A new meaning for the 'N' word?

[gsdx]

A guy on People's Court this morning admitted to calling a black woman the 'N' word. He didn't seem bothered by it, either.

When Judge Milian asked him if he knew what it meant, he said, "Yes, but she (indicating the woman) obviously doesn't."

According to this creep, the 'N' word is in dictionaries and means "ignorant person".

The word isn't even in any of my dictionaries at home and the online Merriam-Webster certainly doesn't have that definition listed.

I've never heard this definition before. Is it for real? The guy seemed very sincere and saw nothing wrong with using that word.

 

[gerrit]

Found this on the Merriam Webster online dictionary:


nigger

One entry found.

nigger

Main Entry:nig·ger Pronunciation: \ˈni-gər\ Function:noun Etymology:alteration of earlier neger, from Middle French negre, from Spanish or Portuguese negro, from negro black, from Latin nigerDate:1786 1usually offensive; see usage paragraph below : a black person2usually offensive; see usage paragraph below : a member of any dark-skinned race3: a member of a socially disadvantaged class of persons <it's time for somebody to lead all of America's niggers…all the people who feel left out of the political process — Ron Dellums>
usage Nigger in senses 1 and 2 can be found in the works of such writers of the past as Joseph Conrad, Mark Twain, and Charles Dickens, but it now ranks as perhaps the most offensive and inflammatory racial slur in English. Its use by and among blacks is not always intended or taken as offensive, but, except in sense 3, it is otherwise a word expressive of racial hatred and bigotry.

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In this part of the world the "n" word (which I find is really stupid makes it sound as if there is no other word that starts with an N) is frequently used amongst the black population.
If a foreign Caucasian person uses it it is frowned upon. Local Caucasians can and will get away with it.
Being a local person sometimes I am referred to as a n***** as well.

I guess we Caribbean people don't have bugs up our asses as some other folks in the world.

 

[gsdx]

In this part of the world the "n" word (which I find is really stupid makes it sound as if there is no other word that starts with an N)

I say 'n' word because everyone knows what it is, just like the 'f' word. However, I can say and write 'fuck' but I can't bring myself to even write the other word let alone say it. I rank it right up there with the 'c' word (which I can't write or say, either).

 

[RobinGoodfellow]

Actually, it's had that definition since at least the 70's; a number of speeches used it to make the point that every disadvantaged group is discriminated against, using the word for the most discriminated against group...

RG

 

[kevbo]

When I was like seven years old, I looked it up. You know, like how kids look up penis and clitoris. The dictionary I looked it up in said it meant "ignorant person," but words don't always mean what the dictionary says about them.

 

[DotComGuy]

I recently started playing online (Xbox Live). I couldnt believe at how much it is used there.

I decided to say something (when I feel its o.k.) when they start with the fag word.

Of course, it doesnt help that a motorcycle in Grand Theft Auto is called 'faggio'

This morning, some young kids was using 'Hawaiin' as if it were a racial slur

There's no accountability and so thats one source where people hear it (and they may not realise) it is different when a Black person uses it

Last night , someone used 'nicka' as if they were using the n word.

Be careful how you type 'bigger'. A typo can make you a racist. (look at your keyboard. You'll see what I mean)

 

[RobinGoodfellow]

I hate people that use it every other word...Of course, I'm really starting to debate if blacks using it shouldn't be considered racist as well (it goes from a word denoting "my friends" to only a racist slur depending on the color of a person's skin)....

RG

 

[rareboy]

I find it as offensive to hear a black person call another person a nigger as to hear anyone else.

As has been pointed out, it is a debasement of Niger.

The only place for this word is in vintage literature.

 

[Corny]

imho .. if any black person ever calls another black person "nigger" they should lose the right to sue *anybody* for calling him the same.

if i call my friends "faggot" or another offensive term for gay people, and even if i just do it in jest - i should not complain about someone else using the word, even if he wants to offend.

as long as we trivialize the slurs ourselves, we are part of the problem. you can't get rid of something by using it.

 

[Inwood]

imho .. if any black person ever calls another black person "nigger" they should lose the right to sue *anybody* for calling him the same.

if i call my friends "faggot" or another offensive term for gay people, and even if i just do it in jest - i should not complain about someone else using the word, even if he wants to offend.

as long as we trivialize the slurs ourselves, we are part of the problem. you can't get rid of something by using it.

I agree 100%.

Mind you, in no way am I looking for an excuse to call someone 'nigger' but it's a bit hypocritical when a black person is spouting it off like it's nothing only to become indignant about it when a white person uses it.

Same with 'faggot', as Corny explained. I used to use that word on occasion in jest with my friends but soon realized that if I got offended by a straight person using it, even if they too were using it in jest, I was only encouraging the use of the word by speaking it myself.

 

[954dude]

I don't like when anyone uses it. Says something about their character.

 

[gsdx]

I find it as offensive to hear a black person call another person a nigger as to hear anyone else.

Judge Milian mentioned that Chris Rock is notorious for using that word during his stand-up. I've never been a Chris Rock fan and have only seen him in the Lethal Weapon movie (forget which one) but I've never seen any of his stand-up comedy. Personally, I don't see how anyone can make that word funny.

Look what happened to Michael 'Kramer' Richards. Does he even have a career anymore?