It's not a racist slur because I say so. I like calling people it, and it's my freedom of speech to do so, so they've no right to stop me by saying it's racist.
Why the N word is not a racial slur
- Thread starter Wickatricka
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"The true definition of the N word is a person of any race or origin regarded as contemptible, inferior, ignorant, etc."
Yep, and 400 years later it has been used almost exclusively in reference to blacks. Words aren't static, nor do they define themselves.
Yep, and 400 years later it has been used almost exclusively in reference to blacks. Words aren't static, nor do they define themselves.
thaluikhain said:
We didn't stick it to black people because they were slaves, we stuck it to black people because the word literally comes from the Latin word meaning black, niger. And you're going to have to provide evidence of us using it to describe whites before you can even claim that the word isn't aimed at blacks.Wickatricka said:
Uh...Wickatricka said:
Do you know anything about history.
******.
root:
Niger: A man from Nigeria.
You just derped out man. The word came to mean "Someone who is inferior etc" because it was the word used to describe black slaves by ignorant racist white men. So yes, it IS a racist slur.
Finally, like with all language, the root of the word does not really matter in the full scheme of things. It just matters what the word means now. And how it is used. It is used as a racist slur so it is a racist slur. If the word "Fishcake" was used as a racist slur, for hundreds of years, it would become a racist slur, despite literally meaning "A cake made of fish".
Language evolves.
The fact that people try to justify the use of a word is ... well ... Urghs.
We still use these words with a derogatory meaning (Which is fine, actually. Forced political correctness is dishonest and actually hypocritical: You want to say something offensive but refrain from doing so because of said forced PCness.)
We still use these words with a derogatory meaning (Which is fine, actually. Forced political correctness is dishonest and actually hypocritical: You want to say something offensive but refrain from doing so because of said forced PCness.)
That's it - REPORTED! That should stop your potty mouth (fingers?) from putting dirt in the forums.Vault101 said:
OT:
All of this. I just wander how TC found that definition in the OP. It implies having done a minimal amount of research and yet, the fact that it comes from "black" seemingly didn't come up at all.Realitycrash said:
I hate those naggers! All they do is nag, nag, nag.
Anyway, perhaps long ago, it may have meant something else, but that doesn't really matter, it's what it means now. Gay used to be happy instead of homosexual for example. Which when aliens/future historians look back, they may very well wonder why the hell there was such an outcry about "happy marriages"
Anyway, perhaps long ago, it may have meant something else, but that doesn't really matter, it's what it means now. Gay used to be happy instead of homosexual for example. Which when aliens/future historians look back, they may very well wonder why the hell there was such an outcry about "happy marriages"
Definition of ******Mr F. said:
1 usually offensive; see usage paragraph below : a black person
2 usually offensive; see usage paragraph below : a member of any dark-skinned race
3 a member of a socially disadvantaged class of persons
(...)
Origin of ******
alteration of earlier neger, from Middle French negre, from Spanish or Portuguese negro, from negro black, from Latin niger
First Known Use: 1574
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/******
Anyway, words are only offensive because people allow themselves to be offended. Not because certain words are intrinsically offensive. A word isn't "racist", a word is just a word. A case could be made that the utterer is racist, but the system of symbols and meanings we conceptualized as 'racism' does not include individual words.
Does this mean that people inferior to me can call themselves the n word and I have to say 'Untermensch'?Wickatricka said:
It's PC gone mad.
Nope, but I've a couple of fairly big black mates who'd probably stop you saying it for as long as it takes for your jaw to heal if you said it to them.thaluikhain said:
Now me, I can get away with it (with them), because they're mates, but I wouldn't expect to be able to go round calling everybody I see it without some kind of backlash.
Fact is, it's an offensive word, I'd argue more offensive than '****' these days. Now, I'm not going to say you don't have the freedom of speech to say it - you're welcome to do so as far as I'm concerned, just like everyone elses freedom of speech extends to using that speech to point out what a fucking **** you are.
See how that works?
You get the freedom to say '******', We all get the freedom to call you a **** for doing so. Nobodies freedom of speech gets infringed, although, as mentioned above, exercise your freedom of speech to the wrong people, in the wrong place, and it might not end well for you.
*shrugs*, just my take on the whole thing.
Also, This:
Woodsey said:
Don't be silly... As already pointed out, the meaning of words and even words themselves change over time. Some people will insist on using longwinded phrases such as "African American", others that believe themselves crusaders for free speech consistantly use this infamous "N word". Whats wrong with black? Brown? White? Yellow? There is no reason to take offense to any of those. They just describe someone by the color of their skin. It's not JUDGING someone by it, not being able to describe someone by one of their defining features is absolute madness.
In Norwegian TV we sometimes see this, where a politician wants to say the "right thing", and says something like "an African"... He's not African! He lives in Norway legally, and has done so for more than long enough to become a Norwegian citizen. He's a black Norwegian, the end...
In Norwegian TV we sometimes see this, where a politician wants to say the "right thing", and says something like "an African"... He's not African! He lives in Norway legally, and has done so for more than long enough to become a Norwegian citizen. He's a black Norwegian, the end...
I kind of agree with you, but for different reasons. This ties in to my take on swear words in general and what it is to give offence. Racial slurs are no different to any other intent to offend. It is not the N word that causes offence, rather the intent to offend. That is why when used between friends with friendly intent it isn't hurtful. Offence is given, not taken. If you take offence when none was intended then you are wrong to take offence and are only wasting your own time being miserable for nothing.
