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The word Nigger was not originally used as a derogatory or diminishing word. The word nigger was first used just as a neutral word referring to the African American people as a branch off of the Spanish and Portuguese word NEGRO. It was not until 1619 when the word was taken out of context when a white male by the name of John Rolfe used the term negars to describe a bunch of African American males that he was shipping to the Virginia colonies. The word then traveled upwards to New York or the northern colony and the American English coined the terms Neggars and Neger. The first man to use an alternative that suited everyone was Thomas Jefferson when he started calling African Americans BLACK, but he also indicated that the word nigger was …show more content…
The word slave was derived from its Latin roots SLAV. The slavs were a group of European people who were captured and forced to do labor by the Muslims from Spain in the 9th century A.D. Slavery can be traced back to the old Koran and Old Testament days. The bible clearly says that: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or …show more content…
The only reason people seem to have a problem with being called a Nigger by someone outside of the African American race is simply because they are still holding on to the past. How can we expect someone to not call or use a certain word towards us when we use it towards each other every day? It is a double standard in the world we live in and it’s getting ridiculous. So I believe that the word Nigger should not be replaced with the word Slave. Another reason he shouldn’t have replaced it is because being called a slave is completely different. The meaning of the word slave is a person who is the legal property of another and is forced to obey them. So it shows you just how clueless the African American race is. Why would you want someone to call you a name that carries such a meaning? Why would you want to be known as someone who is owned by another man or person? So I feel that the word Nigger was a good if not perfectly suitable word and replacement of the word Slavery. Some may argue that the word Nigger is the worst possible word that you could use because of the history and depending on the usage or the tone of voice that is exhibited during the use of the
As a black American male, the word nigger conjures up within me hate, hostility, violence, oppression, and a very shameful and unfortunate part of American History. The word symbolizes the everlasting chains of a people plagued with hate and bondage simply because of skin color. For many black people, including myself, nigger is the most pejorative word in the English language. Even when compared to racial slurs like kike, honkey, cracker, wet back, spic, jungle bunny, pod, tarbaby, and white trash, nigger is noted as the worst insult in the English language. The word nigger suggests that black people are second class citizens, ignorant and less than human.
Naylor implies that derogatory terms have a twist and are a disguise of acknowledgement to her race. Although it was initially created to humiliate and dehumanize African Americans, ‘the n-word’ develops into a word that admires men of that race.
Slavery in various forms was a common social aspect in the Christianity religion, based on the bible. Slavery started in the time of Genesis where Joseph was sold into slavery by his brother in Egypt. In the
The words Negro, nigger, and nigga have always been a sensitive topic, yet it is a topic that needs to be addressed in light of the more common use of its vernacular. One word is used to describe a color, while the others are used to define a people. It’s very clear to many the negative connotation these words carry, but where did these words come from? Furthermore, is there a difference between the word nigger and nigga; and why is it that African-Americans now use the word nigga to degrade each other in today’s society? These words, in spite of their spelling, still holds the same degrading power as it did during the time of slavery, and they are still spoken out of cruelty and ignorance, but who is to blame? Can one still blame the Spaniards for considering people of a darker skin tone –Black? Can we blame the Europeans for perpetuating their hatred and ignorance of superiority over a race of people to the point they felt it lawful to define and dehumanize them? Or does the blame lie with the African-American race as we use this degrading labeling on our own kind, thus becoming the victimizer. Either way nigger or nigga are words that should be eliminated from the vocabulary of every human being.
The Meaning of the Word “Nigger” I can recall the first time I paid close attention to the word nigger. In junior high a school fight would occur about every week and of course the whole school would gather together and watch. Well this particular fight sticks out in my mind because it was between two boys of different races, Hispanic and black. During their conflict the Hispanic boy bluntly called the black boy a nigger, and that was when the rest of the black students became verbally involved. I remember screaming out “ who do you think you are calling him that?”
In an article published by “Journal of Blacks in Higher Education” Lawrence states that “even though I am always troubled by public use of the term nigger, the most uniquely hateful words in the American vocabulary. And yet I would never criticize Chris Rock for when, where and how he uses it” (Lawrence 84). The reason why the writer in the article stated the he do not criticize Chris Rock for using the word Nigga he fell as if American is ‘censoring and policing black creative and expression” (Lawrence 84). Racial slurs can be positive in the African American culture because it is an image that project how black can become better parents for their kids at home and role models, how education is very important and good work ethics. “On the other hand the significance of Mr. Richards’ upheaval is about more than terrible drama strategy. Jamie Masada, the proprietor of the Laugh Factory, and Paul Mooney, a black humorist who used to compose for Richard Pryor, have joined legislators and activists, including the Democrat of California, in requiring a conclusion to the utilization of what they call the N word by everybody including blacks” ( Allen 1). This is why individual in America looks at racial slurs differently because its interpretation black culture and black entertainment depending on how they perceive the jokes.
