Update January 14, 2019
This pancocojams post documents examples of "You know" used as an affirmative response by members of the historically Black Greek letter fraternity Phi Beta Sigma, Inc. and by students and graduates of Howard University.
This is the first post in an ongoing series of affirmative words and sayings in African American Vernacular English. Click the "affirmative words and sayings in African American Vernacular English" tag for additional posts in this series.
The content of this post is presented for linguistics and cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of the videos that are embedded in this post.
Special thanks to Denise Oliver Velez for publishing this dialykos.com article: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/1/11/1825345/-Cultural-competency-in-reporting-Kamala-Harris-AKA-s-and-skee-wee "Cultural competency in reporting: Kamala Harris, AKAs, and 'skee wee'"; January 11, 2019/
Reading that article helped motivate me to explore information and examples of "You know" among students and graduates of Howard University and among members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. at Howard University and elsewhere.
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Disclaimer: This pancocojams post isn't meant to be a comprehensive documentation of the use of "You know" as an affirmative response.
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WHAT DOES "YOU KNOW" MEAN WHEN IT'S USED AS AN AFFIRMATIVE STATEMENT?
"You know" when used as an affirmative response comes from the statement "I know, right". "I know, right" is a shortened form of "I know that's right" and means "I totally agree with what you said (or implied).
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THE "YOU KNOW" RESPONSE USED AS FORM OF "REPPIN"
Examples of "You know" as an affirmative response are different from "standard" contemporary descriptions of "You know" in conversation English such as those presented in https://ell.stackexchange.com/questions/107216/you-know-in-conversational-language "“you know” in conversational language".
That website presents examples of "You know" (or "y'know) in the beginning of sentences, either as a "somewhat randomly [used] ... typical "fillers" with little to no semantic content or as "a clearly recognizable question... being short for Do you know?
You know my sister? (possibly points to person)
or as a statement (again: listen), being short for 'As you (probably) know'"...
In contrast to those examples, I believe that the affirmative use of "You know" in calls (shout outs), means "I agree with everything you said (or implied). The affirmative use of "You know" is a response to (follows) the short "call" (shout out/yell)
Examples:
"Blue Phi. You Know"
and
"H.U. You know."
My guess is that the "You know" call & response "shout outs" originated with the historically Black Greek letter fraternity Phi Beta Sigma, Incorporated (probably at Howard University in the early 2000s) and soon expanded to the entire Howard University population.
Both of these sayings are relatively fixed, meaning no other numbers or letters are used. However, the call and its response can be elongated to demonstrate conviction and enthusiasm: Example: "Blue Phiiii". Yooooou knowwwwww" or repeating the "Blue Phi" portion before saying the "You know" response. [Example #3 of the Phi Beta Sigma section that is found below.
It's my position that both of these "calls" (shout outs) are shortened forms of "reppin" (representing) expressions.
Here's some information about the word "reppin" from https://www.quora.com/What-does-%E2%80%9Creppin%E2%80%9D-mean-as-a-slang-term "What does “reppin” mean as a slang term? - Quora"
"...Chadwick Tyroné
Answered May 13, 2018 ·
Repping - Representing, glorifying (for a group, area, location), praising.
A sports fan who wears his team’s colors and hoists up the mascot is “repping” his team. Thus, he is uplifting, praising, glorifying them AND representing them, all at the same time."
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Given that information, when members of two historically Black Greek letter organization Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. use "You Know" as response to the call "Blue Phi",* that entire call (with its fixed response) is understood as way of "reppin'" ("representing") that fraternity within the (largely African American) population who are associated with or familiar with Black Greek letter organizations (BGLO).
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*The "Blue" in "Blue Phi" comes from the fact that the colors for Phi Beta Sigma, Fraternity Inc. are royal blue and pure white. These are also the colors for Phi Beta Sigma's officially recognized sister sorority Zeta Phi Beta, Inc.
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I believe that "H-U. You Know" call (shout out) was probably "lifted" from the earlier Phi Beta Sigma, Fraternity call. According to the information given above about the "You know" affirmative response, "H-U. You know." is a shortened form of the call (shout out) "Howard University ["is the greatest"; ["is the bomb", etc.] or [We're from Howard University] (implying all the superlatives that university carries) and a shortened form of the response "You know that's right ("You know that's true").
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EXAMPLES OF "YOU KNOW" USED AS AN AFFIRMATIVE RESPONSE BY MEMBERS OF PHI BETA SIGMA FRATERNITY, INC.
These examples are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.
Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phi_Beta_Sigma for information about Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
1.
Blue Phi ...You Know
Tommy Mclean, Published on Jan 9, 2017
Daddy and future Sigma TaeHan
**
2.
From http://www.pbsad.org/phi-beta-sigma-chants--poems.html
WARNING: Many of the examples on that page contain profanity and/or sexual innuendos.
"THIS HOUSE
Brothers. I said my brothers.
(Yeah!)
I said my blue and white Sigma brothers.
