Does N-Word Make A Difference?

Some people will call this a term of endearment, others will call it the abbreviated way of calling someone my ‘Nigger’. The thing about this commonly used term, however, is that it is really just fueling a fire that needs to finally be extinguished. How can WE as African-Americans be expecting a change in others perceptions if we ourselves are feeding into this fire of hatred.

When some think about the word nigger they immediately think about negativity and some might even venture to say that it is a "bad" word. It takes you back to a time when blacks were oppressed and demoralized. When blacks were looked at as inferior and not worthy to obtain equal rights in America. But that was decades ago and it is now the 21st century. Not only have we changed the spelling of the word, by dropping the er and adding a, but the definition has changed also. According to Gloria Naylor, we have took our "past history of struggle and present survival against the odds" and transcended the word nigger into a "victorious statement of being". So a word that was used to depict

In the English language, the word "nigger" is an ethnic slur, usually directed at black people. The word originated as a neutral term referring to people with black skin, as a variation of the Spanish and Portuguese noun negro, a descendant of the Latin adjective niger . It was often used disparagingly, and by the mid-twentieth century, particularly in the United States, its usage became unambiguously pejorative, a racist insult. Accordingly, it began to disappear from popular culture, and its continued inclusion in classic works of literature has sparked controversy. In the contemporary United States and United Kingdom, using the word is taboo, and it is often replaced with the euphemism "the N-word". "Nigga" is sometimes used among African Americans in a non-derogatory sense or as a term of endearment. Etymology and history

If it was used in a friendly manner as in to identify a friend the word must not be used. For example, in today’s time many rappers in the music industry embrace the word and use it casually. Hip-Hop culture has influenced the mainstream use of this belittling term. The problem with this is that it can only make racial slurs more socially acceptable. Some people take offense to the use of this word while others don’t care. For instance, in 2001 when Jennifer Lopez released her song “I’m real” featuring Ja Rule she used the word “nigga” in the song. For some people they honestly did not mind, but the majority of people took offense to her use of the word and went crazy about it. She took a lot of flak for the use of the word although she did not intend to offend anyone she still did because the word is a racial slur. The only acceptable time the word should be used is to educate people on the historical context of the word. The history behind the word has a strong shadow over the word which will never fade, which is why people ought to never forget the history behind the term.

The word has been put to other uses. Some African- Americans, for example, use "nigger" amid themselves as a word of affection. But this is usually done with a sense of cynicism that is established upon a comprehension of the words ’s racist commencement and a close bond with the person to whom the word is being expressed to. Today's urban community has altered the meaning and the spelling of this word. Which was once used to denigrate those of African-American ancestry. Now, the meaning as manifested through todays adolescence, it holds several denotations both good and bad. Has the meaning really changed? Or is today's community just uneducated and blinded by the privations of our predecessors, when they continuously use a world that was intended to oppress black people in the 1800’s. If I was to ask someone which of the two was the racial slur they would most likely say “nigger,” but in reality, there is no real difference one word was taken from the other and that means that both are racial slurs. When they word in question “nigga” is used, most people find no offense to it because it’s used in a different context, but how is it any different from “nigger,” just because someone self-proclaims it to be an endearing term doesn’t mean that it automatically is. What made people think that they can just change that meaning of a racial slur to “homie” or “bro,” that’s not how it works, but that seems to be what is taking place at this moment. According to Kim Hong Nguyen’s

When I say Nigga and when a white person does I feel the meaning behind both are different. Slavery began not so long ago only a couple hundred years and the word began as a way of dehumanizing us and as a way to fit us into a group to make us feel less than. There are chains,blood,sweat,rape,greed,envy,hate,,lust,disgust and shame molded in that word. For years oppressors would yell it and call for us with it. When I hear anyone who isn’t black say Nigga/Nigger, I hear and rememebr and see all of the hate and everything we’ve fought so hard against.When I hear people say “Well You can call us cracker” To that I would say, yes we could but what would be the point. Their is not power behind our words. We are not in a position where we can inforce the word and make it mean something as powerful as Nigga or Nigger. White people were never taken from their country to be sold and traded. The word Nigger is loaded full to the brim with actions,choices,feelings expressed upon my ancestors ebony backs.

It was a the main word back in the 1800’s and up till the civil rights movement. The N word is a very strong word, with repercussions coming for whoever speaks it. The N word is used in many black neighborhoods and ghettos, as the N word is slung to one another constantly. Racism will continue to be prevalent if the N word is still used in predominantly black communities. The N word has racism written all over it, and societies will not make progress towards eliminating racism if the N word is still used, Kevin says, “I am never again going to utter the word “nigger” to describe myself, to describe Black people, to paint a picture of a certain type of mentality born of racial oppression, self-hatred, confusion, of ignorance…”(45). Societies that use the N word to describe one another, is destroying progress made to ending racism. The word is commonplace in rap and inner city cultures, making the word seem acceptable to say in society. Using the n word is not acceptable in any culture in the United States. The amount of hatred towards Black people the word expresses is sickening, and we must make advances in society to eliminate the word from our

