New racist etymology

[Joel S. Berson]

At 3/15/2013 02:08 PM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
> >...ironically...?
>
>You bet. Notice that the word isn't "African-American," which is a
>straightforward, literal descriptor. It is instead the pseudo-archaic,
>therefore humorous and mock-dignified, "Africk-American."
>
>On the origins of "African-American," see especially Joel's
>contributions in the Archives.

I was just about to say so.  (Although either I didn't think to look
for "Africk-American", or I didn't find any.)  And also see the
analyses of historical evolution (or oscillation) in the terms used
for ---'s by themselves or others cited in my recent message,
"New/old racist etymology".

Joel


>  JL
>
>On 3/15/13, Nathaniel Sharpe <nts at bethlehembooks.com> wrote:
> > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> > -----------------------
> > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Poster:       Nathaniel Sharpe <nts at BETHLEHEMBOOKS.COM>
> > Subject:      Re: New racist etymology
> >
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > That being the case, isn't it odd that the author used a term similar to
> > today's politically correct one? Do you think he was using it
> > ironically, or does our modern "African American" really have such
> > biased origins? Maybe we'd better drop that term too, along with "buck."
> >
> > Nat

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org