McGrath,

You're right. "Phat" was a poor choice on my part to show how hip hop spells words to conform better with how those words are pronounced. "Phat" may be a better example of the use of uniqueness in spelling. After all, "ph" does sound like "f" {as in the words "phoney" & "Philadelphia"}.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I like how hip hop language creates and reinterpets words & expressions, and I note that it has increased the importance of visuals in personal names if not in other words. I believe that this thinking out of the box and pushing language boundaries are key examples of the high value that African American cultures place on innovation. This was part of what I was referring to in my 27 Feb 08 - 03:24 AM post to this thread.