(Merriam-Webster) Nigger was at first niger, which means the color black in Latin. Over time the Spanish adopted the word and it became negro, the color black. It was not until white Americans adopted the word that it became negative. Instead of using the word as an adjective, it was as a noun. The new meaning of the word was now “colored person” instead of the color black. White people used it as an “insulting and contemptuous term.” It was “a term expressive of hatred and bigotry.” (Merriam-Webster) The word “nigger” later became a synonym for the word “negro” and it was used in “derision”. The word was later used in a variety of ways. For example, nigger-lipping (which meant getting too much spit on the end of a cigarette), nigger-knocking (to knock on someone’s door and run away before they open it), nigger heaven (when you owe money but you are not living like you do), and nigger luck (bad luck). (Middleton, Phill and Pilgrim David) Those are just a few examples but you can see that they are negative. The word is negative. It is and was associated with negative things so it should not be
Colonist started to import slaves from South America in hopes that they would live longer and be more manageable to control. The slaves that were imported were trained past their first year of slavery, so that they would not die as fast. The first imported slaves came to America in the early 17th century. When they received the slaves they found out some of them were baptized, and were under the Christian religion. So they could not be treat as slaves under the religion so they were turned into indentured servants. There were very few vague laws on slavery, but it was always a permanent servitude. At first slaves had limited right, and were aloud to own land, after their period of slavery was over. They were allowed to marry and have children. The slaves kids that were born while they were enslaved were not consider to be slaves, but to be free under the law.
Slavery is a form of forced labor in which people are taken as property of others against their wishes and will. They are denied the right to leave or even receive wages. Evidence of slavery is seen from written records of ancient times from all cultures and continents. Some societies viewed it as a legal institution. In the United States, slavery was inevitable even after the end of American Revolution. Slavery in united states had its origins during the English colonization of north America in 1607 but the African slaves were sold in 1560s this was due to demand for cheap labor to exploit economic opportunities. Slaves engaged in composition of music in order to preserve the cultures they came with from Africa and for encouragement purposes..
The word “Nigger” was a term used in reference to a slave. A slave meaning, you were the lowest scum of the earth, Illiterate and uneducated in every sense. Today, the usage of the word is spilt in to different context, it is used to refer to one another. A lot of children today use the word freely, not because they are ignorant to the history and putridness of the word, but solely because they are not really offended by it and the only time they hear it, it's being said by someone else who is of color. As I looks back over the years, I can’t really remember anyone distinctively ever calling me the N-word, or better yet, not in a derogative fashion. I don’t think that anyone has ever called me the word to my face or in hearing distance. Growing up in New York City, the only time I ever heard the word “Nigger” was from people who called themselves “Nigger”. I remember sitting in class daydreaming on the word, thinking to myself, “How could anyone call themselves a Nigger and be proud of it?” Yet It’s Hard to hurt me with words, but I had never heard that word used with such vengeances. What does this word mean in my everyday life?
As Kennedy explains “used by black people amongst themselves [the N word ] is a racial term with undertones and good will--reflecting a tragicomic sensibility that is aware of black history” but how could such a contradiction exist (Kennedy 5)? How could the most “noxious” of words also also be used to show comradery and brotherhood for those who have been in the struggle. “He is my nig” or “That guy is my nigga”, phrases like these are uttered by black men to each other to express their most public form of masculine endearment towards one another. Note that it is uttered between black men, to black men, and from black men; Black bodies participate and engage with the “N-word” much more differently than any other non-black person would. The word must come from colored mouths to have a “positive” significance, if I, a Mexican woman, or for instance Nate, in Bernard’s class, say it--we change the meaning entirely. As quoted by Randall Kennedy, Jarvis Deberry states, “[the n-word is ‘beautiful in its multiplicity of functions. I am not aware…of any other word capable of expressing so many contradictory emotions” and I cannot help but to agree that the “N-word” is more messy and complex then we would anticipate it to
The first reason why they n-word shouldn’t be banned is the power behind the word is no longer there, according to Jay-Z on the Oprah show “And for our generation, we took the word and we took the power out of that word you know we turned a word that was very ugly and hurtful and turned it into a term of endearment.” So according to Jay-Z the issues isn’t that the n-word is bad it's the racism intent behind it. Also in accord with what Jay-Z said Gloria Naylor states that “When used with a possessive adjective by a women- ‘my
The expression nigger has been used to disgrace the African-American population and that is why the expression nigga should not be used by blacks or any other race in today’s society . The term originated as a word targeted towards Black-Americans during slavery to degrade them by displaying that they were not considered human and their only worth in America was to serve the wealthy and that is why most blacks today reject the use of the term but others have decided to bring a new meaning to the word by using it around whites and towards other blacks as a term of endearment to strip away its distressing meaning. Whites slave owners actually believed that they were inherently superior to
There are laws that prohibit any type of segregation in the United States of America. We have in office today the very first African American president, President Barack Obama. The culture is now more politically correct on what is acceptable and what isn 't. There is a scene in the 2005 remake of The Longest Yard that includes Guard Dunham ( Stone Cold Steve Austin) and prisoner Megget (Nelly). The "N" word was used towards this prisoner a few times, but this was the only time in the movie it was used. This is obviously not okay, but compared to the 1970 's film, this was a huge change. The use of that hateful word helped the director portray the guards as villains in the film. The 2005 remake did not separate the white and black inmates in the prison like they did in the 1974 original. Although director Peter Segal did use the disrespectful word in modern day, he used it moderately. Segal did not use it so freely like the original film because today 's culture would not tolerate it. It could have jeopardized the quality of the film in the view of modern day
Slavery was the practice of taking a human being and making them do the work of another by force. This was practiced through out the ancient world and especially in Rome and Greece. Slaves were nothing more than just property to the ancient peoples. They didn't have the rights of citizens nor were they able to do what they want in most cases. Slaves had many tasks that they had to do, many of which included taking care of the masters house and kids, cooking and cleaning that house, herding the cattle for the farming families, being guards for some prisons, fighting for entertainment of the masses, and more common was sexual activities with the slaves.