Under what circumstances, and for whom, is it acceptable to use the "n-word" in conversation? Is it ever acceptable?
When, if ever, is it acceptable for an author to use the word in a book or story?
If the word is in a book or story, should it be spoken in English class? Why or why not?
In your response, answer any or all of these questions.
15 comments:
The "n" word is never acceptable in casual conversation, let alone in formal conversation unintentionally. I say unintentionally in the sense that in no way should it be acceptable to talk about someone with such a vulgar tone to one of a higher authority (for example). There is no place for that word in conversations in school, at home, or any where else. What is interesting about that word's reputation is that, in Twain's case, there did not used to be as much offense taken. But clearly if it has snowballed into a rigid insult, there is no reason why it should all of a sudden be let back into casual conversation.
I believe that authors of present day novels should not use the word to describe a character (in their own words). But i do feel that it should be acceptable for another character in the novel to use that word. That is because the n-word's use then unveils a totally new dimension of the speaker's personality. A sharp and ignorant way of thinking. Therefore it should be acceptable to use the word (not too repetitively) in a novel even though it may be uncomfortable to read. Along with that i believe that the word should be referred to as just that "the n-word" and it should not be acceptable to say even when recalling the novel. I believe this because it alleviates some of the intensity that the word stands for if people feel comfortable enough to actually say it.
Most everybody can agree that "the n-word" is not an acceptable word to use when referring to another person. Using it both either someone's back or to their face is incredibly offensive.
I agree with Kristen that "the n-word" is acceptable for authors to use in a story as dialogue, but not as 3rd person narration. However, Kristen does not consider first-person narration. In the case of first-person narration, "the n-word" is just acceptable as when it is used in dialogue. This is because, as Kristen said, it provides us some insight into the character's personality and worldview. However, it also provides context as to the setting of the story. For example, it makes more sense for an author to include "the n-word" in a story about early twentieth century Alabama than it would for a story about twenty first century Winchester, MA.
Also, in the case of "Huck Finn", "the n-word" is used to show the flaw's of Huck's society, not Huck himself. Huck is shown to be prejudiced against black people at the beginning of the story, just like everyone else around him, but by the end he has lots of respect for Jim.
And finally, I disagree with Kristen in that I feel that the use of "the n-word" in a class discussion should be decided on by the class itself, and that if no-one objects to it, then there is no reason to censor it. It is important that we use words in order to understand them, and not be afraid of words simply because they are offensive. Obviously, the author uses each word for a reason, so we should respect that.
I semi-agree with both Kristen and Sam. The "n-word" is offensive, but what makes it so much more offensive than any other vulgar, or even just mean or rude names people call each other. Society is too concerned with being "politically correct" today. An insult is an insult, (but I will say there are varying degrees of insults). The "n-word" is thought of as worse than other "normal" insults because of its history, and its racist issues, which makes some sense. But why is it worse than other racial slurs? People don't get as angry when they hear "Guinea," "Mick," or "Chink" in movies. People also use them more. Why is the "n-word" as everyone here has said so much worse? And why are insults commenting on someone's race worse than insults commenting on the way they talk or dress, or their hair, or any other features. And derogatory slurs for gay people are used all of the time, they are no less offensive than any racial slurs. People say "that's so gay," or "what a queer" so often, but think that the "n-word" is so much worse. It's like we're in Harry Potter, and everyone is saying "the word that must not be named." There is no curse on the word that causes death eaters to find you.
I understand that it is an offensive word to some people, but some are more offended than others. With Pat Norris, I have an agreement. He can call me whatever he likes, I can call him whatever I like. Neither of us mean anything by it, we are just joking around. I have known him for a while, and he is okay with it. I would never say it to anyone I either don't know, or who finds it offensive.
I am Chinese, and I have been called a "chink" before, but from some people I don't mind. It bothers me when some people say it, maybe I don't know them well enough or I think they are doing it just to be rude, but I tell them if that's how I feel. This is America, the cultural melting pot, I have friends of all different races, and we all joke around with each other. It's not like we are saying things to be racist or mean, it's just a joke we have. It may seem rude to others, but they don't understand.
To bring up my question from earlier, why should we only respect people's right to not be called names they don't like when it is the "n-word." If someone doesn't like being called "fat" should we start to say the "f-word?"
