Certain Vernacular Words & Phrases In Internet Comments About Michelle Obama's 2016 DNC Speech

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series about First Lady Of The United States (FLOTUS) Michelle Obama's 2016 DNC speech.

Part I showcases a video of First Lady Of The United States (FLOTUS) gave at the 2016 Democratic National Convention (DNC).

A link to a full transcript of that speech is included in this post along with a review and a synopsis of that speech.

This post also includes selected comments about that speech from twitter and other internet sites that include vernacular American English words and phrases. This post also includes definitions of many of these vernacular words and sayings.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/07/more-comments-with-african-american.html for Part II of this post. Part II showcases a video about Michelle Obama that was played at that convention right before her speech. Part II also includes selected comments about Michelle Obama and President Barack Obama that were included in a July 26, 2016 Black Kos Tuesday's Chile article.

The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, political, etymological, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Michelle Obama for her words, actions, and her positive role modeling. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.

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EXCERPT OF AN ARTICLE ABOUT MICHELLE OBAMA'S 2016 DNC SPEECH
From http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/michelle-obama-speech-reaction_us_5796dff1e4b0d3568f8457b3?section= Democrats And Republicans Agree: Michelle Obama Absolutely Nailed It by Ed Mazza, July 26, 2016
"Stirring speech draws praise from across the political spectrum.

When the Democratic National Convention opened on Monday to a chorus of boos from Bernie Sanders supporters, much of the attention focused on what the runner-up for the nomination would say to calm his faithful following.

But someone else stole the show.

First Lady Michelle Obama won praise for giving a stirring and optimistic speech in which she managed to attack Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump without once mentioning his name.

Praise for the speech came from across the political spectrum"...

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EXCERPTS OF A SYNOPSIS OF MICHELLE OBAMA'S 2016 DNC SPEECH & A HYPERLINK TO A FULL TRANSCRIPT OF THAT SPEECH
From https://www.romper.com/p/transcript-of-michelle-obamas-dnc-speech-affirms-her-family-first-ethic-15022
kATHERINE DON, July 26, 2016 Transcript Of Michelle Obama's DNC Speech Affirms Her Family-First Ethic
"Now that the Obama era is coming to an end, the legacy of the 44th President of the United States is coalescing into a clear form. And while his achievements and controversies in the areas of health care, climate change, and international relations will be well-recorded by historians, it's also the case that President Obama will be remembered as a true family man, not least because first lady Michelle Obama has been both a supportive spouse and a knowledgeable advocate for her husband's policies. As the transcript of Michelle Obama's DNC speech affirms, family and politics are inextricably linked.

From the outset, it was clear that Obama intended to draw a connection between personal responsibility and political ethic. Soon after taking the stage to loud cheers from the crowd in Philadelphia, Obama said that her and Barack's daughters are "the heart of our hearts, the center of our world." She described their experiences as parents soon after moving into the White House, saying that "we as parents are their most important role models. And let me tell you, Barack and I take that same approach to our jobs as president and first lady, because we know that our words and our actions matter, not just to our girls, but to children across this country."...

In a 2013 Vogue interview, President Obama elaborated on his family's ethic as both public and private figures. "Everything we have done has been viewed through the lens of family," he said. "Beyond just the immediate family to the larger American family, and making sure everybody’s included and making sure that everybody’s got a seat at the table."

It was in this spirit of inclusiveness that the first lady passionately, forcefully, and beautifully threw her support behind Hillary Clinton, stating, "Hillary understands that the president is about one thing and one thing only. It's about leaving something better for our kids."
-snip-
Those comments are followed by a full transcript of Michelle Obama's convention speech.

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SHOWCASE VIDEO: Michelle Obama praises Hillary Clinton at the DNC 2016 (Full speech)



NJ.com, Published on Jul 25, 2016

First Lady Michelle Obama addressed the crowd and delegates during her primetime speech on day one of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

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SELECTED COMMENTS ABOUT MICHELLE OBAMA'S DNC SPEECH
These comments are from various internet sites. The sites are quoted in no particular order. I've also included definitions/explanations for the vernacular words, phrases, and sayings that are found in these comments. Additions and corrections are welcome

All of these comments are from July 26, 2016.

