John McWhorter
I teach linguistics and other things at Columbia U., am Contributing Editor at the Atlantic, and host Lexicon Valley at Slate. Latest book: THE CREOLE DEBATE.
Thought Leader
| #11 | The New Center |
Note. This is unlikely to be a complete listing.
What Joe Biden’s Latest Gaffe Reveals
He equated being poor with being a person of color. But many people share that sociological assumption.
'Racist' Is a Tough Little Word
The definition has grown and shifted over time.
The Origins of the ‘Acting White’ Charge
School integration yielded a disturbing by-product: a psychological association between scholastic achievement and whiteness.
AOC’s Critics Are Pretending Not to Know How Language Works
A great deal of communication is based on metaphor and playfulness.
Existential Threats on the Campaign Trail
Have 2020 candidates been reading too much French philosophy?
How I Taught My Kid to Read
Children can learn quickly by sounding out words, letter by letter—but somehow, the method is still controversial.
Don’t Scrap the Test, Help Black Kids Ace It
Commentary on New York’s elite high schools has focused wrongly on access over preparation.
The Privilege of Checking White Privilege
When students are compelled to have “White Privilege 101” classes, we have every right to ask: Why, and for whose benefit?
Why Grown-Ups Keep Talking Like Little Kids
Embracing your inner child is comforting and fun—and just might revitalize the English language.
Nothing Is Wrong With Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Code-Switching
Her critics claim she engaged in “verbal blackface”—but she was just using language she grew up around.