Revision 375654204 of "Jive turkey" on enwiki

{{articleissues
|notability=March 2010
|orphan=January 2009
|unreferenced=May 2008}}

'''Jive turkey''' was a derogatory [[slang]] word in [[African American Vernacular English]] (Ebonics), used to refer to someone who was unreliable, made empty promises, or who was full of bluster.

Several [[funk music|funk]] groups in the late 1960s and 1970s used the term, particularly the [[Ohio Players]] in songs such as "Jive Turkey" on the album ''[[Skin Tight]]'' from [[1974]].

The insult became widely known in the 1980s, particularly via television comedies (e.g., ''[[The Jeffersons]]''). The term has been used by later television characters (e.g., [[Homer Simpson]]) in order to demonstrate that they are out of touch with modern [[youth]] trends, culture, and language. 

The term was also used in the film ''[[Semi-Pro]]'' starring [[Will Ferrell]] and in ''[[Weird Science (film)|Weird Science]]'' starring Kelly LeBrock 1985. "Jive turkey" also garnered attention in the movie [[Trading Places]].  ''Jive turkey'', however, was already falling into disuse when it was spoken by "hip" television characters in the 1970s, such as [[George Jefferson]].

Jive turkey is also a quick step dance in Germany in the 1930s. It is also known as the chicken waddle.

==See also==
{{wiktionary}}
*[[1970s]]
*[[Generation X]]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jive Turkey}}
[[Category:Pejorative terms for people]]
[[Category:African-American culture]]

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