I've assigned to these comments for referencing purposes only.

From https://twitter.com/hashtag/michelleobama?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Ehashtag

1. Joy Taylor
".@FLOTUS is just incredible. She is a Queen, an inspiration, such power and grace. Love her. #DemsInPhilly #MichelleObama"

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2. Fortune FeimsterVerified account (Los Angeles, CA)
"Yes!!! My queen!! #MichelleObama #DNCinPHL"
-snip-
-snip-
A contemporary ("hip") spelling of "yes" is "yass" or "yass".

Here's what "queen" means in these and other comments referring to Michelle Obama:
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/queen gives these definitions for "queen":
3
a : a woman eminent in rank, power, or attractions
b : a goddess or a thing personified as female and having supremacy in a specified realm
c : an attractive girl or woman; especially : a beauty contest winner
-snip-
While Michelle Obama currently is the First Lady of the United States, this country isn't a monarchy. The commenters who refer to Michelle Obama as a queen probably are using the meanings given in 3 a, b, and/or c. In addition, many African Americans use the term "queen" as a general referent for any Black woman who isn't rachet. example: (young Black man speaking to a young Black woman he doesn't know) "Hello, queen.".

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3. Laura
‏"@SheWhoVotes
#MichelleObama NAILED IT! She is an amazing speaker! Melania's poor imitation just didn't even hold a damn candle."
-snip-
from http://ell.stackexchange.com/questions/94841/what-does-nailed-it-mean
[this use of] "nailed it" means you got something exactly right, or did something perfectly. You can think of someone trying to hammer a nail into a board. They hit the nail so perfectly that the nail goes straight into the board very well."...
-snip-
From http://www.dictionary.com/browse/can-t-hold-a-candle-to
"can't hold a candle to definition

An expression describing a person or thing that is distinctly inferior to someone or something else: “Senator Nelson is extremely knowledgeable, but as a speaker, he can't hold a candle to Senator Delano.”"

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4. Haaretz.comVerified account
"WATCH: Michelle Obama's 'masterful' take down of Trump at the DNC http://dlvr.it/LtRTpr
#DNCinPHL #MichelleObama"
-snip-
"Take down" here means something like "a humiliating defeat". Here's some entries from for "take down" http://www.dictionary.com/browse/takedown
6. Informal. the act of being humbled.; 7.
Wrestling. a move or series of maneuvers that succeeds in bringing a standing opponent down onto the mat.

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5. MainStreetEnt. ‏@MainStreetEnt20
"MainStreetEnt. Retweeted Alex Lange
#MichelleObama on fire 🔥🔥" [This comment is followed by two pictorials of flames.]
-snip-
"on fire" - A term that people use when someone is doing great and they are unable to be stopped.
Man, that dude is on fire
by lunar shadows September 16, 2004 http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=on%20fire

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6. Ahmed Shihab-EldinVerified account ‏(Brooklyn, NY)
"I wake up every morning in a house that was built of slaves." #MichelleObama telling it like it is. crying. <3" -snip- "telling in like it is" = telling the unvarnished truth -snip- The word “crying” here probably means "I’m crying (I'm overwhelmed by my emotions because of that speech)." -snip- From http://slangdefinition.com/3-meaning-heart-shape/
"What does <3 mean? = Heart / Love"

**

7. Ahmed Shihab-EldinVerified account (Brooklyn, NY)
"The issues are not black and white and cannot be boiled down to 140 characters." #MichelleObama #RNCinCLE"
-snip-
Michelle Obama's statement that "The issues are not being black and white" may refer to Black people and White and may also refer to issues being either one way or another way. "140 characters" refers to tweeting and is an indirect reference to Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump penchants for regularly using tweeter to make political comments and other comments. Michelle Obama's comment here is an example of what one commenter referred to as "dignified shade" - "throwing shade" = a classy way of criticizing or insulting someone.

