A Question about the "N" word?

Question

What does N****r mean. The definition of n****r is : ______________ I don't want to know what people mean to say when they say it. I want to know the real meaning. A n****r is : WHAT

And why do people call other people that? For that matter, why do people like Mr Cent. ( fifty Cents) sing songs in which they often employ that word. Don't black people get offended by this when they hear his songs. Has anyone protested against Mr. Cent or other singers that use this word, and if not, then, WHY ? Is it because they are rich or because black people are scared that he will try and kill them, that it's OK for them to say this word.

Do black people like to be called this way?

Why do black people banalize the word, is it to make it normal and accepted to use in normal conversations? They must want everyone to use this word, right? for what reason

MAIN QUESTION :

Do black people like to get called by a degrading word, ... if they dont,
why dont black people do things so that other people stop using ( overusing,/banalizing) this word.

If they don't do anythign , they must like getting called by a degrading term.

Answer 1

I don't like the word and I don't use it. But why does it seem ok to use terms like "cracker", "trailer trash" etc. on White people?? I don't think that is right, either...

Answer 2

Why and how does any word gain power. It is given. I say this all the time. Queer - used to mean strange F.ag - was a cigarette, Gay - was happy, and the rainbow was a symbol of gods love. People can take things, twist into the most disparaging monster. Words don't have power, people and people's ideas have power. Before this age of super fast mass media, there are southern black people who would tell you that ******* was what they were called as a name of a people. And that to be called black was an insult (This comes from either Dick Gregory or James Brown). But anyway when you let someone else define things, then you allow them the power to define you. If it is a global definition that everyone can agree on (not some so called scholar) then so be it. I could go on but I get tired of arguing the point.

Answer 3

Well, I am not a Black person, but I can say this: It is just a nasty sounding word. I hear people of color calling each other by this name, but it is more 'n***a' not spelled with an 'er'.
Also I know that the word comes from the word *****, which means black, and slave owners called them ****** as an insult, and was a very demeaning phrase used to belittle the slaves they owned and to intimidate them.

It is a word I believe should be stricken from our vocab, and never used again.

If someone is using the word to describe someone who is lacking in education, is rude, and totally anti-social, I know of many from a lot of different races. Not just the Black race!!

Don't use the word. Or words like it to describe anyone from another race. We are all human beings who deserve respect, even those who don't give it, the only way they will understand respect is if it is given without regard to who they are, or what they do!
If you respect others, you get it in return. There is no use dis-respecting someone because you THINK they dis-respect you. If you treat EVERYONE equally, you will be treated better by EVERYONE, not just the people you know!!

UPDATING MY ANSWER:

I didn't look anything up it is just my opinion of the word, and even if you hear people of color using the word amongst themselves, why do you care? I mean why bring the subject up? As you see it gets you a lot of attention you wouldn't want if you asked this quesion to a room full of strangers!

Answer 4

N*gg*r is a racist term that is used to reference people of African heritage. This is a bad word, along with all other derogatory terms used to address ethnic groups. Even the term red-neck is included in this category.

N**ga is a pop-culture term which 50 Cent uses that is derived from the racist term but is predominately used by some Blacks when they refer to each other. It's like a term that identifies them as having come through the same struggles. Using this word generally shows a low-class mentality, IMHO.

The only way you can find out if Black people like to be called that way is to call them that way and see what happens. If you're not Black, and use it in the improper context, you probably won't live to tell the tale.

Answer 5

I'm black and yes I get offended when I hear another black person use the word as well as a random person on the street. Along with degrading women, that's the number one reason why i do not listen to rap music. It's just degrading and a misrepresentation of some blacks throughout America. I laughed when you said the reason why no one would stand up to him is because they're scared of getting shot. Most people don't listen to they lyrics thoroughly enough they listen to the beat and think it's the latest and greatest thing ever created. I on the other hand do listen to the lyrics and no I'm not scared of "Mr.fifty cent". It's almost as if you're making a mockery of the word rather than asking a logical question. You really need to rephrase this question because I assure you that not all black do this or appreciate the use of the word regardless of who is saying it.

NO ONE should use that word regardless of the reason.

Answer 6

In the Webster dictionary the definition of a N***er is a person with a black and evil heart, so according to that anyone can be a N, not just black people. It does not say black skin, it said black heart, so I don't know why people choose to associate that word with black people only. I know a lot of whites and other people of other races who fall in that category (I did say people, not the entire race) so don't get me wrong that I an stereotyping an entire race. As far as the word being acceptable as in 50 cents music and others,I can't speak for anyone else but I find it offensive and unnecessary and just plain ignorant, no matter who said it.

