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Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Culture / Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? (35208 Views)
Why It Is Offensive To Give/Receive With Your Left Hand? / Do You Find The Word "nigga" Offensive? / Non-verbal communication that is considered offensive to Nigerians....... (2) (3) (4)
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Re: Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? by Nobody: 11:35am On Sep 28, 2012 |
I wont lie i sometimes use the word even though i know better but truth be told its not offensive to me. I am not saying those before me who were lynched, raaped, and violated while being called "niggers" didnt matter but truth be told unless i felt what they did, i would be a hypocrite to pretend that the word has the same power now as it did back then. To me the word "nigga" although from the same rootword "nigger", is more comical and i guess you can say "friendlier" than the latter. Again i acknowledge its a bad habit though and out of respect i should rid that word from my vocabulary. There is a video of this subject i just watched on youtube. I will post after work. Its interesting.... |
Re: Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? by Okijajuju1(m): 11:37am On Sep 28, 2012 |
coogar: To the contrary.. The most important factor in the 'N' word, is CONTEXT When a black man says Nigga! Its simply means brother.. When a whiteboy calls a black man Nigga! It means NIGGA! You call it reverse racism, I say blacks use nigger not in subjection to racial subordination, but in defiance of it.. 1 Like |
Re: Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? by Nobody: 11:40am On Sep 28, 2012 |
pak:so you quickly ran to view my profile? You are a real nigga with a gold chain. Lol! 1 Like |
Re: Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? by coogar: 11:43am On Sep 28, 2012 |
Okija_juju: how can you make sense from what you typed above? when a blackman says it, he means brother! when a white man says it then its offensive? so a white guy cannot use it in the same context as a black man? a white guy cannot see you as his brother? berem: so you quickly ran to view my profile? You are a real nigga with a gold chain. Lol! was that you getting grilled by a negro? 1 Like |
Re: Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? by Afam4eva(m): 11:46am On Sep 28, 2012 |
Okija_juju:What is good for the goose is good for the gander. Let's not make different rules for different people. If a black man can say nigger to another black man then should a white man should also be able to do same. 2 Likes |
Re: Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? by pak: 11:47am On Sep 28, 2012 |
berem: so you quickly ran to view my profile? You are a real nigga with a gold chain. Lol! Some peeps were born curious |
Re: Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? by lordspiritual(m): 11:48am On Sep 28, 2012 |
[size=2opt] THERE IS A DIFF. BETWEEN NIGGERRRR: as pronounced by the white man and NIGGA: as pronounced by the blackman..[/size] if two northerners argue and they call themselves terrorists, na them sabi... but let a christian or any other religion argue with them, and call them BOKO (not to talk of 'haram') den na you sabi!!! 1 Like |
Re: Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? by Nobody: 11:48am On Sep 28, 2012 |
Ile-Ife: true and the bolded is why many AAs definitely dont want to hear Africans use the term. |
Re: Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? by Okijajuju1(m): 11:50am On Sep 28, 2012 |
coogar: NO!!! A white man has lost the right to use the word Nigga! Whites made the 'N' word an issue that it is today! Nigga was from the word Negro.. A white man can call me Negro, but not Nigga! Black people frequently use the word "nigger" to identity with and bond with each other. For some, this relates to a common identification between blacks with the oppression represented by the word "nigger". Blacks should be allowed to refer to each other however they want seeing as the insult originated out of an aim by the white man to dehumanize us. .. |
Re: Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? by kunletade(m): 11:51am On Sep 28, 2012 |
for me i think there is a difference between Nigga and Nigger |
Re: Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? by Okijajuju1(m): 11:52am On Sep 28, 2012 |
kunle.t.ade: How so?! If I may ask?! .. |
Re: Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? by Nobody: 11:54am On Sep 28, 2012 |
Okija_juju:check page 2 and you will see the explanation. |
Re: Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? by coogar: 11:59am On Sep 28, 2012 |
Okija_juju: a white man has lost the right to use the word? hehehehehe - it's safe to say okija-juju is a flaming racist! you are doing the equivalent of what the white supremacists did in the dark age! no one has lost any right to say anything and it saddens me black people blame the whites for their sufferings in the slave era. if only africans have put up a united front to stop the slave merchants from taking people, there would have been a different outcome but was that the case? your ancestors benefitted from slavery - they got mirrors, rifles, loads of jack daniels and barbie dolls! if there's no seller, there won't be a market! 1 Like |