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From http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/michelle-obama-dnc-speech_us_5796c902e4b02d5d5ed2ac9b "Michelle Obama: Who Do You Want As Your Children’s Role Model?
The DNC crowd went wild during the first lady’s blockbuster speech" 07/25/2016 by Kate Sheppard And Laura Barron-Lopez

8. Allen Barrett
"BING!!! that's the sound of one being hit out of the park. That's what a non-plagiarized speech sounds like. Thank you, Michelle Obama!"

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9. Susan Swann
"FLOTUS hit it out of the park! She's all class, intelligence, and compassion. I'm so going to miss the President and First Lady, history will be kind to this pair. Looking forward to Clinton continuing on with progressive policies!"
-snip-
From http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/hit+one+out+of+the+park
"hit (something) out of the (ball)park
To do or perform something extraordinarily well; to produce or earn an exceptional achievement. An allusion to hitting a home run in baseball that lands outside the stadium."
-snip-
Another commenter just wrote "Bam!!". That's probably another way of referring to Michelle Obama's speech hitting it out the park. Some commenters wrote that Michelle Obama hit a gram slam. Here's what that saying means:
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_slam_(baseball)
"In baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners ("bases loaded"), thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play"...

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10. Jerome Brians
"Stunning speech. When she reminded us that the white house was built by
blacks under forced labor....then provided the picture of her daughters playing
on the white house lawn....that was deep."
-snip-
"Deep" here probably means "very profound". Another African American Vernacular term for (this meaning of) deep is "heavy".

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11. Rico Dixon
"The Obama's have always been a class act. They have occupied the White House without controversy or shame. Their children have never brought rumors or speculation to the Office of Commander in Chief. Lead by example.... I believe they have."

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12. Marie Staley Lavender
"As per usual, the First Lady was flawless. If Donald Trump had 1/1,000th the class of Michelle Obama he might - and I stress the word might - be a somewhat tolerable human being. Splendid speech FLOTUS."

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13. Melody Shaw
"She's all class. She is authentic, no acting there. I have once again, felt such an immense respect for the First Lady. As a woman, mother, and grandmother and a citizen of our country I felt a commonality that I've felt from no other First Lady. There was always this air of elitism, class difference, privilege? Not sure how to define it, but there was a *separateness* from former First Ladies. I never felt they truly understood what it was like for me, an average female living an ordinary existence. I never felt that former First Ladies *GOT* my ordinary concerns. I had feelings at times it was my own personal, monumental struggle raising my daughter and that ALL mothers sort of feel the same way. Problems like how to provide healthcare, food and housing. How to balance helping my daughter grow and still protect her and keep her safe. Or how to bring my daughter up to be fearless and bold, yet still retain poise and dignity. Michelle gets it, she totally gets it. She may not struggle the same way yet she does understand that we all as parents struggle to provide, to be supportive, to raise our kids to be good people. We are living and making history here, and I truly FEEL it thanks to her. Her words uplifted me, touched me deeply. Michelle, she's the real deal."
-snip-
"all class" = totally having class, being classy, being a class act
From http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/classy
classy : adjective
Simple Definition of classy
: having qualities that make someone or something special and attractive
: showing impressive character : very good, kind, etc.

classier, classiest
: having or showing class: as
a : elegant, stylish
b : having or reflecting high standards of personal behavior
c : admirably skillful and graceful
-snip-
From http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/class%20act
class act
: an example of outstanding quality or prestige
-snip-
"Gets it" = totally understands what another person says or feels or is experiencing
-snip-
From http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/the-real-deal
"the real deal" = informal A person or thing considered to be a genuine or supremely good example of their kind"

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14. Linda Ayres
"I have mad love for First Lady Obama. she is the epitome class and courage. She is the quintessential role model for the next generation."
-snip-
"Mad love" = lots of love; "Mad" here is an intensifier that probably comes from Jamaican Patois.

