I wonder if Wayans feels he's doing a service by attempting to trademark that word. After all, by using it on damn near everything, the word's impact might lessen. Maybe he wants to do his part and continue to transform the word into something positive. Plus, it might be better if Wayans, a black person, makes money off the word as opposed to some racist white people.
Nah.
Ultimately, I think Wayans's futile attempt to trademark such a volatile word is sad. The comedian who made millions laugh as Homey The Clown and other characters on In Living Color and most recently starred in the ABC sitcom My Wife And Kids is reduced to trying to make money off the N-word. Worse yet, Wayans's idea isn't even original. According to the Wired News article, an entrepreneur named Keon Rhodan (who is also black) has been selling clothing with "Nigga" on it on his own for six years.
Damon Wayans's character in Bamboozled was a man who got caught up in the success of the modern-day minstrel show he created. If Wayans's clothing line (and other endeavors involving the disputed trademark) ever end up happening, he'll be a lot closer to becoming that character.
Article comments
1 - Bliffle
What stupidity! It's just a word!
Wayans is apparently trying to take 'nigger' the way of 'gringo'. Drawing the words teeth by making it common usage, the way 'norte americanos' did by starting gringo clubs and gringo bars when they discovered that mexicans referred to them as gringos.
2 - chantal stone
bliffle....unless you are black you have absolutely no idea how utterly offensive that word can be. and no matter how many blacks actually use the word colloquially, most of us still regard it as the ultimate insult, and wearing it on a t-shirt isn't going to change that.
wayans is an idiot if he thinks he can do this and make it cool. blacks using the word among themselves do nothing to take away the sting of it when it is spoken by someone of a different race.
3 - Bliffle
Institutionalized madness. Anyone who goes around telling everyone far and wide exactly what the word is to send them into a rage is mad, and when you impose that on everyone it is simply institutionalized madness.
4 - chantal stone
that's a predictable response
5 - richard jones
Perhaps Damon Wayans understands that the n-word, like all words, derives its meaningS and significance from the various contexts and purposes for which it is used. Thus, the n-word can have positive meaning as well as negative meaning. And given that countless Blacks have given positive (or at least palatable) meaning to the n-word - especially the word "nigga" as opposed to the word "nigger" - perhaps Wayans is simply attempting to cash in before someone else does. While that may be understandable from modern linguistic and crass capitalistic perspectives, I still do not believe Blacks or anyone else should perpetuate any use of a word that seems so inextricably bound to racism and other diminutional social constructions. Besides, as Chantal Stone already noted, "Blacks using the word among themselves do nothing to take away the sting of it when it is spoken by someone of a different race."
6 - Bliffle
The reason the word 'nigger' has no sting in the black community is because it is so heavily used. The only way to maintain the pejorative potence of 'nigger' is to proscribe it's use. The best thing that white people can do for black people is to use the word 'nigger' freely and frequently.
7 - chantal stone
bliffle: how happy did it make you to type that word 3 times in that comment?
i'd like to see you say something like that in the middle of south central, LA or on 125th st in Harlem.....or in MY neighborhood. you're really revealing something about yourself here.
richard: "....perhaps Wayans is simply attempting to cash in before someone else does."
i think you're right. and it's pretty pathetic to see a fairly talented entertainer use something that can cause so much hurt and tension to turn a profit.
8 - J. P. Spencer
Why is it a good idea as a clothing imprint?
Ask the Washington Redskins.
9 - Boney-T
That nigga must be crazy.
10 - Tyrone
Now, controlling the word commercially will limit the use in the entertainment industry. Scary ass black people won't put YT in check for fear of being arrested now a days. So this is a illegal way to getting the word off the radio, TV and movie screen. Black people have always wont' the word from being broadcasted, not hear would be the chance to control the word.
-Tyrone
THE WORD "N-G-R" MEANS "GOD" IN ANCIENT EGYPTIAN
The father of the "n" word was the word used by the ancient Egyptians for "God." That word was "N-g-r" and as one can see, there are no vowels in this word. In the ancient African and even the present African languages (the Afro-Asiatic linguistic family) vowels such as "a, e, i, o, u" are not found in many translations, particularly of ancient Hebrew and Egyptian languages.
In the translation of ancient Egyptian and Hebrew (which is heavily influenced by Egyptian), one will not always find vowels, therefore, very few people will realize that the word for God, which is "N-g-r" pronounced "en-ger" was the Egyptian word for God. In fact, the Egyptian word for "nature, " is also the word used for God. That word is "ntyr, " (pronounced net-jer." Now prounce the word "nigg.." and the word "net-jer, " and one sees the clear connection.
