DailyHeights

In response to Forbidden Phrases: Do Not Use Them, hollywood_african asks: “I agree that some of these phrases [“my bad”, “dawg”] are the kind of talk we hear from undesirable neighborhood non-whites all the time. isn’t that why this blog exists? to secretly whisper about the lifestyle issues [of] newly relocated non-non-whites face in ProHo [Prospect Heights]? I’m really glad that you’ve created a safe space here where the King’s English can thrive…three cheers for keeping our utopia blog-garden WEED-FREE!!!”

A. Thank you for your thoughtful feedback! However, DAILY HEIGHTS is not entirely convinced that overuse of the phrase “my bad” is endemic to neighborhood non-whites.

We have undertaken a careful investigation of the etymology of “my bad” and the cultural forces behind its popularity. Our research suggests the following: “my bad” may possibly have roots in games of “spades” played among prison inmates, and in Neighborhoods of Lower Socioeconomic Strata (NoLSS, or colloquially, “Hoods”).

However, multiple authoritative sources agree: overuse of “my bad” is directly attributable to “Clueless,” a 1995 movie that focused on the values and lifestyles of white, upper-class society. The fires of “my bad” were further stoked through inclusion in subsequent Hollywood screenplays and television programs, including at least 7 uses between 1998-2002 on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Example: “She killed him! Oops, my bad. It’s just dust I forgot to sweep under the rug.” [Cordelia]

While a thorough investigation of the term “dawg” has not been undertaken, anecdotal evidence suggests that this term, too, may have roots in NoLSS, but has become old and tired through repetition, ad nauseum, in mass media channels that celebrate the values of middle- to upper-class (and often white) suburban society, including American Idol, and most “reality” programming on MTV.

DAILY HEIGHTS thanks hollywood_african for the opportunity to clarify this matter.