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What's the correct word, these days?

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  • What's the correct word, these days?

    When I was a child I was strongly informed by my grandmother and mother that "nigger" was an unacceptable word. "Nigra" was proper. I suspect "nigra" is probably even worse than "nigger" now. Then it became "negro". Then it was "colored people" (still used by the NAACP). And still later, "blacks".

    Is "blacks" still politically correct?

    (Thoughts inspired by reading "Hurry Sundown", a massive novel by Katya and Bert Gilden.)

  • #2
    Re: What's the correct word, these days?

    Having been on the mainland for the past three+ weeks I heard news broadcasters use "African Americans" while mentioning them on a news piece but I can't remember how they referred to people not living in the USA.
    Retired Senior Member

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    • #3
      Re: What's the correct word, these days?

      in south georgia "nigger" has always been used as a racial slur..to any african american,hawaiian or hispanic..some older people still say colored tho...i have alot of black friends who always say"what's up my nigga" but only if you're close to them..i don't use that term @ all..in my town you'll still see elderly "haoles" driving their elderly"colored"help(who are in the back seat of course)in most of those cases,the maids or yard workers are descendants of slaves owned by their employers ancestors..a black friend was in walmart recently & an elderly white lady came up &asked could she touch my friend's baby's skin..she actually said "lord have mercy, i had no idea nigra babies were so soft."my friend was completly flabbergasted!!!

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      • #4
        Re: What's the correct word, these days?

        Originally posted by Albert
        When I was a child I was strongly informed by my grandmother and mother that "nigger" was an unacceptable word. "Nigra" was proper. I suspect "nigra" is probably even worse than "nigger" now. Then it became "negro". Then it was "colored people" (still used by the NAACP). And still later, "blacks".

        Is "blacks" still politically correct?

        (Thoughts inspired by reading "Hurry Sundown", a massive novel by Katya and Bert Gilden.)

        Well Albert,

        I don't know the answer, but I prefer black. Although I am in complete agreement with African-American, for me it negates the amount of time blacks have been in America, as all the hyphen Americans are somewhat recent immigrants. I could be wrong, but that's where I stand. You never hear Mayflower people refer to themselves as English-American, do you? As far as Nigger and Nigra, Nigra always sounds like the deep south to me. It should only be used in literature. Actually, that goes for both of them.

        Love, B

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        • #5
          Re: What's the correct word, these days?

          B. wrote:

          "far as Nigger and Nigra, Nigra always sounds like the deep south to me. It should only be used in literature. Actually, that goes for both of them."

          Oh, no doubt about it, "nigra" is definitely deep south and by now very old-fashioned. Odd to think, though, that both my grandmother and mother considered it the "polite" way to refer to the woman who came once a week to do the ironing.

          It was good of you to reply. (I did prod her by email.)

          And now we have a thread about Asian/Oriental.

          What's in a name, a rose .... etc.

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          • #6
            Re: What's the correct word, these days?

            I say black or dark. Nigger.. I know some blacks who call each other that.

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            • #7
              Re: What's the correct word, these days?

              When I was in the military back in the late 70's I heard one black guy call another black guy a nigger. I was stunned that black would call black a nigger. It's as if a Japanese called another a Nip or Jap. Didn't make sense so I figured the term nigger wasn't so much a racial slur but just a bad name to call someone else.

              When I hear a black person call a caucasian a white guy with no feeling of insult, I take it that it's alright to call a black guy a black guy. Since the term "Person of color" meaning everybody except whites, well that's more racists because you're refering to "color" saying the exact reference that we're not supposed to discriminate against.

              Now I hear the term Wigger or Whites trying to act black. One black entertainer couldn't fathom why a white guy would want to call himself a white nigger. Now Wigger isn't a color so that can't be racist, just plain stupid to be calling oneself. And technically Nigger doesn't refer to a race (unless you're from Nigeria), color, creed or sex so it shouldn't be considered racist when mentioning it (yeah right and bees aren't technically supposed to fly with their small wing structure)

              So here in Hawaii we got locals trying to act black or Jamaican. Okay what do we call them? Oh yes...Island Style. One day I saw Cecelio from C&K inside Tower Records on Keeaumoku (better known as Koreamoku for all the bars there) and he had this distinct Jamaican accent when he berated another customer. Since when did he lose his local sound?
              Last edited by craigwatanabe; August 11, 2004, 05:43 PM.
              Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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              • #8
                Re: What's the correct word, these days?

                Hahah.. oh the sadness! The ever-changing morphing into someone else. It keeps life interesting I guess?

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                • #9
                  Re: What's the correct word, these days?

                  Of course you can just take the local route and use 'popolo' or (more polite) 'haole 'ele'ele'...

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                  • #10
                    Re: What's the correct word, these days?

                    Part of this depends on the context - me, I live near DC, so people whose ancestors came from Africa are usually African-Americans. Except that it often turns out that a lot of those people are actually African (we have a big international community, y'know), who get pretty confused by being called that. "People (persons) of color" is the most leftie, PC version I hear on a regular basis.

                    For people whose ancestry is China/Japan/Korea/Vietnam/etc., it's "Asian" or "Asian-American."

                    Speaking from the uptight right-hand mainland coast, that is.

                    Now, when I was in the Crotch (USMC), we were all green. Light green, dark green, didn't matter - if you're a Marine, you're Green. I liked that attitude. That's a long time ago, though...

                    Andy
                    Andy the wannabe
                    near DC? wanna talk 'bout HI?
                    drop me a line, I wanna learn!

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