Re: Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? by Nobody: 12:02pm On Sep 28, 2012 |
Coogar! Long time no speak! Hey buddy! its msdarkskin btw. |
Re: Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? by stagger: 12:05pm On Sep 28, 2012 |
That word has its origins on the slave farms of the US, where African slaves were referred to as "niggers" by the slave masters and overseers. So that is why it is seen as an obscene word because of its origins. That is why any white man who uses the word "nigger" on a black man, will be lucky to make it out alive if he uses it in certain places, especially the ghettos or rough streets. Not cool at all to be called nigger. 1 Like |
Re: Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? by coogar: 12:07pm On Sep 28, 2012 |
*Kails*: the same msdarkskin? what happened to your old moniker? i have been looking for you for the past 5 years now - what's crackolating? stagger: That word has its origins on the slave farms of the US, where African slaves were referred to as "niggers" by the slave masters and overseers. i agree with your sentiment..... but why is it kool to be called a nigga by a blackman but its not kool to be called by a white man? we either agree the word is kool from both groups or offensive from both groups! you cannot have it half-way otherwise it's racism! 2 Likes |
Re: Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? by vivaciousvivi(f): 12:18pm On Sep 28, 2012 |
Tolaaaaannni: I think Nobody should use the N word. White people definately should Not use it, and neither should I totally and compeltely agree with you on this. It almost as if they are celebrating the forced inferiority of their fore fathers. The word is an insult irrespective of the race that utters it. |
Re: Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? by nedu2000(m): 12:19pm On Sep 28, 2012 |
Any person(s) of a race,religion,sexuality,gender that gets offended by simple utterances or light actions is/are actually INFERIOR!! |
Re: Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? by cap28: 12:20pm On Sep 28, 2012 |
when a white man uses the word nigger on a black man he is reminding you of your inferior status and the fact that he has had his foot on your neck for the past 500 years, he is reminding you of how his ancestors ra.ped your mother, wife, grandmother and sisters, he is reminding you of how his ancestors lynched you for fun and sat around with their mates laughing and eating while your lifeless body (thats where the world picnic - pick a nigger, came from) hung from a tree or burnt at the stake, he is reminding you of your zero status and powerlessness in the world order, he is reminding you that YOU COME TO HIM FOR JOBS, HOUSING, EDUCATION AND SURVIVAL , a black man can use the word nigger on another black person but it will never ever conjure up the terrible and hateful memories of slavery, ra.pe and lynching that that word connote because the black man in recent times has remained powerless. a white man's use of the word nigger is a reminder to you the black man that you are still beneath him - it is a way of showing you how contemptuous he is of you and everythign you stand for. |
Re: Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? by slimojas89(m): 12:33pm On Sep 28, 2012 |
cap28: when a white man uses the word nigger on a black man he is reminding you of your inferior status and the fact that he has had his foot on your neck for the past 500 years, he is reminding you of how his ancestors ra.ped your mother, wife, grandmother and sisters, he is reminding you of how his ancestors lynched you for fun and sat around with their mates laughing and eating while your lifeless body (thats where the world picnic - pick a nigger, came from) hung from a tree or burnt at the stake, he is reminding you of your zero status and powerlessness in the world order, he is reminding you that YOU COME TO HIM FOR JOBS, HOUSING, EDUCATION AND SURVIVAL , a black man can use the word nigger on another black person but it will never ever conjure up the terrible and hateful memories of slavery, ra.pe and lynching that that word connote because the black man in recent times has remained powerless.Maybe blacks should stop using the word as well cos i don't see any reason why you want to use a word and don't want another brother to use the word cos his father abused it..Good way to pay back though cos #whitemencan'tjump #noswag and so they wanna copy the black dude for everything they say/do which most times start(for say) with the nigga word.let's start calling a white brother nigga as well cos we'v forgotten about all that happened and we should not just "brother" a black man but a white dude also for social well being sakes. 1 Like |
Re: Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? by blackcat1: 12:33pm On Sep 28, 2012 |
I thought nigger was caved out of the word Niger. As most slaves sold were from this region. |
Re: Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? by drzed: 12:39pm On Sep 28, 2012 |
