McWhorter on "Negro" [Was: on "Negro English"] (UNCLASSIFIED)

[Judy Prince]

I seem to've invented a new country:  Taiwani.  Sorry 'bout that!

jbp

2010/1/21 Judy Prince <jbalizsprince at googlemail.com>

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> Poster:       Judy Prince <jbalizsprince at GOOGLEMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: McWhorter on "Negro" [Was: on "Negro English"]
> (UNCLASSIFIED)
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>
> Yes, Russ, I saw the original toothpaste ("Darkie")  in Taiwani 20 years
> ago, too.  In the year I lived and worked in Taipei and traveled somewhat
> (Taichung, Ilan), I saw one African-American person (whom I asked where he
> came from) and no other blacks.
>
> Stereotypes are highly exportable.  When asked where I lived in the USA, I
> frequently got this response:  "Bang Bang!" with the person mimicking
> holding a pistol, and apparently thinking of Al Capone.  My then home was
> Chicago.  As frequent a response was "Michael Jordan!!!" with a huge smile.
>
>
> Best, and "dzai jyan"!  (phonetic spelling learned at U of Michigan....Wade
> Giles, I think)
>
> Judy
>
> 2010/1/21 Russ McClay <mcclay at taolodge.com>
>
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> > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Poster:       Russ McClay <mcclay at TAOLODGE.COM>
> > Subject:      Re: McWhorter on "Negro" [Was: on "Negro English"]
> > (UNCLASSIFIED)
> >
> >
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> >
> > On the term "darky", darkie.
> >
> > 20-something years ago when I first moved to Taiwan the
> > ubiquitous toothpaste was (and still is) Darkie Toothpaste.
> >
> > The brand features a black man in a top hat.
> >
> > In Chinese the brand is: Hei Jen Ya Gao (Black man tooth paste).
> >
> > Around 1985 Colgate-Palmolive bought the brand and changed the
> > name to Darlie.  Exact same packaging.
> >
> > The word Darkie had none of the baggage for the Taiwanese that
> > it apparently had for the new brand owners, who didn't live in
> > Taiwan.
> >
> > I still think it was a very clever brand name change.
> >
> > Change the K to an L.
> >
> > Darlie Toothpaste
> > --
> > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darlie
> >
> > -r
> >
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