This thesis deals with the lexeme „nigger“ under the aspect of the ongoing debate about political correctness. The aim is to show, how the word has developed from a neutral meaning to a taboo word and why and where it arouses a great deal of interest in public. Furthermore, I want to analyse, using the example of „nigger“, how offensive words are objectively described and how that is documented in some important monolingual dictionaries of the English language.
The lexical field about and around the word „nigger“ has aroused people’s interest in the last two decades. More and more people from Africa immigrate to Europe due to war, poverty, etc. in their home countries. Expressions for addressing and talking about black people are used more often than in the past and therefore these words gain people’s attention. Especially the term „nigger“ has led and still leads to discussions in public today.
Several incidents have contributed to the growing interest about the word, too. To only name one example amongst hundreds, the death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Florida in February 2012, caused a worldwide discussion about racial discrimination. The African-American student was shot by the 28-year-old neighbourhood watch George Zimmerman, a Hispanic man, who was responsible for the gated community where Martin was living. During an altercation Zimmerman shot the boy who was unarmed. The neighbourhood watch claimed he had acted in self-defence. The fact that he was not charged with murder, due to lack of evidence, made the huge debate about racial discrimination worse (McVeigh 2012). There are a lot of other examples that could be mentioned, where (innocent) black people have been abused by white people with racist motives, even by police force but this is not part of the term paper.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The lexical field nigger
2.1 Nigger in political correctness
2.2 History and etymology of the lexeme nigger
3. Analysis of dictionary entries
3.1 Nigger in dictionaries
3.2 Compounds
4. Conclusion
5. Bibliography
Dictionaries
Secondary Literature
Internet Sources
Research Goals and Core Themes
This thesis examines the evolution of the term "nigger" from a historically neutral designation to a highly offensive taboo word, analyzed through the lens of political correctness and linguistic documentation.
- The intersection of political correctness and evolving language taboos.
- Historical and etymological development of the lexeme "nigger".
- Comparative analysis of how major monolingual dictionaries document the term.
- The sociolinguistic distinction between in-group and out-group usage.
- An examination of compound words and racial stereotypes associated with the term.
Excerpt from the Book
2.2 History and etymology of the lexeme nigger
“Their skin implies more than pigmentation, it implies social inferiority” (Allport 1954: 136).
Many personal descriptions, be it an occupational title or the place of origin, contain prejudices or let us immediately think of a certain stereotype – this is also noticeable when it comes to the lexeme nigger and its derivations or compound words. It is in people’s minds that black people are lazy and aggressive by nature and they are often considered to be drug dealers, too (Kramer 2008: 23 my translation5). However, this has not always been the case and the lexical field of this word underwent some serious changes up to a final change of its actual meaning.
The troublesome word is originally derived from the Latin word for the colour black, which is niger (Kennedy 2003: 4). So, in the beginning it was not meant to be offensive but simply functioned as a designation of origin. Niger developed from a positive to a neutral and finally to a negative meaning (Smitherman 2000: 210). According to Kennedy,
no one knows precisely when or how niger turned derisively into nigger and attained a pejorative meaning. We do know, however, that by the end of the first third of the nineteenth century, nigger had already become a familiar and influential insult (2003: 4).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter outlines the growing public discourse surrounding racial discrimination and the intent to analyze the lexeme "nigger" within the framework of political correctness and dictionary definitions.
2. The lexical field nigger: This chapter covers the impact of political correctness on language usage and provides an historical overview of the etymology of the term.
3. Analysis of dictionary entries: This chapter presents a comparative study of how various monolingual dictionaries define the term, followed by an examination of specific compound words.
4. Conclusion: This chapter synthesizes the findings, arguing that while avoiding the term is a step in the right direction, systemic changes in attitude and education are necessary to combat racial prejudice.
5. Bibliography: This section lists the dictionaries, secondary literature, and internet sources utilized in the research.
Key Words
nigger, political correctness, etymology, racial discrimination, taboo, linguistic development, dictionary analysis, compounds, stereotypes, in-group usage, sociolinguistics, racism, language awareness, pejorative, nomenclature
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this research paper?
The paper examines the historical and sociolinguistic evolution of the word "nigger," particularly focusing on its transition from a neutral term to a highly offensive racial slur.
Which theoretical framework does the author apply?
The author analyzes the lexeme through the lens of political correctness and its influence on modern language usage, awareness, and social taboos.
What is the central research question?
The paper seeks to understand how the word "nigger" has developed into a taboo term and how its offensive nature is objectively documented in contemporary monolingual dictionaries.
Which scientific methods are utilized?
The author performs a lexical analysis, comparing definitions across five different monolingual dictionaries and examining the usage of compound terms related to the primary lexeme.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body covers the etymology of the word, the impact of political correctness on children's literature, a comparative dictionary analysis, and an investigation into pejorative compounds.
Which core concepts characterize this study?
Key concepts include political correctness, linguistic taboo, racial slur, etymological shifts, and the distinction between in-group and out-group language usage.
How does the paper differentiate between "in-group" and "out-group" usage?
The author notes that black individuals may use the term among themselves to express solidarity and respect, whereas the same term, when used by those outside that group, is considered an offensive racial insult.
What findings does the author present regarding dictionary documentation?
The analysis shows that dictionaries increasingly label the term as "taboo," "derogatory," or "extremely offensive," though the consistency of these labels varies between standard dictionaries and those focused on slang.
What is the conclusion regarding the modification of literature?
The author argues that simply censoring or replacing terms in classic literature is not an effective solution, as it fails to address the underlying racial attitudes and circumstances that necessitated such language.
- Quote paper
- Kathrin Unglaub (Author), 2015, An analysis of the lexem "nigger" under the aspect of the ongoing debate about Political Correctness, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/319760
