Ashwin Lewis
Finna, sometimes pronounced or spelled as finta or fitna, is an abbreviation of the expression fixing to. It is used in place of the more common gonna, which is short for going to. Finna is used to indicate intent in the near future, and is a valid feature of African American English. Cuh, on the other hand, is not an English word and is mostly used by the Crips.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Meaning of "finna" | "Finna" is an abbreviation of "fixing to" and is used in place of "going to" or "about to" |
| Usage of "finna" | It is used to indicate future intent, something that will happen in the near future |
| Origin of "finna" | It emerged from "fixing to" in African American Vernacular English (AAVE) and was recorded in hip-hop lyrics in the late 1980s |
| "Cuh" | A term used mostly by the Crips |
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What You'll Learn
'Finna' is a shortening of the expression 'fixing to'
"Finna", sometimes pronounced or spelled as "finta" or "fitna", is a shortening of the expression "fixing to", similar to how gonna is a shortening of going to. The phrase "fixing to" has a long history in Southern American English, and its sense of "getting ready to" dates back to the 1700s, where "fixing" meant to intend, arrange, or make preparations.
By the mid-1800s, the verb had evolved into the phrase "fixing to", broadening in meaning from preparing to to indicate going to, intending to, or getting ready to do something. This usage is still prevalent in some Southern dialects. "Finna" emerged from "fixing to" in African American English and can be found in hip-hop lyrics as early as the late 1980s. For example, N.W.A.'s 1987 song "3 The Hard Way" includes the line "I finna kick this shit, alright!", and King Tee's 1998 song "Act a Fool" features the line "I'm finna act a fool".
"Finna" is often used to express a goal or intention to take action in the near future. It is more immediate than "gonna" and cannot be used to refer to something in the distant future. For instance, in the sentence "I'm finna go to sleep", the speaker is expressing their intention to go to sleep in the near future. This usage of "finna" is similar to "bouta", which is a shortened form of "about to".
It is important to note that while "finna" is a valid feature of African American English and is not considered grammatically incorrect, its use by individuals outside of African American speech communities can be perceived as patronizing, insensitive, or appropriative.
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Finna is similar in meaning to 'gonna'
The phrase "finna sleep you cuh" can be interpreted as "I'm about to sleep, my friend". Here, "finna" is used as a shortening of the expression "fixing to", which is similar in meaning to "going to" or about to. It is often used to explain future tense, referring to an action that is going to happen in the near future. For example, "I'm finna go to bed/sleep" means "I'm going to go to bed/sleep".
"Finna" is a word that emerged from "fixing to" in African American English and has been recorded in hip-hop lyrics since the late 1980s. It is considered a valid feature of African American English and is not grammatically incorrect. However, its usage by individuals outside of African American speech communities can be perceived as patronizing, insensitive, or appropriative.
"Finna" and "gonna" are similar in meaning but have subtle differences. "Gonna" is a widespread slang term used as a shortening of "going to". While "finna" can be more immediate, indicating an action in the near future, "gonna" can be used for both immediate and distant future events. For example, one might say "I'm gonna finish my work today" or "It's gonna rain tomorrow".
In certain contexts, "gonna" and "finna" can be used interchangeably. For instance, the phrase "I'm finna go to the store" can also be expressed as "I'm gonna go to the store". However, there are instances where using "gonna" instead of "finna" may not be appropriate. For example, one might say "I'm finna do my homework" but not "I'm gonna do my homework".
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Finna is used in African American Vernacular English (AAVE)
Finna, sometimes pronounced or spelled as finta or fitna, is a feature of African American Vernacular English (AAVE). AAVE is a variety of English natively spoken, particularly in urban communities, by most working- and middle-class African Americans and some Black Canadians. It has its own unique grammatical, vocabulary, and accent features. Finna is a shortening of the expression "fixing to", which has a long history in Southern American English. The sense of "getting ready to" dates back to the 1700s, where "fixing" meant "to intend", "arrange", or "make preparations". By the mid-1800s, the verb evolved into the phrase "fixing to", which meant "going to", "intending to", or "getting ready to" do something. This phrase is still used in some Southern dialects. Finna emerged from "fixing to" in African American English and was recorded in hip-hop lyrics in the late 1980s. For example, N.W.A.'s 1987 song "3 The Hard Way" features the line "I finna kick this shit, alright!".