The word "Nigger" is a derivative of the word "Negro" - a latin term meaning black. The etymology (or origin) of the word is therefore not offensive in itself as negro simply means black. However, slave traders and their descendants (racists, skinheads, the KKK) have used the derivative term 'Nigger' as an offensive term for people of African decent or people with black skin. It is interesting to note that the English language is also at fault in how 'negro' or 'nigger' have emerged and been used/misued over the years. For example, to "denigrate" someone or something, means to 'slander' or 'vilify' 'defame' that person or thing. The question is why should vilification or defamation be associated with 'black'...? Why not "dewhiterate" or "decolourate"...? Why must it be deNIGRATE? Unless of course English language has some intrinsic racist or anti-African features in it. It is on such note that I tend to agree that white people have (or should not have) the right to use the term Nigger. As for my fellow black people, especially those who tend to misspell it as 'nigga' well...what can I say? cheers 1 Like |
Re: Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? by BlackBaron: 12:46pm On Sep 28, 2012 |
Deyinka007:So ^^ does that really make sense to you ? You clearly benefited from an inferior education. |
Re: Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? by Nobody: 12:48pm On Sep 28, 2012 |
cap28: when a white man uses the word nigger on a black man he is reminding you of your inferior status and the fact that he has had his foot on your neck for the past 500 years, he is reminding you of how his ancestors ra.ped your mother, wife, grandmother and sisters, he is reminding you of how his ancestors lynched you for fun and sat around with their mates laughing and eating while your lifeless body (thats where the world picnic - pick a nigger, came from) hung from a tree or burnt at the stake, he is reminding you of your zero status and powerlessness in the world order, he is reminding you that YOU COME TO HIM FOR JOBS, HOUSING, EDUCATION AND SURVIVAL , a black man can use the word nigger on another black person but it will never ever conjure up the terrible and hateful memories of slavery, ra.pe and lynching that that word connote because the black man in recent times has remained powerless. Interesting. And you have a point but considering i know the way the world works any and every white man is not in the position to remind me of anything. Lol. This is why they cant offend me with nigger. The average white man is broke (pinching pennies), struggling and a victim of the system like everyone else. Most of them were descendants of scottish and irish slaves. Slaves to their own kind, moors and arabs alike. So any white man who tries to use that on me will be laughed at, as his efforts like the white superemacy movement is an epic fail. |
Re: Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? by cap28: 12:50pm On Sep 28, 2012 |
John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono even wrote a song called "woman is the nigger of the world" where they equate the oppression women suffer at the hands of men to the world wide oppression that blacks suffer at the hands of whites: Woman Is The Nigger Of The World lyrics http://www.elyrics.net/read/j/john-lennon-lyrics/woman-is-the-nigger-of-the-world-lyrics.html |
Re: Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? by Nobody: 12:52pm On Sep 28, 2012 |
blackcat1: I thought nigger was caved out of the word Niger. As most slaves sold were from this region. Possible. |
Re: Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? by Ignatio(m): 12:55pm On Sep 28, 2012 |
It makes me wonder if they're trying to legalize the word by making hits like Niggas in Paris. Just one of the enigmas of life. A black man calls a black man nigger/nigga it's cool. A white man calls a black man nigger/nigga hell is let loose. |
Re: Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? by Shalome(m): 12:58pm On Sep 28, 2012 |
Whats up,my Nigga? |
Re: Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? by navygrl: 12:59pm On Sep 28, 2012 |
afam4eva: The first technical question we should ask is, what does Nigger really mean apart from the fact that it's used to describe black people. I think Nigger is just like the use of Okoro to describe Igbo people which is technically not offesive.that word literally means the color black in Latin. That is the true definition. Just as the true definition of negro is the color black in Spanish. The corrupted and slang uses of the word is where the offensive nature comes from, not the original word |
Re: Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? by naijathings(m): 1:02pm On Sep 28, 2012 |
have you ever heard of the term "Antonym" yeah I think the word "Nigga" is an antonym. it can be used in both bad and nice ways. but i promise I would punch any white pig in the nose if he/she ever uses that word at me here in Africa for any reason at all. me no dey play that kain play. |
Re: Why Is 'Nigger' Offensive? by Afam4eva(m): 1:02pm On Sep 28, 2012 |
navygrl: that word literally means the color black in Latin. That is the true definition. Just as the true definition of negro is the color black in Spanish. The corrupted and slang uses of the word is where the offensive nature comes from, not the original wordAre we now saying that if people start calling Igbos(tribe) Igbo(weed), that the name Igbo will now become an offensive word and can no longer be used? Then we'll now chane the name of our ethnic group from "Igbo" to "Ojukwu people" or "Nri descendants" or whatever. Since Nigger means black, then anything else shouldn't matter. That's my opinion. |
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