History of the word niger

Jeffreys M. Niger : Origins of the Word.

Nigger is a racial slur in American English used against Black Americans. Starting in the s, [1] references to nigger have been increasingly replaced by the euphemism " the N-word " , notably in cases where nigger is mentioned but not directly used. Rather than demonstrating a hostile meaning of the word itself, early attested uses during the Atlantic slave trade 16th—19th century often conveyed a patronizing tone that reflects the underlying attitudes held towards black people by their white authors. Building up on these mildly disparaging social meanings, the word took on a derogatory connotation from the midth century onward, to the extent that it had "degenerated into an overt slur" by the middle of the 19th century. Some authors kept on using the term in a neutral sense up until the later part of the 20th century, at which point the use of nigger became increasingly seen as controversial regardless of its context or intent. Because the word nigger has historically "wreaked symbolic violence, often accompanied by physical violence", it began to disappear from general popular culture from the second part of the 20th century onward, with the exception of cases derived from intra-group usage such as hip hop culture. The word nigger has also been historically used to designate "any person considered to be of low social status" as in the expression white nigger or "any person whose behavior is regarded as reprehensible".

History of the word niger

Sorry, the content of this store can't be seen by a younger audience. Come back when you're older. February 27, Whatever its origins , by the early s it was firmly established as a denigrative epithet. Almost two centuries later, it remains a chief symbol of racism, anywhere in the world, but most specifically in the United States. There is no question that the words of etymologic lineage, to the actual word nigger , were bastardized over time to degrade black people. For more than years every opportunity to degrade , insult and punish Black people for just being Black was attempted, and the use of the word nigger was a part of the process. If one considers the fact that Ahmaud Arbery was called a nigger as he lay dying at the feet of the racists that murdered him, or if we take the current situation involving Joe Rogan , and consider whether he is or is not a racist or if India Arie was attacking him by pointing out specific facts surrounding the controversy by posting a series of videos featuring Rogan, it is all relative to the volatility of the word, still in Historically, the word nigger conveys much of the hatred and repulsion directed toward Black Americans. It was a term of exclusion, a verbal justification for discrimination and a way to ensure that everyone understood, including the ones being subjugated to it, that the nigger was not welcome. Close menu. Shop By Lifestyle.

Retrieved August 15, It now says there must be "exceptional editorial reasons to use the strongest racist terms" - and this must history of the word niger personally approved by the corporation's divisional directors. There is no question that the words of etymologic lineage, to the actual word niggerwere bastardized over time to degrade black people.

That was the view of prosecutor Christopher Darden when the issue of saying the N-word came up in the murder trial of US football star OJ Simpson. And it's a view that many people still share today. The BBC received more than 18, complaints for using the word in full in a report about a racially aggravated attack in July. It initially defended the decision but the then-director general Tony Hall later issued an apology , saying it was a "mistake". This led to the BBC issuing staff with new guidance on the use of racist language in its output - which was published on Wednesday. It now says there must be "exceptional editorial reasons to use the strongest racist terms" - and this must be personally approved by the corporation's divisional directors. When I hear the word I shudder.

Nigger is an infamous word in current English, so much so that when people are called upon to discuss it, they more often than not refer to it euphemistically as "the N-word. Sense 3 is also now rarely used and is often considered offensive. The word's self-referential uses by and among Black people are not always intended or taken as offensive although many object to those uses as well , but its use by a person who is not Black to refer to a Black person can only be regarded as a deliberate expression of contemptuous racism. Did the definition of nigger change? There is a widespread belief that the original meaning of nigger , as defined in dictionaries, was "an ignorant person," and a related belief that current dictionary definitions describing its use as a hateful, racist epithet are a recent change. We do not know the source of those beliefs, but they are not accurate.

History of the word niger

From the earliest usage it was "the term that carries with it all the obloquy and contempt and rejection which whites have inflicted on blacks" [cited in Gowers, , probably Harold R. But as black African inferiority was at one time a near universal assumption in English-speaking lands, the word in some cases could be used without deliberate insult. More sympathetic writers late 18c. It was also applied by English colonists to the dark-skinned native peoples in India, Australia, Polynesia. The reclamation of the word as a neutral or positive term in black culture not universally regarded as a worthwhile enterprise , often with a suggestion of "soul" or "style," is attested first in the U. South, later in the Northern, urban-based Black Power movement. The variant nigga , attested from as niggah from , is found usually in situations where blacks use the word. Also compare nigra. Used in combinations such as nigger-brown since s for various dark brown or black hues or objects; euphemistic substitutions such as Zulu began to appear in these senses c. Brazil nuts were called nigger toes by

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By the late s, the social change brought about by the civil rights movement had legitimized the racial identity word black as mainstream American English usage to denote black-skinned Americans of African ancestry. In his memoir All Souls , Irish-American Michael Patrick MacDonald describes how many white residents of the Old Colony Housing Project in South Boston used this meaning to degrade the people considered to be of lower status, whether white or black. Huckleberry Finn as idol and target. When a person violates this norm, it creates resentment, intense frustration, and great offense for many. After reviewing the misunderstanding, Mayor Anthony A. Become a Member Renew Your Membership. Rasismi lasten ja nuorten arjessa: Transnationaalit juuret ja monikulttuuristuva Suomi in Finnish. I came across a letter posted on Twitter written by race expert Dr Jacqui Stanford about the use of the word. Notes 1. Random House Publishing Group. NHS worker and musician K-Dogg claims it was the word that was shouted at him when he was hit by a car in an alleged racist attack in July. This led to the BBC issuing staff with new guidance on the use of racist language in its output - which was published on Wednesday. Niger Latin for "black" occurs in Latinate scientific nomenclature and is the root word for some homophones of nigger ; sellers of niger seed used as bird feed , sometimes use the spelling Nyjer seed. But there are some people who feel the word shouldn't be used by anyone - whatever their race.

Nigger is a racial slur in American English used against Black Americans.

The use of nigger in older literature has become controversial because of the word's modern meaning as a racist insult. Prof Andrews adds: "If you understand the history of the word and how it's been used, it's not for white people to use, it's not for anybody else to use. Mark Twain , in the autobiographic book Life on the Mississippi , used the term within quotes, indicating reported speech , but used the term "negro" when writing in his own narrative persona. However, Jim and every other black, free or slave, endured that insult daily because it was a part of the social fabric. Not to be confused with Negro , Niger , or Niger State. Retrieved July 25, Retrieved June 23, None of these names is of any use in eludicating the derivation of the names Nile or Niger although they preceed chronologically the use of the word Nile Rendei Harris i2 writes no one knows the origin of the name of the Nile which the Greeks called Neilos1 and in which they were followed by the rest of the world.. The word can be traced back in history to slavery. About Us. OD Green Heather Black.