A pioneering exploration of form, meaning, theme and function in African American slang, illustrated with thousands of contextual examples.

An authoritative, impassioned celebration of Black English, how it works, and why it matters

Based on scholarly investigations and common usage, this comprehensive collection of terms, from the days of slavery to the present, is the only up-to-date reco

With its unparalleled coverage of English slang of all types (from 18th-century cant to contemporary gay slang), and its uncluttered editorial apparatus, Cassel