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15. Jacob Harris
"First Lady Michelle Obama was astonishing! Mics all around the country were dropping simulataneously."
-snip-
"Mic drop" - a figurative phrase which means that what was said was so good that nothing else needs to be said, or there can be no effective comeback

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16. Julie Pearson
"I'm not affiliated with any US political party (I'm not American) but she has a good point. You don't want some thin skinned leader who lashes out without thinking and behaves like a spoiled child."
-snip-
"thin skinned"
From http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thin%E2%80%93skinned
easily bothered by criticism or insults : very sensitive

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17. Mike Letteriello ·
"Our black and brown peeps started to turn this convention around, and our black woman-in-charge ramped it up into high gear."
-snip-
"peeps" = colloquial clip of the word "people"

In this comment "black" means African Americans and other people with any (Black) African descent.

In the United States "brown people" usually refers to Latinos, and may also refer to other ethnic groups such as Native Americans, South Asians (people from India, Pakistan etc), and people from the Middle East. That said, just as most Black people aren't actually the color "black", many "Brown people" aren't actually the color "brown".
-snip-
"ramped it up" = increased the energy (of the convention)

into high gear = the highest it can go

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18. Van-Anh Vu ·
"The Republican should thank their lucky stars that FLOTUS indicated she has no intention to run for office. Michelle would crush it!"
-snip-
"thank their lucky stars" = to acknowledge one's good fortune; be grateful: http://www.dictionary.com/browse/thank-one-s-lucky-stars
-snip-
This saying comes from the astrological belief that the stars (planets) contribute to a person having good or bad fortune.

-snip-
"crush it" = here means "to win without any doubt" (This is a very positive connotation.)
In this comment "crush it" is the same as "kill it", "slay it".

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From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Tdl5NCJvuY
Michelle Obama's entire Democractic convention speech, CNN Published on Jul 25, 2016

19. JeremyLinte
"Michelle Obama gracefully destroys Trump without stooping to his level or mentioning his name:

"When I think about the kind of president I want for my girls and all our children...I want someone with the proven strength to persevere. Someone who knows this job and takes it seriously. Someone who understands that the issues a president faces are not black and white and cannot be boiled down into 140 characters. Because when you have the nuclear codes at your finger tips, and the military at your command, you can't make snap decisions. You can't have a thin skin or a tendency to lash out. You need to be steady and measured and well-informed." "
-snip-
Read the definition of "thin skin" in comment #16 given above.

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20. #It's Just Me
"Yass! Girl!! Go!!! Get!!!! It!!!!!"
-snip-
Yass!= Yes!
Go get it" is an exclamation that is encouragement and support for what was said as well as a statement of agreement for what was said. "Go get it!" also means to continue doing what you are doing. "It" means "the prize (what you are trying to) win, the end goal that you are striving for or the successful achievement of what you are talking about.
-snip-
Some other commenters here and elsewhere said "You go girl!". That saying has the same meaning as "Go get it".

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21. gary fontana
"Trump guy here but WOW!!! She killed it. Was amazing start to finish. Happy for her"
-snip-
"Killed it" here means to do something extraordinarily well. "Slayed" is another way of saying "killed it".

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22. butterflybloom
"She is a good role model to her children as well as for other women and children. She aint no trophy wife. She will be missed as first lady and I am glad she tried to help other children besides her own as a first lady."
-snip-
"trophy wife"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trophy_wife
"Trophy wife is an informal term for a wife, usually young and attractive, who is regarded as a status symbol for the husband, who is often an older and wealthy "sugar daddy". The term trophy husband is the male equivalent.

Referring to a spouse as a trophy wife usually reflects negatively on the character or personality of both parties
-snip-
The term "trophy husband" is rarely used.

