That’s the right answer to any “Why do black people do ___” question.
Precisely. Kind of like how soul food is actually southern food.
“I’ll take 'Things Cleavon Little Didn’t Say in Blazing Saddles’ for $100, please, Alex.”
Yup. I used to hear it fairly often here in central Oklahoma. The usage seems to be dropping off, but it was never a “black thing” here.
That’s good.
Is there a difference between “Mmmmm MM MM!” and the sound of congregational approval made at frequent intervals in some church services? (I thought that one was “Mmmmm MM”)
How do you know there haven’t been any whiter white men from Wisconsin? Was there a skin tone survey?
I have a very proper, very white cousin who uses this in a more abbreviated way. And it’s delivered in a nearly inaudible tone.
When she does this brief “hmm” sound all conversation stops and then changes direction. I imagine it to mean, “And I’m not saying what I think about that.”
Pretty powerful, that little unvocalized sound. I don’t think it’s just a woman thing, but in a society which not so long ago didn’t approve of women commenting on things of import perhaps it became a way she could still get her two cents worth in without risking social censure.
ETA: What is it with grocery stores, anyway? I see all manner of people who seem to use their trip to the store as a way of drawing attention to themselves. I think it must be their only day out of the house and they are seizing the opportunity to say, “Hey World, I exist.”
I know exactly what the OP is talking about, and most of you are off base. It is a very distinct sound, it arises almost exclusively from black women, and it has a very specific and singular meaning (very similar to ‘Lord have mercy’, as pointed out previously).
There is another utterance that black women make that shares the same characteristics (aside from the underlying meaning): “Girrrrrrrrrl!”
mmm
Lawrence Welk was from Minnesota. Disqualified.
And all this time I thought they want “doot, doot, doot, do do do doot, doot, doot, do do do doot”
I should listen more closely.
I’ll bet Lou Reed told you that.
Pssst. . . North Deekota
Despite what you may have been told, black people are not, in fact, extraterrestrials. Most of us have the same number of fingers and toes as white folk.
Cite?
D&R
Minnesota, North Dakota, what’s the difference?
Why do you say these things, when you know I will kill you for it?
It is obviously a clever ruse to lull you into a false sense of security.
I say dis befo: My mama say dat mmmm-mmmm-mmmm stuff 'n she ain’t black. Hell, I say dat mmmm-mmmm-mmmm stuff 'n I ain’t black. Y’all ain’t gotta be black t say dat stuff. Heps, doe.