In the case of the book, I believe it is fine for authors to write however they like. Especially in the case of "The Telephone Man," the story would make no sense at all if the "n-word" wasn't used.
For the issue of using it in class, I have no problem with it, but if people in the class are uncomfortable with it, then we should respect their wishes.
In conclusion (sorry about the rant), i do understand why some people can think that the "n-word" is some tabooed word that is never right to say. In my mind though, i don't agree with how society thinks that this particular name is so much worse than any other derogatory or offensive name. People are hurt far more often by everyday insults more than by racial slurs. If people want to respect people, don't only refrain from using one word, respect all people, and everyone's right not to be called a name they don't want to be called.
(P.S. I would have used the actual word in this post, but since everyone before me had been using the "n-word" instead, I thought that I should do the same. Just like when we read Catcher In the Rye, I would have actually said the "Fuck you"s but Ms. Zeuli and everyone else in the class said "F- you," so I assumed that people were uncomfortable using the actual words)
Words are only that, just words. It is the intent behind them that makes a word "bad."
I'm basically in agreement with Kristen, Sam and Michael, and I also share Michael's grievances regarding how the n-word seems to be looked upon as being somehow worse than other racial slurs and "bad words." Why should a certain racial slur be treated as worse than the others, when they are all equally hurtful?
Also, building off the issue of using the n-word in casual conversation and in the classroom, I agree that if there is no one present who is uncomfortable with hearing or using the word, that it can acceptably be used in those environments. The only time it would not be acceptable would be if people were using it to insult those the slur is directed toward. Using a word for educational purposes is fine, although I'm not sure where I stand as far as using it to pal around with your friends.
In the final issue of using the n-word in literature, I think that a book should not be banned from school because it used that word. I think that it is usually a perfectly acceptable, and even a fitting thing to do in certain literature. Like Sam said, in Huck Finn it is used to set an accurate mood for the time period that the book is set in and to communicate flaws about society.
If the word were being used to tell people that they should use the n-word as a slur, then I would say that that book should be banned, but when the word is used so that it is symbolic, representative of the time, and shown to be a bad word, it is acceptable to be placed in literature and taught in schools so long as the teacher explains to the students the meaning and negative connotations of the n-word.
In conclusion, The n-word is, first of all, not particularly more hurtful than any other racial slur. It also should be acceptable to use it in conversation for educational purposes and not to use it as an insult, just as it should be acceptable to use it in literature for symbolic purposes but not to encourage its use. Books with the n-word in it should not be banned just for having the n-word in them and can be taught in class so long as the teacher discourages its use outside of class.
I also believe like many of the others that the n-word is never acceptable in any conversation. It is a degrading comment and always considered negative. I feel that no one needs to use the word so no one should use it if it hurts people's feelings. After thinking to myself and reading specifically Kristen's response, I also remembered that the word was much more accepted in conversation at that specific time. However, as a result of it becoming an insult, I also believe there is no good reason to use the word in any kind of conversation.
I have somewhat of a different opinion in books about the n-word. Like Kristen and I am sure many others, I do not feel it is appropriate for an author to be describing a character and using it. Although, I think it is totally fine to have a character say the word because I respect that the author is trying to convey how life was back then and how a character acted. Therefore, I think the only circumstance in which using the n-word is appropriate is when a character is saying the word in a book. Other then that instance, it is a very uncomfortable use of description which is mainly shown by how we aren't even using the real word in our responses.
Offending people is something we should avoid completely in modern society. In literature, the N-word is used to transmit a story. For example, in “Telephone Man,” the author tells a terrible story about racism in school. Some people use this language so authors need to transmit reality. Authors should not revise what people say and they shouldn’t exaggerate it either. Honesty is important in literature and telling stories. We depend on authors to tell us stories about other people’s lives. Kristen makes a good point in saying that, “there is no place” for this word or even other inappropriate vulgar language. Today we have a better understanding of racism and its effects. We know how dangerous and humiliating it can be because we talk to each other more. Hopefully, by reading these stories in school we will all learn about racism and its terrible effects. Honestly, most of the time when I hear vulgar language it’s because I’m reading a novel in English class.
My opinion of the n-word is varied under different circumstances. I agree with Michael in that words are just words, and can be laughed off by some, but certain words carry much more depth and meaning to others and can be seen as offensive. The n-word is a touchy subject in America, but other words can be equally offensive, for example on the basis of sex, and be seen as acceptable amongst friends.
