've trained extensively for it, and b) most athletes of any age tend to look flustered and sound single-minded and cliched. I think people forget that she's in the performing arts, so if she isn't comfortable on a stage, there's something wrong.

_________________
"We all have a platform. We all have a voice & they all hold weight. Silence is a luxury."

[FS02]

[womens_hoops]

[timber]

It's always funny to me how my first reaction to someone calling me articulate is to cuss them out. The irony.

Someone mentioned how "articulate" the Rutgers women were at work today.

I said, no...your standards regarding either blacks, women, athletes or young people are just lower than the entire Knicks organization's standards in regards to being an actual NBA team. Pick one or three.

_________________
Give Kia the ball.

[bballjunkee212]

As we have established before, "articulate" is code for "black person who does not necessarily fit racial stereotypes, who does not appear to present a threat to White America, but is black nevertheless.

"Classy" and "eloquent" have been overused for two reasons: First, because "articulate" is known to be code, it no longer serves its purpose. The media is trying out new code words. Second, as Essence Carson pointed out, the Imus Affair has resulted in more attention to RU than their run to the NC game; the mainstream media doesn't know who these women are. So they resort to cliches.

_________________
~Bill

[womens_hoops]

[jammerbirdi]

[jammerbirdi]

[Queenie]

Two more points on articulate:

1) Stringer used it in the press conference.

2) I realized the other reason I don't use it. I'm a nerd. My first thought when I see the word is articulated joints on action figures, which have nothing to do with the use of the word in denoting someone who is well-spoken.

_________________
"We all have a platform. We all have a voice & they all hold weight. Silence is a luxury."

[womens_hoops]

[womens_hoops]

The Times dissection calls CVS eloquent (cough) and the team classy.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/13/business/media/13carr.html?hp

[luvDhoops]

[dtsnms]

and who says you don't learn anything hanging on a message board? Trust me, that memo didn't make Farmington, CT, where Tebucky Jones and Stuart Scott represent the majority of the people of color known in town.

Okay, 50 cent doesn't come out and hang too much.

[womens_hoops]

[luvDhoops]

[pilight]

[womens_hoops]

[Jimi3]

[Sass]

[CallTheDoctor]

[thesixthwoman]