Here’s a send up on the ambiguities of “reasonable suspicion” and “illegality” from the Daily Show from May 2010, apropos of Arizona’s immigration law: http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-may-6-2010/suspicious-behavior-on-cinco-de-mayo… Read More »“Reasonable suspicion” and “illegality” in the Daily Show
In this excerpt, Cho talks about race and language: being asked to speak to viewers “in your native language,” being treated like a visiting exchange… Read More »Margaret Cho – I’m the One I Want
In this clip from I Love Lucy, Lucy is intent on teaching her future child to speak “perfect English”, and she criticizes her husband Ricky Ricardo’s… Read More »Perfect English in I Love Lucy
Jimmy Kimmel outsources Herman Cain jokes to an Indian call center. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9BzlfI6Mj8. This is a good clip to show with Deborah Cameron’s (2000) piece on call… Read More »Jimmy Kimmel outsources Herman Cain jokes to an Indian call center
In the trailer for the movie The Mexican, Brad Pitt says “el trucko” “towno” and “muy muy important.”
President Obama sings in a nod to Al Green during a speech: https://www.wsj.com/video/obama-sings-al-green-lets-stay-together/6203E851-BBD2-43AB-B543-0B3053C32DAD
In this interview for ESPN Deportes, Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski attempts to speak some Spanish and ends the interview by saying, “Yo soy fiesta”… Read More »Rob Gronkowski “Yo soy fiesta”
In “Terminator 2,” John Connor gives the T-800 a lesson in Mock Spanish: “no problemo,” “hasta la vista,” “dickwad.” Here the Terminator uses the Mock… Read More »Mock Spanish in Terminator 2
On the subject of constructing Latin American immigrants as inherently “illegal,” there was a great clip from a 2010 Colbert Report show http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/361456/october-07-2010/indecision-2010—revenge-of-the-fallen—fearstock-com [Video no… Read More »2010 Colbert Report on creating fear through images
This anti-illegal alien site contains rants about illegal aliens and compares them to thieves, invaders, etc: http://www.illegalaliens.us/ Some of the more interesting links on the site… Read More »Anti-illegal alien website
In the fist 50 seconds of this video, Glenn Beck argues that illegal aliens are just like illegal drugs. If you would like to read… Read More »Glenn Beck on illegal immigration
“You have lots of ‘splaining to do”… Senator Tom Corburn (R-Oklahoma) interrupted Supreme Court candidate Sonia Sotomayor’s explanation about gun laws with this phrase, which echoes… Read More »Sotomayor “You have lots of splainin to do”
This episode of Glee is all about negotiating the Spanish language in an English-dominant US high school. There are some great examples of indexicality and lines… Read More »Glee “The Spanish Teacher” episode
In this clip from the 2012 Golden Globes, the TV series Modern Family is presented with an award, and the legitimacy of Spanish and intelligibility… Read More »Spanish at the Golden Globes
Newt Gingrich argues against bilingual education because English is “the language of prosperity, not the language of living in a ghetto.” Here is his “apology”… Read More »Gingrich and the language of prosperity
There was an attack against Romney linking his ability to speak French to all kinds of negative character traits. This video provides more context. Pair… Read More »Attack against Romney for speaking French
Here are a few materials that work for introductory lectures. “Life In A Day” is a historic film capturing for future generations what it was… Read More »Introductory materials for linguistic anthro
The Star Trek clip “Darmok” available on YouTube complements teaching Basso’s ethnography “Wisdom Sits in Places.”
This report aired on Public Radio International in December 2011 discusses the decision to recognize the word “Gypsy” as pejorative and replace it with “Roma”… Read More »Renaming Gypsies in Romania
“My Mom’s Name is Jean?”: Discussion of deixis- Suriya’s Aircel Ads (first two only): silly lead-in to deixis-