Signifyin': the story on HearLore

Signifyin'

In the heart of the American South during the era of slavery, a trickster figure known as the Signifying Monkey emerged from the collective imagination of the enslaved population to challenge the power of the lion. This folkloric narrative, which would eventually give its name to a complex linguistic practice, tells the story of a small monkey who manages to dupe a powerful lion through clever wordplay and indirect insults. The monkey does not fight the lion with physical strength but instead uses a verbal strategy that exploits the gap between what is said and what is meant, a technique that would become the foundation of Signifyin'. The story serves as a metaphor for the survival strategies of African Americans, where the weak must use wit to navigate a world dominated by the strong. The monkey's ability to turn the lion's anger back upon itself through a series of layered meanings illustrates the core of this cultural practice, which prioritizes connotation over literal definition. This tale, originating from the oral traditions of the antebellum period, established a framework for understanding how language could be used as a tool of resistance and community building within the Black experience.

Doubling The Signifier

The American literary critic Henry Louis Gates Jr. revolutionized the understanding of this cultural phenomenon in 1988 with the publication of The Signifying Monkey, a text that redefined the term for academic and cultural discourse. Gates took the concept of signifying, which in standard English denotes the meaning a term conveys, and doubled it to explain the specific vernacular of Black American communities. He described the experience of understanding Signifyin' as stumbling unaware into a hall of mirrors, where the sign itself appears to be doubled, at the very least, and redoubled upon ever closer examination. This doubling is not a multiplication of the sign itself but a doubling of the signifier, a silent sound-image that exists in a state of flux between standard English and Black vernacular. Gates constructed a graph with an x-axis representing the standard English definitions recognized by white society and a y-axis representing the Black vernacular, where the intersection of these two lines creates a new meaning through puns and tropes. This theoretical framework allowed scholars to see how Black discourse operates not merely as a reflection of history but as a self-referential system that critiques and reinterprets the very language used to describe it.

The Game Of The Dozens

One of the most visible manifestations of Signifyin' is the game known as playing the dozens, a verbal ritual where participants seek to outdo each other by throwing insults back and forth. This practice, which dates back to the early twentieth century, involves a competitive exchange of witty remarks that often target the opponent's mother, family, or personal attributes, yet the goal is not to cause genuine harm but to demonstrate verbal agility and social standing. A classic example from the 1970s involves a participant stating that their opponent's mother sent her picture to the lonely hearts club, only to have the response that the club sent it back saying they were not that lonely. This exchange, while seemingly aggressive, functions as a form of affection and a way to build community bonds through shared humor and cultural knowledge. The game requires a deep understanding of the context and the ability to read between the lines, as the literal meaning of the words is secondary to the implied meaning and the skill with which it is delivered. This tradition has persisted through generations, evolving from street corners to the stage, and remains a vital part of the cultural landscape of Black American communities.

Common questions

What is the origin of the Signifying Monkey story?

The Signifying Monkey story originated from the oral traditions of the antebellum period during the era of slavery in the American South. This folkloric narrative features a trickster monkey who challenges a lion through clever wordplay and indirect insults rather than physical strength. The tale serves as a metaphor for the survival strategies of African Americans who used wit to navigate a world dominated by the strong.

When did Henry Louis Gates Jr. publish The Signifying Monkey?

Henry Louis Gates Jr. published The Signifying Monkey in 1988 to revolutionize the understanding of this cultural phenomenon. Gates redefined the term for academic and cultural discourse by describing Signifyin' as a doubling of the signifier that exists between standard English and Black vernacular. His theoretical framework allows scholars to see how Black discourse operates as a self-referential system that critiques and reinterprets language.

What is the game known as playing the dozens?

Playing the dozens is a verbal ritual that dates back to the early twentieth century where participants seek to outdo each other by throwing insults back and forth. This practice often targets the opponent's mother, family, or personal attributes, yet the goal is to demonstrate verbal agility and social standing rather than cause genuine harm. A classic example from the 1970s involves a participant stating that their opponent's mother sent her picture to the lonely hearts club, only to have the response that the club sent it back saying they were not that lonely.

How do hip hop producers use Signifyin' in their music?

Hip hop producers use Signifyin' to create layers of meaning through sampling and lyrical play by looping a sample or recontextualizing a sound. Scholars like Gena Dagel Caponi have identified calls, cries, hollers, riffs, and licks as examples of signifying in African American music. This form of Signifyin' is not simple repetition or variation but a complex interplay of sound and meaning that allows for both reverence and irreverence toward previously stated musical values.

How does Black Twitter use Signifyin' in the digital age?

Black Twitter uses Signifyin' to perform racial identity using wordplay that only those with knowledge of Black culture can fully recognize. Sarah Florini of the University of Wisconsin-Madison argues that online users create a community that is both inclusive and exclusive through the use of memes, hashtags, and coded language. This digital manifestation allows for the expression of complex ideas and emotions that might be lost in standard communication while maintaining the core function of building community and resisting dominant narratives.

What is the academic debate surrounding Henry Louis Gates Jr.'s work on Signifyin'?

The academic reception of Signifyin' is marked by a complex debate between supporters of Henry Louis Gates Jr.'s theoretical framework and critics like Joyce A. Joyce. Joyce contends that Black creative art is an act of love that attempts to destroy estrangement and elitism by demonstrating a strong fondness for freedom and an affectionate concern for the life of people. Despite these criticisms, Gates and his supporters argue that the term Signifyin' has a subversive nature and the ability to bring about change to a system.