Richard wrote:There shouldn't be. There is no such term as "Word Is Born". What the fuck would that even mean?

sleepkid wrote:...but I had been under the impression that it started to come out of gospel. As in to testify, spread the word, the word is born with Jesus, sort of thing.

In Gospel, to testify is to spread "the word" - the word being the news about Christ. "The Word" was "born" with the coming of Christ. Thus, "Word is Born". When taken out of it's gospel context, it was merely an affirmation, or confirmation. Thus later being shortened in the hip-hop community to "Word".

However, many people support the theory that it is a distortion of "Your word is your bond" as argued here.

Yet, I feel like I heard it used by Sister Rosetta Sharpe on an early recording, which would predate the modern hip hop phrase. Of course, it could just be the somewhat fuzzy quality of that particular recording as well as the fact that I am more familiar with the RUN DMC style useage of it.

The etymology of words and phrases is always fascinating. Regardless of how it evolved, or if it is correct or not, "Word is Born" did become a phrase in it's own right.

sleepkid wrote:

Richard wrote:

sleepkid wrote:
There's actually a bit of debate as to this being a malapropism or not.

There shouldn't be. There is no such term as "Word Is Born". What the fuck would that even mean?

sleepkid wrote:...but I had been under the impression that it started to come out of gospel. As in to testify, spread the word, the word is born with Jesus, sort of thing.

However, the most support seems to be that it is a distortion of "Your word is your bond" as argued here.

Yet, I feel like I heard it used by Sister Rosetta Sharpe on an early recording, which would predate the modern hip hop phrase. Of course, it could just be the somewhat fuzzy quality of the recording as well.

So the hip-hop community mis-pronounces "bond" so it sounds like "born" and it becomes accepted? I'm not buying it. Sound like someone's attempting to invent a definition for a butchered phrase to give it legitimacy.

Richard wrote:So the hip-hop community mis-pronounces "bond" so it sounds like "born" and it becomes accepted? I'm not buying it. Sound like someone's attempting to invent a definition for a butchered phrase to give it legitimacy.

I'm confused as to what your arguing against now? That "Word is Born" is not a phrase? Or that it couldn't have come from Gospel? Or that because it is a distortion of "Your Word is Your Bond" it should not be regarded as a phrase in it's own right?

Personally I find the ebonics theory a bit of a stretch, as it involves the replacement of two consonants and the dropping of two other words. Though having travelled quite a bit and being familiar with several different dialects and vernaculars, it wouldn't surprise me.

sleepkid wrote:

Richard wrote:So the hip-hop community mis-pronounces "bond" so it sounds like "born" and it becomes accepted? I'm not buying it. Sound like someone's attempting to invent a definition for a butchered phrase to give it legitimacy.

I'm confused as to what your arguing against now? That "Word is Born" is not a phrase? Or that it couldn't have come from Gospel? Or that because it is a distortion of "Your Word is Your Bond" it should not be regarded as a phrase in it's own right?

Personally I find the ebonics theory a bit of a stretch, as it involves the replacement of two consonants and the dropping of two other words. Though having travelled quite a bit and being familiar with several different dialects and vernaculars, it wouldn't surprise me.

I'm saying that it is bastardization of an existing phrase which is "Word Is Bond", which is in itself a condensed version of "My word is my bond". The fact that it has been mis-spoken ( embarrassingly so) for 17 years or whatever does not excuse it. My opinion is that it's fallen victim to Ebonics. Brand Nubian's "Word Is Bond" is an example of a hip-hop act actually using the term correctly. I bet if you were to ask Lil Wayne or whoever to define "word is bond" and then to define "word is born" he would look at you incredulously, and maybe try to shoot you because you were trying to trip him up in some way.

Richard wrote:I'm saying that it is bastardization of an existing phrase which is "Word Is Bond", which is in itself a condensed version of "My word is my bond". The fact that it has been mis-spoken ( embarrassingly so) for 17 years or whatever does not excuse it. My opinion is that it's fallen victim to Ebonics. Brand Nubian's "Word Is Bond" is an example of a hip-hop act actually using the term correctly. I bet if you were to ask Lil Wayne or whoever to define "word is bond" and then to define "word is born" he would look at you incredulously, and maybe try to shoot you because you were trying to trip him up in some way.

Well, it won't be the first or the last malapropism that Ebonics has given us.

Brett Eugene Ralph wrote:The point may be moot, but I bet she's still watchin' him with those eyes--and lovin' him with that body, I just know it!

Step away from the Springfield.

Richard wrote:

sleepkid wrote:

Richard wrote:So the hip-hop community mis-pronounces "bond" so it sounds like "born" and it becomes accepted? I'm not buying it. Sound like someone's attempting to invent a definition for a butchered phrase to give it legitimacy.

I'm confused as to what your arguing against now? That "Word is Born" is not a phrase? Or that it couldn't have come from Gospel? Or that because it is a distortion of "Your Word is Your Bond" it should not be regarded as a phrase in it's own right?

Personally I find the ebonics theory a bit of a stretch, as it involves the replacement of two consonants and the dropping of two other words. Though having travelled quite a bit and being familiar with several different dialects and vernaculars, it wouldn't surprise me.

I'm saying that it is bastardization of an existing phrase which is "Word Is Bond", which is in itself a condensed version of "My word is my bond". The fact that it has been mis-spoken ( embarrassingly so) for 17 years or whatever does not excuse it. My opinion is that it's fallen victim to Ebonics. Brand Nubian's "Word Is Bond" is an example of a hip-hop act actually using the term correctly. I bet if you were to ask Lil Wayne or whoever to define "word is bond" and then to define "word is born" he would look at you incredulously, and maybe try to shoot you because you were trying to trip him up in some way.

There's no question that "[The] Word is Born" is an old, old metaphorical phrase, derived from the Bible, and preached by the minister. If you grow up in the south (below the Bible Belt), you can hear it in the churches and the tent revivals. Or, well, you can read it in the Bible.

Heck, I've seen and read it in movies and novels, from other countries even, and most definitely heard/read it in Gospel and Spiritual/Hymnal music. It's a well-known Biblical idea, for many people.

Then there's the whole evolution of music from Gospel and Spiritual hymns and ideas into Soul and R&B, Rap, and Hip Hop.

I don't mean to kick a dead horse in the mouth, but I can't see any usage that makes sense in the Black Sheep lyrics other than "Word is Born"...


Oh, and 9 times out of 10, I mangle at least two sayings together effortlessly. I don't know if it started out as just something funny to do, but I can't help doing it now. It's kind of a shameful trademark now.

apl4eris wrote:
There's no question that "[The] Word is Born" is an old, old metaphorical phrase, derived from the Bible, and preached by the minister. If you grow up in the south (below the Bible Belt), you can hear it in the churches and the tent revivals. Or, well, you can read it in the Bible.

Heck, I've seen and read it in movies and novels, from other countries even, and most definitely heard/read it in Gospel and Spiritual/Hymnal music. It's a well-known Biblical idea, for many people.

I'm still not buying it.

In the bible??? Show me. Show me any use of it, for that matter, aside from hip-hop. I still don't comprehend what it might mean. The word of God is born? Born when? Given birth by scripture? I'm not understanding.

'Vol-lump-tuous', instead of voluptuous.

This word seems to be in common usage amongst the lumpen-proles that haunt British daytime television.

"Object poverty".