AAVE has distinct pronunciation features that set it apart from other forms of American English, particularly General American. Linguist John McWhorter argues that what truly distinguishes all AAVE accents is a uniquely wide-ranging intonation pattern or "melody", even in the most "neutral" or light African-American accent. Multisyllabic words in AAVE also differ from General American English in their stress placement. For example, words like "police", "guitar", and "Detroit" are pronounced with initial stress instead of ultimate stress. Final consonant groups or clusters in AAVE have been examined as evidence of the systematic nature of this language variety, governed by specific rules.
AAVE also has unique grammatical features. For example, the use of "ain't" as a general negative marker is common in AAVE, as in "I ain't know that". While "ain't" can be used in other English dialects instead of "am not", "isn't", "aren't", "haven't", and "hasn't", some AAVE speakers use it instead of "don't", "doesn't", or "didn't". Additionally, AAVE employs negative concord, also called "double negation", as in "I didn't go nowhere". In standard written English, a double negative is interpreted as a positive, but in AAVE, a sentence can include as many negators as possible.
AAVE has been subject to cultural appropriation by non-African Americans, particularly in internet slang. Some argue that AAVE is adopted by white people once it has become so mainstream that it is no longer associated with blackness. This can lead to the perception that those who refuse to use AAVE slang are "extra white". The appropriation of AAVE is often done to mock and signal prejudice, reinforcing a sense of difference from black people.
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Cuh is not an English word
"Finna", in the context of the phrase "finna sleep you cuh", is a slang term that means "going to" or "about to". It is used to describe an action that will happen in the near future. For example, "I'm finna go to sleep" means "I'm going to go to sleep". The phrase "finna sleep you cuh" may be a threat indicating that someone is about to harm or knock out the person referred to as "cuh".
Now, the term "cuh" is not an English word. It is a shortened form of the word "cousin", and it is used as a term of address for people one is close to, similar to how one might use the terms "bro" or "bruh". The use of "cuh" does not imply any family relation but is rather a way to show closeness or familiarity with the person being addressed. It is worth noting that the term "cuh" is mostly used by the Crips and was originally used by Mexican-Americans.
While "finna" is a valid feature of African American English, it is important to recognize that its usage in popular culture, such as in hip-hop lyrics, may be perceived as inappropriate or insensitive when used by individuals outside of African American speech communities. Similarly, the term "cuh" is associated with a specific cultural context and may carry different connotations depending on the user and audience. Therefore, caution should be exercised when using these terms to avoid any potential misunderstandings or offense.
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Cuh is used by the Crips
"Finna", sometimes pronounced or spelled as "finta" or "fitna", is a shortening of the expression "fixing to", in the same way that “gonna” is a shortening of "going to". "Fixing to" has a long history in Southern American English, and its sense of "getting ready to" can be traced back to the 1700s, where "fixing" meant "to intend", "arrange", or "make preparations". By the mid-1800s, the verb was settling into the phrase "fixing to", widening in meaning from just “preparing to" to mean "going to", "intending to", or "getting ready to" do something. It's still used like this today in some Southern dialects. "Finna" emerged from "fixing to" in African American English and is recorded in hip-hop lyrics as early as the late 1980s.
Now, onto the word "cuh". "Cuh" is a version of "cuz", a name that members of the Crips gang call one another. The Crips refer to themselves as "Blood Killas" and cross the letter "b" out or leave it off altogether. They also do not use the letters "ck" as it denotes "Crip Killer" and substitute it with "cc" (for example, they would use "kicc" instead of "kick"). The term "cuh" is also used by members of the Folk Nation gang when talking to another member. It is a shortened version of "cousin" and is used to refer to a person as your friend or homie. It is commonly used among southern gangsters or ghetto individuals.
As for the phrase "finna sleep you cuh", it could be a threat to kill someone, with "finna" indicating that the intent is going to happen in the near future. However, it is important to note that the use of "finna", while widespread in popular hip-hop culture since the 1990s, can be considered patronizing, insensitive, or appropriative when used by people who are not part of African American speech communities.
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