In literature, it is sometimes necessary to use it, such as in Huckleberry Finn, to convey the time period and the opinion of black people, something that I agree with Kristen on. When trying to convey something, be it through music, art, or literature, I wholeheartedly agree that it is the creator’s freedom to use the word in description. Songs that use the n-word are automatically out of the running for a Grammy nomination today, which I believe it utterly unfair as it could be used in description. Personally I strongly dislike the use of it casually because to me it seems ignorant to see that after all of the steps taken towards equality, it is now being used to make oneself seem cooler. The term “ghetto” is often used I feel to seem cool as well, but most people I know who say it have no idea where it comes from or moments in history when it was used. The n-word to me is degrading a person’s character based on a relatively small amount of DNA which dictates the color of their skin, and has no place in regular conversation. You might argue that I’ve sworn in regular conversation, but words like a**hole do not make me think of being denied a job, being whipped by an owner, or lack of respect based on skin tone.
However, I think that the n-word is seen as extremely rude due to the fact that it conjures all of the racism that has been placed upon the black population, past and present. And yet while this word exists in our society and gets attention, many do not. (I’m not going to sensor these next slurs so that everyone knows what they are). If you were to insult a woman, you might call her a bitch, cunt, whore, etc. To insult a man, you might call him a girl, “mangina”, fag, or pussy. To insult a woman, you call her a woman, and to insult a man you call him a woman, or a term associated with feminine “weakness” (such as fag). In terms of sexuality, words such as “faggot” are not seen as as derogatory as the n-word even though they hold a cruel connotation. I’ve heard people say it in hallways, and yet seen ads on TV warning against offending people by using that word. “Dyke” is a word which today has, like the term “queer” begun to be “re-claimed”. “DykeTV” and “Queer Activist Network” are liberating to many, but are seen as hurtful to many people as well.
My point with these examples is that society often doesn’t realize the history behind many words. I have not been called a derogatory term that I took offense to, yet my family has experienced discrimination based on sex, nationality, and language spoken.
Michael also pointed out derogatory terms such as chink do not receive the same shock value as the n-word, and a U.S. school even used the term as a sports mascot until the 1980’s .(http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb5273/is_200103/ai_n20663336).
Overall, I believe that the n-word is part of our history as humans, as shameful as it is. Art should not have to be banned or scorned because of its use, but I think its use in everyday conversation is debatable, as I believe it is becoming “re-claimed” by the black community, and to some less degrading. For now, I think unless you are using it positively, (which I couldn’t imagine, but then again, queer was once incredibly offensive, can still be an insult, and yet is seen as pride to some), you shouldn’t use it freely.
First off, I agree with Laura that the “n word” should not be treated differently than other racial slurs because like she said, they are equally hurtful to those who the word is being directed towards. If the “n word” is not acceptable to be used in conversation, then any racial slurs should not be used either. Concurring with Kristen, I believe that it is acceptable for characters in books to use the “n word” in conversation with other characters. Especially in book “Huck Finn,” people during that time era used the “n word” in their conversations, so it would be adequate to use such vocabulary in a book’s dialogue. Agreeing with Laura again, I suppose books should not be banned for having the “n word” in them if it is being used the way I just described. However, I believe that it is definitely unacceptable to ever use the “n word” in a real-life conversation with others under any circumstances. The “n word” is a harsh racial slur that should never be said to someone directly, let alone be said when talking about someone.
I have mixed emotions on whether it is acceptable to say the “n word” in class if it is used in a book. If one does say the “n word” in class, they wouldn’t be saying it for it’s negative meaning, but rather just to recite a part of a book aloud. If people do say the “n word” for this reason and not to intentionally offend or hurt anyone’s feelings, I think that this specific scenario would be suitable. However, saying the “n word” often causes much discomfort in a classroom, as I have experienced before, and therefore believe it would be better if people said “the n word” instead of the word itself. If a class is reading a book that uses the “n word” quite often, as we will soon be subjected to when we read “Huck Finn,” I think that as a class we should discuss what we should say when we come across the “n word”. That way, no one will feel discomfort or be offended.
