The Nigger Poll

[Sheilbh]

In the UK, the similar word would be "queer" or "fairy".

No they wouldn't.  I don't think there is an equivalent word, as I said.  All British words for gays have either become common currency ('bugger') or have been used by gays from the start ('poof', 'queer' and so on).

My wife isn't 20 years older than you but she takes an incredibly dim view of that word.

Yeah absolutely, it's not just older people though I think it's more pronounced in that generation.  I mean it's been used on TV a couple of times now. It's become less offensive over the last 5-10 years.  From something you never hear to something you very rarely hear.

But what I'm trying to demonstrate is that certainly in my case this isn't a case of self-censorship or political correctness gone mad.  It's a word that I think is in my brain in the same place with swear words.  It's something you just don't say and it's not because just because it's offensive and it doesn't depend on the company for me and many other people I think.

The other interesting thing is I can't think of a similar word.  This is a racially perjorative term, I believe from the American south, that's more or less gone global and is offensive in languages and cultures were it wasn't a  common phrase.  That strikes me as unique.

[jimmy olsen]

I say cunt all the time.

Yeah I'm pretty liberal with it too, but I think people more than 20 years older than us are very different.

A lot of girls I know will let you use any word but that, you use that word and they'll rip you a new one.

[Sheilbh]

A lot of girls I know will let you use any word but that, you use that word and they'll rip you a new one.

I know a couple of girls who are the opposite.  They find it very annoying that an offensive word for female genitalia is one of the most offensive words in the English language.

I'll come back to this in a few days.  I'm reading a book on linguistics at the minute and it has a chapter on why certain words are offensive. 

[Barrister]

I'll throw another absolutely unmentionable word out there - squaw.

It probably doesn't come up for most of you but trust me - you call a female Indian that word you're pretty much asking for a fight right there.  It's right up there with cunt or nigger in pure offensiveness.

[Eddie Teach]

I'll throw another absolutely unmentionable word out there - squaw.

It probably doesn't come up for most of you but trust me - you call a female Indian that word you're pretty much asking for a fight right there.  It's right up there with cunt or nigger in pure offensiveness.

Did whites originate the word?

[DisturbedPervert]

lol squaw.

I don't think I've ever spoken to one before, but good to know.

[Jaron]

Isn't it funny that white people made up nigger to put black people down for centuries and now that black people use it, they're like GASP! You shouldn't say that word!

[Barrister]

I'll throw another absolutely unmentionable word out there - squaw.

It probably doesn't come up for most of you but trust me - you call a female Indian that word you're pretty much asking for a fight right there.  It's right up there with cunt or nigger in pure offensiveness.

Did whites originate the word?

What does that have to do with anything?

[Eddie Teach]

What does that have to do with anything?

So should I take it it's a feminist thing and they'll get just as angry at male Indians who use the term?

[Neil]

What does that have to do with anything?

So should I take it it's a feminist thing and they'll get just as angry at male Indians who use the term?

Female indians hate male indians.  It's impossible to tell.

[Palisadoes]

I'll throw another absolutely unmentionable word out there - squaw.

It probably doesn't come up for most of you but trust me - you call a female Indian that word you're pretty much asking for a fight right there.  It's right up there with cunt or nigger in pure offensiveness.

What's wrong with "cunt"? I love it when a girl uses that word haha! It's stupid to get all uptight over calling their vagina a "cunt" - it's a 4 letter word for their genitals, much like "dick" or "cock" are for a penis (neither of which is offensive, IMO). I'm quite uncaring with swearing, mind. I just see those words as expressive/emotive.

Anyway, on-topic... if someone was to called me some racial slur I'd probably just laugh. It has no meaning to me. How the hell is "honkey" offensive, anyway!?

[Barrister]

What's wrong with "cunt"? I love it when a girl uses that word haha! It's stupid to get all uptight over calling their vagina a "cunt" - it's a 4 letter word for their genitals, much like "dick" or "cock" are for a penis (neither of which is offensive, IMO). I'm quite uncaring with swearing, mind. I just see those words as expressive/emotive.

Anyway, on-topic... if someone was to called me some racial slur I'd probably just laugh. It has no meaning to me. How the hell is "honkey" offensive, anyway!?

You can argue all you want - the fact is that a lot of people feel very, very offended if you call them certain words.  Most women I know will feel deeply offended if you call them a cunt.  Most blacks will feel deeply insulted if you call them a nigger.

You can argue the whys of this feeling all day long - but it exists.  The fact there's no male equivalent to "cunt" doesn't mean cunt isn't highly offensive.

[Razgovory]

lol squaw.

I don't think I've ever spoken to one before, but good to know.

You know, now that I think of it.  I've never met an Indian.  At least not the Tee-pee Type.

[Palisadoes]

What's wrong with "cunt"? I love it when a girl uses that word haha! It's stupid to get all uptight over calling their vagina a "cunt" - it's a 4 letter word for their genitals, much like "dick" or "cock" are for a penis (neither of which is offensive, IMO). I'm quite uncaring with swearing, mind. I just see those words as expressive/emotive.

Anyway, on-topic... if someone was to called me some racial slur I'd probably just laugh. It has no meaning to me. How the hell is "honkey" offensive, anyway!?

You can argue all you want - the fact is that a lot of people feel very, very offended if you call them certain words.  Most women I know will feel deeply offended if you call them a cunt.  Most blacks will feel deeply insulted if you call them a nigger.

You can argue the whys of this feeling all day long - but it exists.  The fact there's no male equivalent to "cunt" doesn't mean cunt isn't highly offensive.

I wasn't saying that it doesn't exist, more that I think it's stupid that it does exist.

[Grey Fox]

To the OP.

I kinda do, well a less insulting french equivalent my family uses.

I wouldn't say Nigger, only out of fear of getting stabbed in the face.