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Recommended: Historical usage of the word nigger

A brief etymology of the word “nigga” traces its origin back to the term “nigger”— a derogatory term previously used to address African Americans during two periods in United States history: the 18th century when the institutionalization of African American slavery existed and the Civil Rights era when Jim Crow laws legalized racial segregation. Furthermore, the term “nigger” is derived from the Latin word, niger, referring to the color black (Kennedy 2002:4). Still, the usage of the word “nigga” remains a controversial issue of whether it is justifiable to use in modern-day society. On one hand, opponents of the word denounce its usage, recalling its historical context as a disparaging nickname and a remnant of institutionalized racism. Proponents of the word, on the other hand, champion its usage in the context of companionship and solidarity among friends, reflecting modern-day urban colloquialism. However, a closer look at the word “nigga” along semiotic principles offers a deeper perspective. The word “nigga” classifies under a group of representations philosopher Charles Peirce refers to as “signs” or “representamen.” According to Peirce, a sign or representamen is “something which stands to somebody for something in some respect or capacity” (Buchler 1955:99). In other words, they serve to represent their object through an association, which is then perceived and interpreted accordingly. Moreover, there is a system of signs that gives the sign “nigga” meaning. Indeed, it is a part of a larger system of signs characterized as nicknames. A nickname is a familiar or shortened form of a proper name assigned to a person or thing. Subsequently, nicknames fall under a broader system of signs that includes terms of endearment, ex... ... middle of paper ... ...sign, “nigga,” becomes a representation of those objects. This, in turn, allows others who perceive the sign to conjure their own interpretations based on their personal experience or familiarity with that sign. It is essential to note that an interpretation in a more recent context does not overwrite that of an earlier context; both perceptions coincide in the sign. References Cited Buchler, Justus 1955 Logic as Semiotic: The Theory of Signs. In Philosophical Writings of Peirce. Pp. 98-115. New York: Dover Publications, Inc., Kennedy, Randal 2002 The Protean N-Word. In Nigger: The Strange Career of a Troublesome Word. First Vintage Books, ed. Pp. 4. New York: Pantheon Books. Peirce, Charles Sander 1894 What is a Sign?. In How to Reason: A Critick of Arguments. Pp. 281, 285, 297-302.

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