Definition

Noun: 1. A performer in a minstrel show: Specifically, a man positioned at one end of the line of performers (the "end men") in a traditional minstrel show. His role was to engage in a humorous, often stereotypical, dialogue with the central performer, the interlocutor.

Usage Notes

• The term "corner man" is highly specific to the historical context of minstrel shows, a form of American entertainment popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries that is now recognized as deeply racist and offensive.
• It refers to a specific performance role and is not used in general conversation.
• In a minstrel show, there were typically two "end men" or "corner men" (e.g., Tambo and Bones) who would provide comic interruptions and banter with the straight-man interlocutor.

Examples

• Noun:
  • In the structure of the minstrel show, the corner man was essential for the comedic repartee.
  • The corner man, playing the tambourine, exchanged jokes with the interlocutor in the center.

Advanced Usage

• The role of the corner man is studied as a component of American theatrical and social history, often in discussions about the propagation of racial stereotypes through popular entertainment.

Variants and Related Words

• End man: A direct synonym for "corner man," describing his position at the end of the semicircle of performers.
• Interlocutor: The central, serious-minded performer who conversed with the corner men.
• Minstrel show: The type of performance in which a corner man performed.

Synonyms

• End man

Notes on Meaning

• This word has a single, very specific historical meaning related to a particular performance tradition. It does not have modern, general-purpose meanings (e.g., it is not used for a boxing coach, which is a "corner man" in the compound term "cornerman").

Noun

1. a man at one end of line of performers in a minstrel show; carries on humorous dialogue with the interlocutor