Meaning Of The Word Nigger

497 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: The effects of racism at school

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?” If the white, Hispanic, or any other race calls us a nigger, we as black people become hostile. Now that I have put more thought into that incident, I ask myself who do we think we are calling ea...

Show More
Related

  • Analysis Of Blood Done Sign My Name By Timothy Tyson

    1020 Words  | 3 Pages

    Flashing forward a few years later past the days of Jim Crow and the fight for civil rights, several, but not all in the younger generation see the members of the black and white race as equal and find it hard to fathom that only a few years ago the atmosphere surrounding racial relations was anything but pleasant. Whites and blacks have co-existed for many hundreds of years, but as Tyson points ...

    Read More

  • Emily Bernard Teach The N Word Summary

    916 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Gloria Naylor's The Meaning Of A Word

    425 Words  | 1 Pages

    Moreover, the racial terms can be a projection of more positive definitions and interpretations that can establish individuality. In “Meaning of a Word” by Gloria Naylor, she talks about instances where adults of her community/race have references of the ‘n-word’ that differs from how society or individuals who may use it.

    Read More

  • Can the Nerd and The Nigga Coexist?

    1215 Words  | 3 Pages

    What is a nerd? What is a nigga? Before the question can the nerd and nigga coexist can be answered the nerd and the nigga must be defined. According to dictionary.com a nerd is an intelligent but single-minded person obsessed with a nonsocial hobby or pursuit (“Nerd”). What is a nigga? The legendary Smokey Robinson once said “I think it’s a shame that every few years black people get a change of name,” but nigga was one of the earliest names, probably the first name after black or African (Robinson). Back in slavery days the slave masters use to call the slave “niggers,” the term “nigga” is just the slang version of the word nigger. Today the word is only respectfully used by black to other black people. The use of the word by the white race is thought of as being highly disrespectful. Early 1990’s “gangsta” rap artist revived or more so reclaimed the word in their music (“N-Word’). Today black people use the word as form of affection or endearment. It’s common to go out and hear a black person greet another black person by saying, “What’s up nigga,” and their goodbyes will...

    Read More

  • Comparison of the Two Essays "The Meaning of a Word" and "Being a Chink"

    971 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Origins of the N-Word

    1380 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Nigger: Historical and Current Use

    3576 Words  | 8 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Racism In Children Of Men

    1632 Words  | 4 Pages

    In today’s world, people would like to think that racism no longer exists, at least not in the way it use to exist in the past where the people could be lynched or beaten or arrested just for the color of their skin. Racism today are stereotypes based on a person’s skin color, for instance if that person is a Hispanic or a Latino they are probably an illegal immigrant or if they are African American with dark skin they probably have a criminal record. Many racist stereotypes are usually targeted to the African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos that live in the United States. Besides the stereotypes they are the slur words used against them as insults, such as using the N word or the word “black” for African

    Read More

  • Names and Titles in Gloria Naylor's novel, Mommy, What Does Nigger Mean

    1432 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...round the family. While terms such as "nigger" remain excruciatingly prevalent in today's society, victims of racist slurs have found healthy ways of dealing with the abuse. By projecting new meanings onto old words and focusing on the ever-changing names for African Americans for reassurance, the victims' strengths allow them to reroute hate, instead creating a more positive recognition of intelligence, beauty, and individuality.

    Read More

  • Racism in America - Past and Present

    2883 Words  | 6 Pages

    Racist and racism are provocative words in American society. To some, they become curse words. They are descriptive words of reality that cannot be denied. Some people believe that race is the primary determinant of human abilities and capacities and behave as if racial differences produce inherent superiorities. People of color are often injured by these judgements and actions whether they are directly or indirectly racist. Just as individuals can act in racist ways, so can institutions. Institutions can be overtly or inherently racist. Institutions can also injure people. The outcome is nonetheless racist, if not intentional (Randall).

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Mommy What Does Nigger Mean

    951 Words  | 2 Pages

    In these two short essays, “Mommy, What Does ‘Nigger’ mean”? written by Gloria Naylor and “Black Men in Public Space,” written by Brent Staples, both provided literal as well as inferred message. They emphasise the effects that determine how a person thinks and acts based on a stereotype about African Americans. The way words and behavior/actions can impact the way racial identity is formed or perceived, as each minority group has a word that is used towards them that identifies them. Based upon the word, it can be the way people view them as a whole. For example, the derogatory word nigger is used towards the African American race.

    Read More

  • Racism

    593 Words  | 2 Pages

    The reason why I know racism exists is because I’ve been called names and have seen it happen to others before. Throughout my high school experiences and being out in the world lets me know that it’s out there. I used to think African Americans were the only targets but I’ve seen and read about other races also. I was reading an article in Vibe magazine a twenty-two year old male was shot 41 times by police for being accused of committing a crime he didn’t do. Him and his family were from New Guinea. I’ve seen the foreign exchange students get picked on at school just for being different than all the other students at my high school.

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Individual Social Responsibility

    992 Words  | 2 Pages

    Which is what caused racism to transform from people disliking each other, to the permanent foundation of common racism and prejudice in America. During the Civil Rights Movement, activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. made a name through his inspirational and empowering speeches regarding justice towards people of color. One of his most famous speeches, “A Letter From Birmingham Jail” responds to the letter that the eight clergymen asking Dr. King Jr. to stop protesting in Alabama. Dr. King responds to this letter respectfully, but at the same time with a reverence tone. In the letter, he states, “Oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever. The yearning for freedom eventually manifests itself, and that is what has happened to the American Negro. Something within has reminded him of his birthright of freedom, and something without has reminded him that it can be gained.” Dr. King was trying to promote a non-violent protest but was also aiming for the African American community to start taking their social responsibility by push an equal amount of force on the justice system. Racism is said to have been obtained from many places, one of the most common ideas being your childhood. As a child, you are defying your parents to help you become who you are. Part of involves their own choices, of which children don’t have the maturity to inquire on their own. They rely on their parents, and this is often where the problem begins. If you were told all Asians are smart, all whites are superior, oral blacks are slaves, you can see you are going to feel this way about them. Even if we allow ourselves to get to know the truth about different races, this will always be in the back of our mind. “Actually, time itself is neutral; it can be used either destructively or constructively. More and

    Read More

  • Racial Slurs

    328 Words  | 1 Pages

    In a society where people of color make racial slurs and hurt each other mentally and physically, do you actually think that we can live together as “One Human Race”? Many people have different thoughts and have their own opinions on Religion, Political Beliefs, and if races should come together as one. Not saying that the nation coming together is impossible but many people were born and taught to view color in a certain way. Some people are just taught or told to discriminate against people and be rude saying racial slurs that may be offensive towards that individual. You never know what someone is going through so you should never talk about them in a way you wouldn't want to be talked to. Younger children watch and hear the tv shows, even

    Read More

  • Essay On African American Racism

    1083 Words  | 3 Pages

    History has proved that racism has prevailed for centuries, and despite what newer generations like to believe, it unfortunately very much exists today. Caucasian police officers are known to stop African Americans in particular, assuming they are doing something wrong. Attacks such as lynching still take place and come with the systematic racism still taking place in the United States. African Americans still face discrimination in an array of settings (Feagin and McKinney 2003:46-50). Native American mascots also prove to induce racist behaviors, providing stereotypes to Native Americans as barbaric and “savages”. Rival schools will even resort to referring to the Trail of Tears in defeating the school for something as trivial as a football

    Read More

More about Meaning Of The Word Nigger

Open Document