It doesn't have a negative connotation. It has a homonymic association.

I agree. That said, I think I'd use "niggardly" in written communication rather than verbal. Basically because of the homonymic thingie -- people hear it and their brain makes the immediate connection; I know *I* do.

Addendum: To me the word "niggardly" has the connotation of a moral failing whereas "stingy" skews a bit more towards mean and petty. More of a compulsion. And that's a useful distinction worth maintaining. I don't insist on it, however, and if I were in a social situation where there was even a chance of it being misheard or misconstrued I wouldn't use it.

What about "parsimonious"?

Disappointed at the stigma on the word "niggardly." But not that big a disappointment in the grand scheme of things, and certainly not an issue to raise out of the blue. Can't remember if I've ever had occasion to use it.

It doesn't have a negative connotation. It has a homonymic association. I'm not going to stop using "country" because it's got the rude "cunt" in it.

You're splitting hairs and comparing apples to oranges here both. Country's used a hell of a lot more in everyday language than niggardly, and you're not going to think about the cunt part until you're about 12 when it's suddenly hilarious.

Is viscerally negative homonymic association precise enough for you?

What about "parsimonious"?

I wouldn't want to offend any parsons!

Or persimmons.

I kid.

Different meaning. "Parsimonious" could be a virtue. It has a much less negative sense.

To me, there are no exact synonyms because each word shades differently. That's there are different words even if in English we may have both the Anglo-Saxon and the Latinate word for the same thing. Because each culture has a different set of cultural baggage about that thing. And the sounds is different which does affect meaning.

The homonymic element is something that poets exploit all the time. You can stretch the meaning slightly by pushing that association. It's all very elastic.

Or persimmons.

Fuck the persimmons!

Not literally.

Different meaning. "Parsimonious" could be a virtue. It has a much less negative sense.

Interesting. I've always read it with a negative connotation.

It has a nice ring to it, though. Like "harmonious."

Harmony: "Cacophony. That's pretty. What's it mean?"

and you're not going to think about the cunt part until you're about 12 when it's suddenly hilarious.

I think about it fairly often because Carlene Carter didn't realize her parents Johnny Cash and June Carter were in the audience one night when she introduced a song by saying, "This'll put the cunt back in Country" and June turned all red and upset.

I'm not taking a hard stand on "niggardly" and indeed just acknowledged that the sound association is a factor in word choice. However, I am not willing to bow to offended sensibilities in all instances and insist on retaining the word. People that say that there are available synonyms are - to me - are incorrect. There are less nuanced choices.

I am not removing "gypped" from my vocabulary anytime soon, either, despite its cultural baggage.

I think there is a danger bending language constantly towards its least offensive, most ameliorated, endlessly qualified word choices.

But I'm not being disingenuous either, or ignorant of cultural context. I know historically how language has been used to demean and restrict. But I think that the deciding factor in word choice is always fluid and balances the vigor of the language against offending people.

Taking offense is quite literally censorious. It's a necessary and useful social pressure but people shouldn't do it lightly.