The N-word is an insult to our ancestors; the content in which you use the word doesn’t deny it’s derogatory meaning. What’s the point of bringing back and using a word that white people used to use to degrade people of color? It’s so much more than just a word, there’s a sad and depressing history associated with this word. A professor once said, “ The poison is still there. The word is inextricably linked with violence and brutality on black psyches and derogatory aspersions cast on black bodies..a word that has tormented generations of African-Americans...Among many young people today-black and white-the N-word can mean friend”. We live in a society where the word is so common; it’s often used by the descendants of the people who had to

The ABC sitcom tv shows Blackish is made by Kenya Barries. This comedy show focuses on an upper-middle-class African American family. On the season two episode one, ‘The Word’ is one of the shows that Blackish relates the problems or what 's going in the society in the show. This season was released on 2015, focusing on the use of the word ‘nigga’. It captures the possessiveness Drey the main character was displayed throughout the show. On Blackish episode one, the show is centered on the eight years old Jack who was doing the talent show. Jack starts dancing and rapping to the song “Gold Digger”, Soon after the dance, Jack starts saying the word nigga, following the lyrics of the song. Apparently, the school has a law that was passed down by Jack 's mom that you 're not allowed to say the ‘n’ word. After Jack breaks this rule, the shows later on then display the actions Drey takes to give his eight years old kid to have the right to say the ‘n’ word. Drey talks about how blacks have the right to say the ‘nigga’ word and not whites. He then goes on to tell us about how his generation had fought to get the word ‘nigga’ back from whites and should not be given back to them. On the ABC tv show, Blackish episode one of season two presents us with a lot of current problems the society is facing with the word ‘nigga’, this sitcom show grasps on the possessiveness of the word, the hold of history and background, teaching us throughout the show the rights blacks have on this word.

The word “nigger” has been around since the beginning of our nation. It has made an appearance in numerous songs, speeches, and even literary classics such as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Over the years, the word and its meaning have changed drastically to mean positive things in the black community, however the original insult is still present in some contexts. Many believe we should prohibit the use of the word as best we can in order to put an end to the negative uses. However, I believe that we should instead be working towards changing the meaning of the word forever instead of condemning it. Although many argue the “n” word should be censored at all times, I believe it should not be censored because it is vital in understanding out nation's past, the meaning of the word has adapted throughout time to be positive, and condemning it would only allow the word to sustain its negative meaning.

I always got annoyed when African Americans would use the word nigger all the time in their conversations, songs, and raps; but if any other race uses the word, its RACIST.

This act comes from different types of attacks upon black people because it is an encounter to a discouragement jokes reflect toward blacks. It is completely a signature term of racial racism. For instance, I had taken African-American study in my senior year of high school, and I remembered reading many poetries on African-American slavery. There were inappropriate phrases such as “nigger of colored people or colored slavery” that several writers had indicated in the African-America poetry. It not acceptable for black people were being treated likes a human with any soul. It was commonly for people to use N-word in the past and future. However many young teens and adults in the Blacks community seemed to forget about the freedom rights for black slavery, they simply used the N-word casually in everyday speaking and cursing as well. Over decades, the Blacks ancestors were fighting for their freedom of slavery. Any ethic groups should not forget about a human right and a human dignity. Again, Nigger is a strong word that it can make a bad impact in the social. Since stereotype will continue to growth unless people are willing to slowly prevent the term is being

“Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.” (Proverbs 18:21) Words are powerful. Words are capable of expressing one’s views, sparking wars and leaving scars. They have the power to endear, separate, and communicate. The censorship of dangerous words, such as racial slurs, in school curriculum has drawn many controversial opinions. Racial slurs, according to dictionary.com, are a derogatory or disrespectful nickname for a racial group (Dictionary.com). Specifically for the African American race, the racial slur is the N- word. The usage of the N-word in its modern form has become more prevalent in society. Boundaries of its usage are grey in political, educational and social environments. Leaders, teachers and often society as a whole fail to appropriately recognize the true meaning of the African American racial slur. Because modern youth have unreliable sources, false knowledge and twisted views from which they draw their insight on the origin of the N-word; misinterpretation is common thus leading to its misuse. Misuse occurs when the true definition is not taken into consideration when teaching, using, or referencing the N-Word. This generation of young minds lack the unbiased education, the historical insight and cultural knowledge of the N-word needed to fully understand its meaning; consequently, modern youth are desensitized to the N-word. Insensitivity causes racial issues.

In the documentary directed by Todd Larkins, he shows the history of the “N” word and the different meaning it has depended on the context. It shows that when the word was first used, it was used to express a group of people that had a dark skin color. It became an offensive word based on the way it was used.

This topic has always been a question people have asked, there is not completely correct answer. Even if there was people would still continue using the word. Anyone who saying nigga should care about if they’re allowed to say that word because they should know how the word originated.