A Vexatious Word: What does Rachel Jeantel teach us about racial slurs?

National Review ^ | 07/18/2013 | Kevin D. Williamson

[a fool in paradise]

[a fool in paradise]

That cat is snwording.

[shortstop]

From a couple of years ago: Washington, DC's black Mayor, Anthony Williams, gladly accepted the resignation of his white staff member, David Howard, because Mr. Howard uttered the word 'niggardly' in a private staff meeting.

Webster's Tenth Edition defines the word 'niggardly' to "grudgingly mean about spending or granting". The Barnhard Dictionary of Etymology traces the origins of 'niggardly' to the 1300's, and to the words 'nig' and 'ignon', meaning "miser" in Middle English. No where in any of these references is any mention of racial connotations associated with the word 'niggardly'.

[a fool in paradise]

The definitions of cracka on urban dictionary erroneously trace the word back to the sound a whip makes when it is used by a slave master.

[Revolting cat!]

Maybe we oughta start with the definition of Ms Jeantel as a functionally illiterate idiot, before we willingly accept her definitions of words in this or another dialect. Sheesh!

[a fool in paradise]

If children are going to be allowed to declare themselves boys, girls, trannies, or unicorns and kitties, then Miz Jeantel can declare herself to be a thespian and a word nazi.

She’s new school. You old.

[Frank_2001]

LOL!

[Albion Wilde]

That cat is snwording.

So clever!

[Albion Wilde]

The definitions of cracka on urban dictionary erroneously trace the word back to the sound a whip makes when it is used by a slave master.

See post 54.