MANY AFRICAN WORDS SIGNIFYING IMPORTANT PEOPLE START WITH "N"
In many African languages particularly the Niger-Congo language family, words that connects with people, Gods, and groups begin with "n" and that word is always the first word. For instance, the word "Nkosi" in Xhosa is "God." The word "Ndaba, " in another South African language is "counsil" (or gathering of elders).
WORDS OF AFRICAN ORIGINS THAT CAME FROM THE ORIGINAL WORD, "N-G-R" (PROUNOUNCED EN-JER)
N-g-r (Egyptian;pronounced en-jer) = God
N-t-y-r (Egypt; pronounced net-ger) = God, Devine
Negash (Ethiopia; ne-gash) = King
Negus (Ethiopia; ne-goos) = Emperor
Nkosi (Xhosa; en-kosi) = God
Ndaba (Zulu; en-daba) = Counsil/Officials,
Naga (East Indian, Nubian = People
Nugarmarta (West African = People (See the writings of Ibn Buttata's journey to West Africa)
HOW THE N BECAME CORRUPTED
The Romans who were speakers of Latin always knew of Blacks, there were Blacks in Rome, Italy had an ancient Black presence long before the Latins migrated from Central Asia and North Eastern Europe during the 'Aryan' migrations. In fact, the Latin ethnic groups is still in existance in the northern part of Italy even today. This part of Italy still grips about Hannibal's invasion which happened about two thousand two hundred years ago!!!!
The Romans had a name for Blacks, it was "Niger" and it meant Black or people of African origins. Thus, Septimus Niger would have meant, Septimus the Negro. Yet, how did the Romans connect the word "Niger" to Black.
In ancient times, Blacks were worshipped as Gods. The Gods of Greece came from Egypt. The worship of the Black Madonna is connected with the worship of Isis, the Egyptian Goddes. Moreover, Blacks in Egypt called their Pharaohs "En-ger" or "N-g-r" he was literally referred to as "THE GOD."
A Roman general invading Nubia from Egypt would have used the Egyptian term for Pharaoh, which was "N-g-r" (God). This term then was used to refer to all Blacks and as time went by, the word N-g-r became Niger. In Fact, the Romans also classified their Emperors as "Gods, " to follow the Egyptian style. Moreover, as the History Channel poointed out, "Rome was a collection of villages before the Egyptians built it up."(paraphrased). The word "em-peror" sounds very close to the word "en-jer." That is not a coincidental connection.
THE WORD "N-G-R" (EN-JER) AFTER IT WAS CORRUPTED BY THE EUROPEANS
Niger = (Latin or Black/African pronounced "ni-ger.")
Nero = Italian for Black
Negre = French for Black
Negro = Spanish for Black
The English called Blacks "Moore" or "Black-a-Moore" before they began using the word "Negro" to refer to Blacks. From that word came the racial epithet, "NIGG".
CONNECTION WITH THE PREFIX "NI" WITH SACREDNESS AND LIFE
Ni'le = The Nile River, Life to the Egyptians
Ni-ger = River in West Africa
Niger = Nation in West Africa
Nigeria = Nation in West Africa
Nago = Racist term used by some SE Asians to refer to Black Melanesians of Africoid origins
Nago-Mina = African nationality in Nigeria
Naghual = Aztec word for Shaman or priest. The first Olmec Shamans in Mexico came from Nigeria and elsewhere in West Africa.
THE ORIGINAL NAME FOR JAPAN IS THE CHINESE TERM "NI-HAN"
The word "Ni" in the Chinese "Ni-Han" has an ancient African connection. Clyde Walters points out, The Chinese language is directly related to the Niger-Congo language which has its roots in the Cameroon region of Africa. In fact, there are thousands of African words from Cameroon to Kenya that have both prefixes and suffixes that are identical to both Chinese and Japanese languages (African Presence in Early Asia, by Ivan Van Sertima; Transaction Publishers).
Only hatred and envy comes out of the mouths of those who use racial epithets in their attempt to insult and denegrade others. However, it is up to us to study ourstory and make these racist words impotent, by knowing and under/inner/overstanding their original meaning.
Shem Hotep
-Tyrone
11 - chantal stone
Tyrone.....thank you for the linguistic lesson...very interesting. i've always wondered the origin of the word, beyond just "negro".
