In response to Forbidden Phrases: Do Not Use Them, hollywood_african asks: “I agree that some of these phrases [”my bad”, “dawg”] are the kind of talk we hear from undesirable neighborhood non-whites all the time. isn’t that why this blog exists? to secretly whisper about the lifestyle issues [of] newly relocated non-non-whites face in ProHo [Prospect Heights]? I’m really glad that you’ve created a safe space here where the King’s English can thrive…three cheers for keeping our utopia blog-garden WEED-FREE!!!”

A. Thank you for your thoughtful feedback! However, DAILY HEIGHTS is not entirely convinced that overuse of the phrase “my bad” is endemic to neighborhood non-whites.

We have undertaken a careful investigation of the etymology of “my bad” and the cultural forces behind its popularity. Our research suggests the following: “my bad” may possibly have roots in games of “spades” played among prison inmates, and in Neighborhoods of Lower Socioeconomic Strata (NoLSS, or colloquially, “Hoods”).

However, multiple authoritative sources agree: overuse of “my bad” is directly attributable to “Clueless,” a 1995 movie that focused on the values and lifestyles of white, upper-class society. The fires of “my bad” were further stoked through inclusion in subsequent Hollywood screenplays and television programs, including at least 7 uses between 1998-2002 on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Example: “She killed him! Oops, my bad. It’s just dust I forgot to sweep under the rug.” [Cordelia]

While a thorough investigation of the term “dawg” has not been undertaken, anecdotal evidence suggests that this term, too, may have roots in NoLSS, but has become old and tired through repetition, ad nauseum, in mass media channels that celebrate the values of middle- to upper-class (and often white) suburban society, including American Idol, and most “reality” programming on MTV.

DAILY HEIGHTS thanks hollywood_african for the opportunity to clarify this matter.

whocares@boring.com checks in from New Zealand to write: “This citizen journalism site [Daily Heights] was mentioned on the BBC WORLD NEWS web site in the Magazine section as being so good that the New York times often reports on the same issues a few days later. Awesome. You guys rock! Good luck.”

[Update: Uh… “whocares” got it a bit confused. BBC didn’t specifically mention us — they linked to an article in Poynter Online that mentions Daily Heights.]

I didn’t know about the New York Times… but I do have a growing list of articles based on tips reporters got on Daily Heights, that as far as I know, have never mentioned DH as the source.

Example. I just found a Brooklyn Daily Eagle article about some unspecific “uproar” in the community over the New York Times misreporting the height of the planned Union Temple parking lot condo as 30 stories. I suppose it’s theoretically possible that the reporter stumbled upon an uproar somewhere in the neighborhood (be careful where you uproar–you never know when there might be a reporter lurking around, ready to report on you!). But from my admittedly myopic view, the only uproar I’m aware of was right here on Daily Heights and on Curbed and Curbed again via Daily Heights. (OK… there were also some updates on the PHNDC Yahoo! Group, and I think ProspectHeightsParents, but I don’t recall the discourse being uproarious.)

Don’t get me wrong… I am totally cool with this practice, and I totally encourage journalists to hang out here and contact DH users (say hello to … Private Messaging in the message boards!!!)

…But is it TOO MUCH TROUBLE to give us credit somehow? Some sort of “secret nod” that only we will get and say, “hey, that’s us!!” Maybe some old-fashioned attribution?

Come on, already. Make my weekend.

Recently, the phrase “my bad” was used unironically in the Daily Heights Forums, prompting an emergency investigation to identify other potentially-typeable phrases that are clearly outside the limits of good taste and proper online expression. To date, phrases banned on Daily Heights include, but are not limited to:

-“Don’t go there” (Obvious!)

-“I am so ____” as in, “I am so loving this discussion about Home Heating Oil!!”

-“Yeah!” said in three syllables, with the accent on the first, so as to suggest “no duh” in response to an obvious statement by another party (admittedly, it would be difficult to type this… if you were to defy the ban, it would probably look something like this: “YEah-uh!”)

-Referring to anyone as “dog” or “dawg”

More forbidden phrases will be posted as they come to our attention. Thank you for your patience during this difficult time of transition!

Special note: Daily Heights is seeking an injunction to enforce Internet-wide bans on the phrases “A ______ grows in Brooklyn” and “If you ______ it, they will come.” To shield your publication from future liability, please discontinue use of these phrases, effective today. Thank you!

LINK: Post #259, FORBIDDEN PHRASES (Was: Pic of Spalding bldg on Pacific?) [Daily Heights Forums]