Like Kristen and Kate, I personally do not think the use of the n-word, or any other racial slur, is acceptable and wouldn’t use it. I guess if someone’s friends don’t mind him saying the n-word, then others can’t really tell that person not to use it-- that is if they are not around someone who finds it offensive. I’m not exactly sure why you would even need to use the n-word unless you were purposely trying to insult someone. If it is necessary to point out someone’s race why not just use a less offensive word? Maybe to some a “word is just a word” and you could be using it in jest, but in actuality the n-word has a degrading connotation.
With that said, I do think using the n-word in literature is an exception. The use of the n-word in stories like “The Telephone Man” and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn can make the tale more historically accurate and shed light on a time period when racism was extremely prevalent. If the author’s intent is to use the n-word to create a believable story and not just because they can, then it is justifiable. In terms of using the n-word in the classroom I think it really depends on those in the class and their feelings regarding the word. I suppose its use is understandable if it is somehow used in a way that enriches discussion. Other than that, I think one should refrain from using the n-word, not because it is a “bad word” per se, but to be respectful to others.
I think I am in agreement with everyone else that the “n” word should never be used or tolerated in everyday conversation. I understand some people’s feelings that it may not be more hurtful than any other racial or derogatory slur, but I also feel that the word should not be used in the classroom. It would make many people feel uncomfortable and can be extremely hurtful. Like Kristen said, “there is no place” for this word in our conversations. I agree with Kate, Kristen, and Evelyn (and pretty much everyone else) that it would be acceptable for an author to use the word when writing dialogue spoken by a character or, like Sam said, when the author writes in first person. The author needs to stay true to the characters and the times that they are writing about, so sometimes it will be necessary to use language that is more offensive today than it was then. An author has creative freedom, and his or her works should not be censored by schools because of words that are offensive. Instead, I think teachers should take the time to stress the extremely hurtful, offensive nature of this and all other derogatory slurs. Like Evelyn said, by discussing these stories at school, hopefully everyone will better understand how terrible racism is, and how it has no place in modern society.
It is extremely wrong to use the n-word in a conversation because America has worked so hard to part from segregation and prejudice, that saying it is kind of a slap in the face to the people who had to experience the harsh realities of prejudice America, and their descendants. Equality is an extremely important aspect of modern-day culture, and using the “n-word”, or any other racial slur, is designed to make one race superior to another, which is wrong, especially considering how far our efforts have come as a non-segregated nation. Though I do agree with Michael and think that the “n-word” is overly discouraged in our society among other racial slurs, I feel as though there is an exception with media’s influence over it. The “n-word” is flourishing among new generation hip-hop and rap songs, and is thus in a way encouraging its use among teens. Almost everyone in the world enjoys music, and a large percentage of teenagers listen to hip-hop or rap, which clearly overuses the “n-word”. When teens talk about their new favorite song that happens to contain the “n-word”, is it wrong for them to talk about it and use the word? The answer is yes, even though I think that slowly but surely media is influencing them to think the opposite. Though it seems to be heavily encouraged because of its usage in rap albums, something extremely popular amongst teens, using the word when talking about anything in a conversation is wrong, simply because of its collateral damage—it’s extremely disrespectful and attacks an African-America’s self-worth or position in life, further contributing to a segregated society.
In literature, however, there is an exception about the usage of the “n-word”. If an author uses the “n-word” in a book or story, I find it acceptable if and only if they use it to depict the time period, show a characteristic of a character, create more depth, or further illustrate what they are trying to convey in the story, which is usually the case.
Extra Discussion Question:
Something that I found to be interesting was that while I was looking through lyrics of popular rap artist’s songs, I noticed that while popular black recording artist 50 Cent uses the n-word excessively in almost all of his songs, popular white rapper Eminem only used it once in a song, saying, “I drink malt liquor to f*ck you up quicker/than you'd wanna f*ck me up for sayin’ the word n*gga” (azlyrics.com). Does this make it okay for an African American to call himself or other African American’s the “n-word”, and not okay for a white person to do so? Why is this?
I agree with what pretty much everybody else has said. The "n" word is a very racist word used for pointing out the certain race of African-Americans. This country worked so hard to try to make all of the races equal so to give a name to a certain race sets them unequal to the rest of the other races.
This word was used in the Civil Rights movement and before that to degrade black people. The US is suppose to be done with the Civil Rights, so why are so many people still using this "n" word so commonly like it's not a big deal at all.