I seem to be in the minority of people that grasp this concept. If someone calls me a dick, am I offended by the meaning of the word? No, don't be daft. I judge their intent by body language and tone. If they are trying to offend me it is that that I take offence to, not the fact that they called me a penis, which is just not literally true.
So the idea is, if I say to someone "my N-word" and truthfully have no ill intent, then it shouldn't offend. But again it isn't the meaning that offends anyway, rather the intent to offend. I hope I'm making sense to someone? It seems so simple to me, yet I don't think I've met anyone who fully understands it.
It's frustrating because it is the cause of so much ill will and completely based on a misunderstanding. We are taught to have negative feelings in response to certain words. It's called Pavlovian conditioning I think. It's complete bullshit
I seem to be in the minority of people that grasp this concept. If someone calls me a dick, am I offended by the meaning of the word? No, don't be daft. I judge their intent by body language and tone. If they are trying to offend me it is that that I take offence to, not the fact that they called me a penis, which is just not literally true.
So the idea is, if I say to someone "my N-word" and truthfully have no ill intent, then it shouldn't offend. But again it isn't the meaning that offends anyway, rather the intent to offend. I hope I'm making sense to someone? It seems so simple to me, yet I don't think I've met anyone who fully understands it.
It's frustrating because it is the cause of so much ill will and completely based on a misunderstanding. We are taught to have negative feelings in response to certain words. It's called Pavlovian conditioning I think. It's complete bullshit
The idea of an "offensive word" is completely absurd. A word, by itself, with no context, cannot POSSIBLY be offensive. It's ALL about how the word is used. I see a friend of mine in the street and say, "what's up, my ******?" then there is virtually no way that could be offensive to anyone except overly-prudish people. However, if I go into a racist rant and start throwing around phrases like "dirty niggers," that's a different story. But even in that case, it's still not the word "******" itself that is offensive, it's the fact that I made a racial slur. I could have just as easily said, "dirty people of African ethnicity," and that would be equally racist and offensive.
The word is merely a tool. Blaming a word for being offensive is like blaming a gun for shooting someone or a car for running someone over. They were the tool that enabled that to occur, yes, but it's the person using the tool who made them do that. In other words, it's HOW you use the word, not the word itself, that determines whether something is offensive.
The word is merely a tool. Blaming a word for being offensive is like blaming a gun for shooting someone or a car for running someone over. They were the tool that enabled that to occur, yes, but it's the person using the tool who made them do that. In other words, it's HOW you use the word, not the word itself, that determines whether something is offensive.
It really depends on context and the culture you grew up in. Back in the day in America, it was meant to be an insult. Not so much today through.
I myself am not offended by the word. My friends and I tend to use it all the time to refer to anyone of any race. It's interchangeable with Mate, Bro, or dude as far as Southern U.S. and New York goes.Matter fact, it's the first thing I had to work on NOT doing when I started frequenting the forums.
I say to you now, all white people. Use that work as much as you want from now on. Not in these forums though because rules and stuff, but everywhere else, use it.
I myself am not offended by the word. My friends and I tend to use it all the time to refer to anyone of any race. It's interchangeable with Mate, Bro, or dude as far as Southern U.S. and New York goes.Matter fact, it's the first thing I had to work on NOT doing when I started frequenting the forums.
I say to you now, all white people. Use that work as much as you want from now on. Not in these forums though because rules and stuff, but everywhere else, use it.
The hell? Didn't you get banned?Woodsey said:"The true definition of the N word is a person of any race or origin regarded as contemptible, inferior, ignorant, etc."
Yep, and 400 years later it has been used almost exclusively in reference to blacks. Words aren't static, nor do they define themselves.
thaluikhain said:
Congrats on the appeal.
Oh N* isn't a racist word, it never was, in fact it's a term of endearment.
Slavery didn't happen, those fellows volunteered.
WW2 was started as a joke.
The KKK is actually a interpretive dance group.
Ahh herpa derpa doo.
See how easy it is to solve racial issues - we just pretend it never happened. Admitedly, people with any sort of intellect, or who have been alive more than 5 minutes, or might be black, Jewish, Foreign, Hispanic, Different, might disagree. The best thing anyone can do is to teach their kids about why racism and bigotry in general is wrong, then we'll see an end to those words, pretending that a whole nation got it wrong is just plain idiotic... perhaps a career in politics is an idea.
Slavery didn't happen, those fellows volunteered.
WW2 was started as a joke.
The KKK is actually a interpretive dance group.
Ahh herpa derpa doo.
See how easy it is to solve racial issues - we just pretend it never happened. Admitedly, people with any sort of intellect, or who have been alive more than 5 minutes, or might be black, Jewish, Foreign, Hispanic, Different, might disagree. The best thing anyone can do is to teach their kids about why racism and bigotry in general is wrong, then we'll see an end to those words, pretending that a whole nation got it wrong is just plain idiotic... perhaps a career in politics is an idea.
"Damn Negeo, That's a good coffee" - Jules (Samuel L. Jackson)
The word ****** is all about context, If you say it maliciously you are a giant dickface, If you say it amongst understanding friends with no will inintent it be okay.
The word ****** is all about context, If you say it maliciously you are a giant dickface, If you say it amongst understanding friends with no will inintent it be okay.