Answer 7

The term ****** is now probably the most offensive word in English. Its degree of offensiveness has increased markedly in recent years, although it has been used in a derogatory manner since at least the Revolutionary War. Definitions 1a, 1b, and 2 represent meanings that are deeply disparaging and are used when the speaker deliberately wishes to cause great offense. Definition 1a, however, is sometimes used among African-Americans in a neutral or familiar way. Definition 3 is not normally considered disparaging—as in “The Irish are the ******* of Europe” from Roddy Doyle's The Commitments—but the other uses are considered contemptuous and hostile.
–noun 1. Slang: Extremely Disparaging and Offensive. a. a black person.
b. a member of any dark-skinned people.

2. Slang: Extremely Disparaging and Offensive. a person of any race or origin regarded as contemptible, inferior, ignorant, etc.
3. a victim of prejudice similar to that suffered by blacks; a person who is economically, politically, or socially disenfranchised.

Answer 8

That term is usually used as a familiar term between black people and black people only. They get really angry/offended when white people use it, because white people tend to say it in a very derogatory manner. Back in slave days, or when they weren't treated equally, the 'N' word was used in correlation to their skin tone. It was meant to belittle them and they were treated as inferior. To me, the word means: nasty, predjudiced, rude, crude, disrespectful. And I must be honest, I have used that word to purposely piss someone off when they were behaving in the same manner as I just described. I would say, "Quit acting like a ....."

And, I must say, it still is quite a matter of predjudice when a black person can say it, but a white person can't. But, then, think about other things in life - and it is consistent with that(BET, JET, etc.) Whites can not have that type of selective entertainment as it is considered as being predjudiced.

Enough said from me... Your gonna get a lot on this one!

Answer 9

Both ***** and noir (and therefore also nègre and ******) ultimately come from nigrum, the accusative form of the Latin word niger, meaning "black". (wikipdeia)

The reason why it is not acceptable for people to use this word is because for years, it was a term used to debase an entire section of the worlds population. Originally, it was a term used to called a human being by a descriptive word (see definition above - accusative way to say black, means saying 'that is black). Much the same way as people who don't know an animals' name would call it cat, horse, or dog.

After decades of using this word as a mean way of calling a person, of putting them down, of making them do what you wanted, it is understandable that people, black or white, don't like to hear this term. A woman who has previously suffered physical abuse will IMMEDIATELY be brought under control from the slightest threat of physical abuse, it is much the same response when this term is used today. It is MEANT to debase people, to make them feel unimportant.

The REASON why it is OKAY for black people to use this word is because it is a way for them to take their power back. To take the use of this word away from everyone else, so that only they may use it when they see fit. It is THEIRS now, they have the power of the word in their hands, and they'll be darned if they will ever let someone take it away from them and hold that kind of power over them again.

When someone calls you a name, they are trying to bring you down, and to squish your humanity and spirit. But if you call yourself by that same name, you are declaring yourself to be however you see yourself, and it is you, standing up and being proud of who you are and where you come from.

It is no different than any other term. I proudly declare myself to be Aussie, but i'm sure that there are people in the world that view aussies as lesser people, and would not say the word 'aussie' the same way as i do.

EXCEPT that this term was used for years upon years as a way of defining someone as a 'lesser being.' HOW DARE we still try to use this word, if one small thing that people can do to help give someone back their power is not use a word anymore, then who are we to deny them that?

As far as the word being in songs:

The New York City Council passed a resolution on February 28, 2007 that symbolically bans the use of the word ******. There are no penalties for non-compliance. The resolution also asks that songs including the word ****** in their lyrics be excluded from consideration for the Grammy Awards.[9][10] (wiki)

Answer 10

The word comes from the Latin *****/Negra, meaning black. The word evolved in English into its current forms with its offensive implications. In America things have gotten complicated between colours and classes. Not necessarily so in other countries. For example, in Australia, neither ***** nor black are offensive words. In South Africa, 'coloured' (implying an interacial mix) is more offensive than black, while in Australia, to some extent, coloured is considered exotic and desirable.

Answer 11

You can look the definition up in the library. For years, it was a term of derision used by white people when referring to blacks. However, between blacks, it was more like a rank-out term. For a certain cultural group to use an otherwise derisive term as a common term is not all that unusual. Italians use the phase "bocca galut" quite often as if it meant "how are you" , when it really means "kiss my butt"