McWhorter on "Negro" [Was: on "Negro English"]

[Ann Burlingham]

On Mon, Jan 18, 2010 at 4:44 PM, Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>wrote:

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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: McWhorter on "Negro" [Was: on "Negro English"]
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> In my own limited experience, "coloreds," pl., was mostly associated with
> white, blue-collar speakers (like Archie Bunker on "All in the Family,"
> beginning ca1971).  As such speakers seem more likely to be crudely and
> openly prejudiced, the noun became offensive before the adjective did. I
> haven't heard it in a quarter century or more.
>
>
I heard it while interviewing a prospective employee within the last year. I
don't think she was older that 20.

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