The use of this word in the book, "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" is completely different though. This word is not intended to be racist, but instead a technique of getting the reader more into the book. The book is set in the 40's and 50', which is when this word was commonly used. Instead of this book getting in trouble for using it, the book should get good reviews for getting the reader so into the book. By the language they use in the book, it makes you feel like you are right alongside with Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer.
The"n" word sort of also goes along with the other language used in the book. A lot of slang and southern kinds of talking is used to keep the reader more engaged and into the book.
Many people try to argue that they don't like this method, but I think it is a very useful writing tool and I know it keeps me very engaged in reading the book. It's not one of those book where i start to dose off while reading, instead, I am always engaged and just waiting to see what's coming up next.
In the case of the "n" word I agree with Kristen's view that it should never be used in casual conversation. In fact, it is my opinion that it should be avoided at all costs. It is also unacceptable in ay form of formal conversation. It is a word, which puts one person above another and is therefore unacceptable in a society in which all people are, and should be, considered equal.
However, I have a different view of it in literature. In literature I believe that to prove a point and if it is justified, then the "n" word is partially more accepted. However, I do not feel at liberty to say whether or not it is acceptable given the fact that I do not fully understand how it feels to be offended in such a way. In the case of "Huck Finn" I feel that the reasoning behind its placement on the Banned Book List is both justifiable and unreasonable, because for everyone the tension that accompanies the word differs.
Finally in the case of whether or not it should be spoken in class itself, I think that it is not a good idea. Especially because someone may not speak out about how much a word affect them and it is therefore not a good idea to even make that a possibility.
I am so glad Sofia brought up the use of the n-word in songs! I actually had a very extensive reply typed out about this topic yesterday, but I felt that I seemed racist or prejudice in my response, so I deleted it and started again. I had the same speculations as Sofia. Normally, I would say that it is never appropriate to use the n-word, but seeing as how many African-American musicians use the term in their lyrics, I began to reconsider my original opinion. I know that I would never be comfortable with calling someone the n-word, nor word I be comfortable hearing someone else say it to another person. But when I hear it in popular songs makes it seem like the n-word is OK for African-Americans to use with each other. Obviously I am not an African-American and I cannot speak for that aspect of American culture, but that is the message that I am getting from lyrics by black artists that contain the n-word.
On to a new subject, I would like to say that I believe the full term is acceptable to use in literature because it makes the reader fully understand the situation. If the n-word was used instead of the full term in Huckleberry Finn, the reader would not completely comprehend the severity of the racism and discrimination in the book. Each word in a story is carefully selected to have a specific meaning, and the n-word needs to be used to convey to the reader exactly what the feelings are in the story.
Lastly, I agree with Micheal and Emily that a word is just a word and that sometimes derogatory terms must be used to reinforce the true meaning behind it. What I mean by that is by using the term “n-word” the connotation seems less severe. However, when the actual term is used, the impact of it and the raw meaning is much more powerful. Although I feel that it is important to use the full term, I am not comfortable using the n-word, and I am not even comfortable with hearing it spoken by others. I think that we would need to take a poll in class to see which term people are comfortable using before we begin using either the “n-word” or the full term.
Along with what mostly everyone else has said I feel that you use of the "n-word" in conversation is never acceptable. We should not be using a word that is definitely going to insult people around us. Why should we use this word? I can understand what Michael was saying about how a word only has power and meaning if we give it that, but the fact of the matter is that this word is extremely offensive and degrading to many people and it is not acceptable to use it solely for the significance and meaning it has to some people.
As for using it in the classroom, I personally do not feel comfortable writing it, let alone saying it. I definitely feel that the class should vote as a whole before we deicide to use it in class discussion or not. If people in the class are offended by it then we should definitely not be using it.
For my opinion about the use of the "n-word in literature, I feel that this is an acceptable acceptation. I agree with what Kristen said about how an author should never use the word themselves to describe a person, but as far as a character using the "n-word" I think that it is fine. Like in Huck Finn, if the word had not been used at all, or referred to as the "n-word" the book would not have accurately shown what life and society was like during that time period. The book supplies valuable incite on what life was like back then and shows us how different times were when Huck Finn would have been alive. It was not a derogatory term back then, but simply an every day term that was familiar and accepted. In modern times, this word has become tabooed in our society, like Michael said. Most people are very uncomfortable to say it for fear of offending someone. This is shown through all of our class discussion. Everyone has used the term "n-word" rather than the actual term. None of us are actually comfortable using the term, because we are afraid of offending each other.
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