The N-Word
- Natalie Ham
- Apr 10, 2022
- 3 min read
Updated: May 2, 2022
Please read before proceeding: This article is to be used in an educational sense. My opinion is present, but the goal for this article is to present the information as it is so that the reader can formulate their own opinion regarding who can use the slur researched below. I will not be using the full n-word in this article (it will be censored), but some of my sources listed in my Works Cited List contain the slur in its title.
The notorious n-word. Celebrities, politicians, and anyone in the public eye have been outcasted or removed from their jobs if word got out that they used the n-word. (Although it is true that some have managed to escape from controversy and the repercussions of saying this slur) Of course, the meaning of the n-word has, to an extent, evolved from its original meaning, but that does not mean that the history, the inherent racism, and the pain has dissipated as well.
The Origins
The word “N*gger'' has often been traced to the Latin word for the color black: “niger”. It is from this Latin root that the former term used to call African Americans, “negro” is also derived from. Prior to the current spelling of n*gger, there were subsitutes like “negar, neegar, neger, and niggor” (AAREG).
At its core, the n-word is a derogatory term, a verbal discriminatory act that excluded, limited, defined, and ridiculed all Black people. AAGE says it best:
“Whether used as a noun, verb, or adjective, it strengthened the stereotype of the lazy, stupid, dirty, worthless nobody. No other American surname carries as much purposeful cruelty.”
Below are some examples of how the n-word was used to perpetuate the stereotype written above:
N*gger steak: A slice of liver or a cheap piece of meat.
N*gger stick: Police officer's baton.
N*gger tip: Leaving a small tip or no tip in a restaurant.
N*gger work: Demeaning, menial tasks.
Although these were terms used in the past, the fact that the n-word was essentially thrown around to describe simple items in order to give them a negative connotation shows the commonality of indirect discrimination towards black people. In those days, the usage of the n-word was traditionally accepted. For example, in Mark Twain’s 1887 novel Huckleberry Finn, the n-word appeared 215 times. However, it is not acceptable to use the term in this manner anymore.
Modern Usage
In the modern era, the n-word was the center of a movement where the slur would undergo a transformation from derogation to reclamation. Because of the negative connotations intrinsic with the n-word, the Reclamation Movement wanted to change the meaning of the slur.
Now that you have a brief history of the slur, here is a quick video about who can use the slur.
Video
More
Here are some more resources to better understand the n-word and the consequences of its usage.
Articles:
For those of you who have stayed on this article until its ending
Thank you.
Hopefully you have learned something from this article and understand why the n-word is controversial and why it shouldn't be uttered by those who are non-black. You are helping our society be more conscious of the words we use in our daily conversations.
Works Cited List
Pryor, Elizabeth Stordeur. "The Etymology of Nigger." Journal of the Early Republic, vol. 36, no. 2, pp. 203-45. EBSCOhost, www.infohio.org/launch/?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lfh&AN=115924520&site=ehost-live&scope=site&authtype=url,cookie,ip,custuid&custid=infohio.
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