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23. Blue Beetle CA
"smh this is all so wack"
-snip-
"smh" = shake my head (in irritation, exasperation etc)

"Wack" = dumb, silly

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24. Reply
A1Googler
"+Flish Football lol I know, right?"
-snip-
The word “right” written as a question at the end of a statement may be a shortened form of "Do you agree with me?". However, in my experiences as an African American, the word "right" at the end of a sentence isn't asking a question. Instead, it’s a shortened form of the sentence "I know that’s right" [with "right" meaning "correct"].

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Reply
25. Flish Football
"hater alert"
-snip-
From http://www.dictionary.com/browse/hater
"a person who thrives on showing hate toward, criticizing, or belittling other people or things, usually unfairly"
-snip-
"hater alert" = a figurative notice/announcement to other people that there is one or more haters in the area.

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26. Crinkly Cormorant
"Wake up in a house built by slaves...smh...this woman is such a race baiter."
-snip-
From http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=race%20baiter by default013 September 29, 2009
...One who insinuates that racism or bigotry is a dominant factor with regards to an event that either does not involve race or in which diverse cultures are involved are simply a minor element."...

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Reply
27. lsbloom
"She was talking about how far we've come. Baiting implies using rhetoric to incite anger--not pride."

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Reply
28. Terrance Williams
"Not bait , but facts."

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Reply
29. Sabi
"Why do Republicans try to negate facts and science by blaming political correctness or race baiting?"

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30. DJ KHALED SQUAD #WeDaBest
"Best first lady ever. She has impacted the lives of many young women who have looked up to her. And all her haters can do is make fun of her looks. Sad"
-snip-
Read the definition for "haters" above.

"Sad" = shortened form of the sentence "That's sad".

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31. creatorsist
"Such an elegant and intelligence speech from FLOTUS... love trumps hate. Too bad massive haters!"
-snip-
“Massive” here is probably the Jamaican Patois use of the word meaning = too bad there are lots of haters [in this nation or in this world].

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32. STS ESSENTIALS CHANNEL
"Damn she shaded Trump with that 140 characters jab talking about him tweeting lol!! Get him Michelle, shade that fool Trump!"
-snip-
shaded= threw some shade (insulted)
-snip-
140 character = refers to twitter
-snip-
jab = pointed, piercing comment

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From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyEeMkl_sHw [Video that is embedded above]

33. Tony Ramos5
"You gotta hand it to Bernie for taking the high road. He could have made things very, very messy."
-snip-
From http://www.yourdictionary.com/high-road
"The definition of high road is the morally proper choice.

An example of taking the high road is when someone calls you a name and you just turn and walk away instead of getting into an argument."

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34. NoRegretsForOurYouth
"Trump just got owned"
-snip-
From http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Owned
"Owned
v. owned, 0wned, pwned, 0wn3d, pwn3d, own3d.
v. tr.
To be made a fool of; To make a fool of; To confound or prove wrong; embarrasing someone: Being embarrased.
I owned you in counter-strike. You were owned at the party yesterday."
by Quick Reply September 20, 2003
-snip-
Read the difference between "got owned" and "owned" as used in the comment given as #36.

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From http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/michelle-obama-speech-reaction_us_5796dff1e4b0d3568f8457b3?section=

35. Michael Ian Black ✔ @michaelianblack
"Michelle just Beyonceed that joint."
10:24 PM - 25 Jul 2016
-snip-
From http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=beyonce-d
"Beyonce'd
Singing the sh&t* out of a song.

Related: see Celine'd
Damn, she Beyonce'd that song
#sing #beyonce #singing #riffing #vocals:
by Turd E. Fergusson June 22, 2011
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this definition.
-snip-
Other definitions of "beyonc'd" are quite negative.
-snip-
"that joint" = that place (meaning that convention.)

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36. "Ben Domenech ✔ @bdomenech
Michelle Obama owned tonight. An incredible speech."
11:12 PM - 25 Jul 2016
-snip-
"Owned" here means that the night belonged to her. (Her speech was the best. She won that night.)

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