“THE N-WORD”

CONTEXT

• Considered to be a racial slur, regardless of context of its use
• Viewed as being explosively derogatory when directed towards African Americans

Nigger is widely considered to be “one of the most racially offensive words in [English]” as well as “the most noxious racial epithet in the contemporary American lexicon” (Hom, 2008)

CONTEXT

• For many people, the word is viewed as a slur regardless of context, arguments for its eradication from the English language
• Harsh bans on use of the word (eg. NFL’s zero tolerance policy on its use)

PROBLEM

• Only provides a singular reflection on the semantic meaning of the word, without regard for context of its use
• For instance, ‘nigger’ can be used as an expression of camaraderie rather than derogation, particularly when used in an in-group setting among African Americans

“The N-Word”, in its alternative form, ‘nigga’ has “a variety of meanings from positive to neutral” (Smitherson, 1994)

PROBLEM

• How then can we precisely distinguish its intended meaning, whether used as a slur, or otherwise?
• Hence, important to explicate the lexical meaning of what constitutes a slur word

Significance of using NSM as methodology for analysis

SIGNIFICANCE OF NSM

• Highly sensitive nature of the word, given the history behind its use
• Important to explicate the word accurately while remaining culturally-objective, respectful to the African American community