"Only hatred and envy comes out of the mouths of those who use racial epithets in their attempt to insult and denegrade others. However, it is up to us to study ourstory and make these racist words impotent, by knowing and under/inner/overstanding their original meaning."
how very true....and putting the word "nigga" on a t-shirt isn't going to solve the problem, unless they tag a disclaimer on the back explaining the origin of the word, they way you just did.
the point is, no matter the origin of the word "nigga" or "nigger", there is still stigma associated with it. and as long as there are people willing to use it in a negative fashion, there always will be. sadly, those who NEED to understand the origin of the word are more than likely to never read this thread.
12 - Christopher Rose
Fascinating stuff, Tyrone, thanks for that.
I love comments and articles that really help see the natural links in our common cultural history.
Perhaps you should start a blog then you'd be eligible to apply to join BC.
13 - Brooke Lynne
Chantal Stone: Your comments are well stated. You perfectly captured my opinions. Tyrone, your history lesson was intriguing.
14 - Laurie
Thanks for the history lesson, but the word's origin is no longer relevant. In modern times, there is a negative connotation that cannot be ignored. Remember when "gay" meant "happy?" There's no turning back now.
And if blacks choose to use the word amongst themselves, so be it. That is probably common amongst many subcultures. If a girlfriend calls me a b, that's ok. If I hear it from a man, he's crossed the line.
15 - Shaninati Washington
Tyrone sho do talk sum stuf . He mus b a yankey nigga .. one a dem Harvard niggas .. we heah down hea in da sout don get much a dem niggas talkin dat edjakatid stuf.. butt .. don heah wees got sum fine planntashun onnas whu sen us onn ah vaakaashun tu Hueston .. dae tole us dat we wuz gunna b wit sum 150000 udda Nawlins niggas to go ona vaakaashun tu Hueston . I sho du luv it heer in Hueston .. butt .. aas sune aas dae git mye rume in da prajeck fixid Iam a goin homa bakk tu Nawlins ware i wuz borun ..it seims dat da peaple hea ina Hueston whoo bin a payin owah rent ana fora owah foude dun wana us heah annimora . day kinda treetin uzz like da maxikins day wanna us tu work anna pae hour owun way .. oh yeah .. anna learn inglisch ..huh .. I is da pirfict speeka wit inglisch .. my boss wont sen me no money he sez i is ona vaakaashun ana i doos not git any pade vaakaashun yet as i aint bin wit da cumpony lon anuff yet Gaud hep us we is stuk hea in Hueston ona vaakaashun wit no mo money lef ana nobodi to take kara of us niggas.. pleze kan sum ah yu Harvard niggas hep us doun hea in Hueston weeze promisse not tu bother yoouse much mora if youze kud giv us sum hep in han i guest da white peaples is had anuff ov us .. kuz day sho enuf luve weeze ona vaakaashun frum Nawlins . If yoose do dicide ta hep us pleze onlie send us cash .
16 - percy
The article is very enlightening. Though I have to disagree if Mr. Wayne, D ultilzing the European word for econcomic purposes. Hence, how do we push this information unto our people who believe that the white language, Nigger or Nigga, which differs from Ngr, netger, engur, etc; which had a totally different meaning, is the right language to use. The more I research this topic, the more I see that we are and have always been dealing with two types of languages. Thus, makes me ponder the question: Is it right to call ourselves: Niggah, Niggaz, or nigga? I think educating ourselves would help a lot. Yes, many of our younger Black men and women have not opened the books of history to gain some type of understanding on the word: nigger or nigga, which have been bestowed upon us depicting our colour negativity. My foster mother would always say, "A person have the right to say what they want, it’s their mouth!" Though, I always hated when she said that, but reality kicked in as you grew. No, man has control over anyone but themselves. Maybe the solution is to reinforce the true meaning of the word and make the true meaning known just as much as Europeans have diligently blanket out history to mislead us into a evolutional inferior mind set; only then, can this help bring about some understanding and hopefully change of mind. But, we have a lot of work to do. As today’s generation is a lost civilization in the twenty first century.
17 - Big Detroit aka Kush
Look from reserch I have found postive meanings for the N word like god etc.... Now the whites of America called africans Nigers for the majority ay that time came from around the Niger River. Slavery placed a twist of disrespect on the word and we all want to escape that slave mindset. Now look at yugoslavia the word slav means slave (Blue eyes and blond hair)they embraced and destroyed the meaning even though history sez this it means nothing but pride to them. get what I'm saying?
18 - bliffle
kush is right.