At 01:56 PM 2/23/2003, Darren Henderson wrote:
"jive" was as much a dialect as any other popular vernacular is for its
time. Its certainly not based of a centuries old stereotype. Its more
recent then hippie/flower child speak, beatnik, etc. And its no different
then the vernacular of present day MTV, hip-hop, or club crowd (insert
any subculture here that you like [subculture being a component of the
whole culture not a diminutive]).
This is not true. "Jive" was originally a form of swing-out style dancing
that originated around the turn of the century and became immensely popular
during the big jazz explosion of the 20's. Since both the dance style and
the music were born in the African-American community, the term "jive" is
inextricably associated with African-Americans, despite the fact that the
current usage has spread around the world. (See
http://www.centralhome.com/ballroomcountry/swing.htm and
http://ky.essortment.com/historyofjive_rklw.htm for more information.)
The re-emergence of the term in the 70's in many black sitcoms (e.g., "Good
Times" and "The Jeffersons") only helped to solidify that association. But
the term existed long before hippies and beatniks to be sure.
--Chip Morton
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