We all know them by heart because we grew up hearing the same refrains repeatedly. IJTIFH… or IKYFL are prime examples of Blackronyms that we can recognize on a dime without effort. These codes are part of a more extensive form of Black communication.
What white people call slang, ebonics, or belittle as ghetto unintelligent language, was born from learned dialects surrounding the enslaved. It allowed our ancestors to communicate with each other and their colonizing enslavers.
Today, sayings like “stay woke” are ways of keeping each other on alert and being vigilant against violence from racist white supremacists. Ridicule and persecution forced us to assimilate the language of our oppressors, at least for a time.
We flaunt our language with such charisma and finesse that the mainstream has co-opted our words. ‘Woke’ has become a dog whistle of the far right. Words like ‘finna’ and ‘cap’ have been bastardized by popular culture. It’s cool for everyone else to try to sound Black, but somehow, we’re still looked down on for the language that WE created.
Mainstream media has co-opted our unique way of speaking and communication without basis or understanding. Still, we will continue to stand out and create new ways of communicating with each other without conforming to others’ standards.