(Yeah!)
This house, (this house) Is full, (is full)
Of blue and white!
I said this house, (this house) Is full,
of blue and white!
I said the house, is full,
of blue and white!
Blue blue blue blue phiiiii!
You you you you knooooooooow!
(you you you you knooooooooow!)
Bluuuuuuuuueeee phiiiiiiiiiii!
Youuuuuuuuuuuu knooooooooooow!"
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3.
Greek Speak Roll Call
UABStudentLife
Published on Sep 19, 2008
Check out the eight organizations of UAB's NPHC.
-snip-
The "Phi Beta Sigma section begins around 4:21 in this video.
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EXAMPLES OF "YOU KNOW" USED AS AN AFFIRMATIVE RESPONSE BY HOWARD UNIVERSITY STUDENTS/GRADUATES
These examples are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.
Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_University for information about Howard University.
1.
HU You Know
christiansoldier92, Published on Apr 9, 2009
A group of students saying "HU, You Know!"
Thank you to all of the students who participated in this. =)
-snip-
The first take of that saying – 0.25.
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2. Chadwick Boseman Surprises Black Panther Fans While They Thank Him
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon; Published on Feb 28, 2018
Black Panther fans filmed a video message sharing what the movie means to them - what they didn't know was that Chadwick Boseman was right behind the curtain, waiting to surprise them.
-snip-
The "HU You know" call is found at 3:16 – 4:05 in this video
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3.
From https://twitter.com/howardu/status/1029772602833858560?lang=en
"Howard University
Verified account
@HowardU
Spotted our favorite cheerleaders on the Yard getting ready for the season. H-U, You Know!❤️💙
9:51 AM - 15 Aug 2018 from The Yard at Howard University"
-snip-
Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_University for information about Howard University.
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4.
From http://folklore.usc.edu/?p=36138
"Initiations
Nationality: African American
[...]
Informant: My sister spent a semester as a transfer student at Howard University.
Original Script: At Howard University it is declared as the Mecca for Historically Black Colleges and Universities. At the Mecca graduating senior must sign their name on the clock tower on the 12th floor of the library. Venturing out to find the clock tower in the library is half the battle but getting up there is worth the journey and the view is amazing. Every midnight the day before graduation seniors find their way to the tower write their names and chant “HU you know!"
[...]
COLLECTED BY HAYDEN DUNCAN
POSTED THURSDAY, 4TH OF MAY 2017 AT 06:21:04 PM”
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5.
From https://madamenoire.com/1055540/white-woman-reporter-calls-aka-skee-wee-screeching-was-dragged-into-a-teachable-moment/ White Woman Reporter Calls AKA Skee Wee “Screeching” & Was Dragged Into A Teachable Moment" by Veronica Wells, January 11, 2019
[Also quoted in https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/1/11/1825345/-Cultural-competency-in-reporting-Kamala-Harris-AKA-s-and-skee-wee
Denise Oliver Velez; January 11, 2019
"I’m always astounded by what little White people know about us. Then again, I really shouldn’t be. We have to know about White folks and their ways for assimilation (sadly), advancement, for protection and survival. On the flip side, far too many White people have made a habit of learning about us with the intent to exploit our traditions and culture. With that in mind, one could argue that perhaps there are some things about us they shouldn’t know.
This discussion presented itself yesterday when a young, White reporter for the Washington Post, Chelsea Janes, was covering Senator Kamala Harris’ book event at George Washington University. Janes was live-tweeting the event and shared what can only be described as some ignorant observations about the crowd’s response to Harris, a Howard alum and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated (AKA).
Janes wrote:
“Kamala Harris listed Thurgood Marshall as one of those lawyers she admires, a fellow Howard alum. Someone shouted, “Me too!”
Someone corrected Janes letting her know that the person likely shouted, “HU” for Howard University.
-snip-
Italics were added to highlight these sentences.
This article continues by sharing that the White reporter also referred to the historically Black Greek Letter sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc. (AKA)'s signature sorority call "Skee wee" as "screeching".
Here's a comment section from that that madamenoire.com article:
Howard University
✔
@HowardU
Is anybody yelling "HU-YOU KNOW" while still intently watching @NBCThisisUs #ThisIsUs #HowardU?"
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6.
From https://www.eurweb.com/2017/11/h-u-youuu-know-us-star-sterling-k-brown-talks-randalls-visit-howard-university/
"H.U.! YOUUU KNOW!: ‘THIS IS US’ STAR STERLING K. BROWN TALKS RANDALL’S VISIT TO HOWARD UNIVERSITY
NICOLE HYATTNOVEMBER 29, 2017 AT 6:59 AM
*Part of last night’s Randall-focused episode of “This is Us” took place on the campus of Howard University, with the Pearsons’ adopted African American son choosing to visit the historically black college over one of his other choices, Harvard.
The episode, titled Number Three, focused in part on teen Randall’s struggle to reconcile his upbringing in an all white environment with his desire to connect with his blackness."...
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