It was also, at times, used to refer to anything black. Like, "which cat?" the n----- one."

I know of at least two dogs that were named thusly. One was a friend of mine's family dog from forty or fifty years ago (who his aunt still refers to by name without batting an eye).

It's also the name of someone's pet and a code word in the movie The Dam Busters. [link] Since it is historically accurate there is some kerfuffle about dubbing the movie.

Well, it's a specifically American word -- sounds all Latinate and everything, but it's actually a neologism coined in 1863 by a Democrat* out to smear the Republican Party** by implying that the entire Civil War was all about the Republicans' sooper seekrit white-race-tainting agenda.

Oooh! So it was like the "Politically Correct" of its day. Cool.

that word was in use FAR before the 30's.

Oh, I know that, I was just indicating that it could be used as a book title in the UK that far into the 20th century (they didn't change the title in England until the '60s, I think).

to people other than American blacks, I think that it doesn't have the same visceral impact

Obviously I don't know precisely how much impact it carries to American black people, but my estimation would be that you'd be just about as likely to get punched out by a Jamaican for calling them that. And not just because we're feisty. So it may very well extend further in the Caribbean. One of the funniest moments of my life was being called (enthusiastically) a nigger by a Russian guy, and having the two African woman with me say "What's a nigger?" "I think it's like kaffir."

As for miscegenation, I only use the term to be sarcastic and have never heard it used as simple description, except where illegality was involved. "Interracial" is the word I hear in the other contexts.

I've seen older books use the spelling "nigra", generally when someone of very colonial viewpoint is referring to native folks. It seems to be a phonetic spelling of a particular accent saying Negro. Is that the etymology?

I think it was originally "negar," and then went two different ways, to the more politically correct "Negro" and the deliberately offensive "n***er."

Damn it, y'all got me reading the Teddy Lupin series. Which is actually kind of good....

I like yesterday's chapter, with the Sorting--she did both a really good Sorting Hat song, and that memorial to the fallen was very moving, I thought.

I like yesterday's chapter, with the Sorting--she did both a really good Sorting Hat song, and that memorial to the fallen was very moving, I thought.

I have to remember to check that out this weekend! I really liked the beginning chapters.

I've seen older books use the spelling "nigra", generally when someone of very colonial viewpoint is referring to native folks. It seems to be a phonetic spelling of a particular accent saying Negro.

My very Southern and very racist grandparents said it that way. It was just their accent for "Negro" but it wasn't a nice thing coming from them, either.

I remember one conversation I had with my grandma in the mid-'90s when she used the word "colored," which really took me aback and I almost corrected her, or at least questioned her use of the term, but my dad was sitting there and he instilled in me a rule of "never correct your grandparents about anything, because then you're disrespecting them."

but my dad was sitting there and he instilled in me a rule of "never correct your grandparents about anything, because then you're disrespecting them."

there's definitely something to that, but if they are offending someone, I don't think that there's anything wrong with letting them know, politely.

I went to the University of Virginia, so I dealt with a lot good ol' boys and girls. I went out to dinner with one friend and his family, and his grandmother was there. She was very nice, but at one point turned to me and said "are there many negroes at the university of virginia". Of course my friend and his family were horrified, but I could see that she really was trying to be nice, and in her generation, that was respectful. I just said "well ma'am, there are probably about X number of african-americans here now" She said "african-americans? hm!" as in "this is a new concept, I must ruminate". My friend and his family fell all over themselves apologizing, but I wasn't offended, because I honestly thought that she was trying, and you can't be offended when someone is doing their best.