1. Naylor exceeds a dictionary definition by providing her own meaning of the “n-word”. She defines the “n-word” as “a term of endearment”, “a description of some group” and “a man who distinguishes himself”. Each definition includes expressions she overheard at her grandparent’s apartment. When Naylor defines the “n-word” as a woman’s expression of love, she is referring to the way a woman would regard their husband or boyfriend. Evidence is provided in the possessive use of “my nigger”. Naylor also describes the “n-word” to refer to a man who has set himself apart. Pride is evident when describing a man who “pulled in $6,000 of overtime”. Naylor also defines the “n-word” with a negative connotation. She describes the use of the word to define “parents who neglected their children”. 2. …show more content…
Naylor explains that the context of the word affects how the word is received. When the “n-word” is used in the phrase “that nigger pulled $6,000 of overtime last year”, the phrase sets the man apart from society. The phrase above would be considered a compliment; however, being called “trifling niggers” would be received negatively in the receiver’s mind. This negative connotation would be used to describe people who did not seek employment, or those who had “excessively dirty mouths”. 3. Naylor provides personal evidence for the two contrasting meanings of the “n-word”. When the young boy at her school uses the “n-word”, the word is considered cruel and the child is scolded for his corrupt language. To the African American community, however, the “n-word” has developed a more positive meaning. African Americans associate the “n-word” with success, love, etc. An African American woman saying “my nigger” portrays a different type of word association from the boy in Naylor’s class. The meaning of the “n-word” changes based on the speaker and the context
While many blacks and whites agree that the word should not be censored from the English language, it certainly should not be used by all people because of its historical significance. For example, black militants believe whites should never use the word nigger. On the other hand, the word nigger has been “reclaimed” by black youths particularly in the hip-hop culture. These modern day teens claim that it is just a word and that people give words meaning rathe...
He effectively moves from a position of “Other” to one of empowerment through his active participation in the Civil Rights movement, and his comedy. In fact, Gregory views comedy as “friendly relations,” allowing him to abandon his repressed identity—one that was “mad and mean inside” (134)—and move to a position of empowerment that allows Gregory to “make jokes about [whites] and their society” (Gregory 132). Through his comedy, Gregory is also able to dissociate himself from the term “nigger,” as well as the namelessness, de-individuation, and dehumanizing effects associated with it: “Every white man in America knows we are Americans, knows we are Negroes, and some of them know us by our names. So when he calls us a nigger, he’s calling us something we are not, something that exists only in his mind. So if nigger exists only in his mind, who’s the nigger?” (Gregory 201). In refusing to adopt the word and its negative connotations as self-definition, Gregory “returns” the word and its negativity to the dominant society of the white middle class—the discriminatory “. . . system that makes a man less than a man, that teaches hate and fear and ignorance” (Gregory
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.
How many times have you heard the “N” word being used as not an insult, but as a nickname for a friend? The truth is: In 2016, the “petrifying” “N” word has become less of an insult, and more of a simple nickname that many teens and young adults use for each other. The simple connotation of the word has been modified throughout the years from being something that was used as hurtful slander of the black population, to a petty pet name. For this simple reason alone, all of the arguments about Huckleberry Finn being “Racist
“I don’t give a fuck what a nigga say,” for a word that many different things I think most people would agree that in this since nigga means a person preferably black. Nigga is a derogatory and racist word that refers to Black people. But, we, meaning Black people, still use it. We do not care, nigga flows off the tough. In using nigga we not only show disdain but become a nigga when using it and we’re ok with it. This is why I choose Katt Williams, 2006 comedy skit Pimp Chronicle Part 1. In William’s skit he use nigga some 221 times, in 45 minute, that’s about four times per minute. I could not find a better example of someone using nigga. 221 times, he must have something interesting to say if he can find 221 reason to say the word and you know what he did. I could not help but laugh it was funny, but at the end of the day I knew though it may have been funny it was still morally wrong. In Williams, he uses nigga in ways that support Black stereotypes, which make the audience laugh. There is nothing worng with that a mans
In "The Meaning of a Word" and "Being a Chink", Gloria Naylor and Christine Leong examine words of hatred that are meant to scorn, hurt and disgrace people. But these same words could also be used without harmful intentions and in a fashion of endearment amongst the people those words were created for. They each had a different word to discriminate their different culture and ethnicity. These writers discuss the words "nigger" and "chink", which are words in our language mostly ignorant people use. Naylor and Leong are also both minorities who were raised in America. They talk about how discrimination and hatred towards minorities is almost always inevitable in America, which is mostly populated by Caucasians. Naylor and Leong observe how these racial acts of discrimination can unify a group of people even closer together. Naylor didn't know the true meaning of the hate word nigger until it was used against her in a degrading manner. On the other hand Leong already knew what chink meant but wasn't traumatized until she found out her father discovered it.
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.
When it comes to the use of the “N-word”, “nigger”, most of us will readily agree that it is derived from negativity. Where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the question of is this word appropriate and should it be a part of our vocabulary today. Many feel like this word is okay to use but there are some that disagree.
The “N word” as some people call it, is an age old name for people of African American descent. Now where in tarnation did this monstrosity of a word come from? Well of course we look to Latin American Language as the culprit. The word “niger” is Latin meaning “black” and at the time was only used as the name of a color. Eventually, the word “niger” was turned into a noun, a noun being a word for any person, place or thing. The noun formed from the adjective “niger” was “negro”. Which coincidently enough is the word for the color black in Spanish and Portuguese. From these words, the French developed the word “nigre” meaning a black man and “negress” which referred to a black woman. Now I bet you’re wondering how the word “nigger” originated from the word “negro”. Well it is believed that misinterpretation and mispronunciation from white southerners that led to the development of the word “nigger”.
I found several techniques to help me refrain from using this word and other words of its caliber. I started to replace it with words like dude. Recently I have found great satisfaction in improving my vocabulary, although at times I do feel “naked” with the word to fill my gaps. I find that the best remedy for me is to become more articulate. Whenever I feel that the situation calls for a word like that I pick one from may many other word of equal magnitude. In final analysis I will continue power pledge to refrain from the usage of the N-word. Continuing the techniques that I have learned to employ had really help me refrain. I have not used the word since February 25.
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.
Does this artist use the word nigger in the same way that racists have and still are? The answer to this question is a simple one- no. Today’s urban society have changed, not only the definition, but also the spelling of this word, which was once used to belittle those of African-American decent. Now, the definition as proved through today’s urban youth holds many denotations- positive and negative. But has the definition really changed? Or are today’s urban society just being ignorant and socially blinded by the hardships of our ancestors as they continue to use a word that held such great racial tension when used in the 1800’s? Two answers for this one- yes and no. Yes the definition has changed, but not totally to where it’s precedent has been forgotten. In fact, urban youth are so socially powerful that they can take a word and totally flip it and use it within themselves but when one of another race uses it, they return it back to the old definition and the racial remarks commence.
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