1 Topic by NotOneThing (edited by NotOneThing 2005-11-03 21:23:41)

  • From: Los Angeles, Ca
  • Registered: 2005-10-09

Topic: The origins of word "Negro"

Twisted it's meaning, and polluted in it's use - what do people really know in the origins of this word?
Indo-European Roots? No

We know it's widespread use centuries ago against the black men.
Most of you might be in confusion of why I might be in thought about this word - I am white.
The point I want acknowlegde is that the word Negro is neither positve nor negative - but pure identifiction, just like you would say white about me or yourself to pinpoint one to a certain group, I ask this question WHY is the word Negro and all it's variations taken as negative?

I think it's another way to surpass the truth, and TPTB are right know laughing at how simple their duplicity is.

First I'll tell you about myself for us to understand where my knowlegde and opinions come form. I am full Russain and speak, read and write the language, English is my second language.

One night I was having a talk with my dad and he's into knowing the "truth" also. He told me simple points often make the biggest changes and this I believe is really simple. I credit my knowlegde to him, and am eager to share it with you.
We went on talking and somehow got to talking about history, and he said something along the lines of some people lived in the mountains and some lived in the plains. And how in the Russain language there are words for both, the people of the mountain where called Igor ( a popular Russain name ) and the plains people ( negor ).
-Gor- in Russain would be the root for the word mountain and -ne- is used to form a negative.
In that case Igor means of the mountain and Negor is not of the mountain
In Russain is is pronounced Negor in stead of Nigro here.

So over time it got preverted and was being used to scorn the blackmen.
Now to me this is very interesting, how here in the US we argue about this word, when infact it basically means that you don't live in the mountains.
I don't know if it just me but if you were to tell me I don't live in the mountains, no anger would be present would it?

So the TPTB as I said are laugh at how blind we are at something and it that awful.

Just a little point I wanted to share, thoughts and comments would be nice.

Democracy = Your choice - Their rule.
As I am You and They are us
=-_Get with the program man_-=
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  • Registered: 2004-11-24

Re: The origins of word "Negro"

Reminds me of the condescending attitude that rich people have towards "valley" people.  Is there some reason to look down on people that live in areas of low altitude?  Does that mean they do menial work, such as farming and such, while rich people leech off of their work?  In essence, I'm wondering if the term means you are somehow not as well off and to be looked down upon, in the social status sense.

* When we start identifying wisdom with our ability to comprehend its form, what wisdom is that?
* Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
* People want platitudes, not progress.
  • From: Los Angeles, Ca
  • Registered: 2005-10-09

Re: The origins of word "Negro"

Well rich people are know to live in the hills but, hills, mountains whats the social affect?
Mabye the poople who preverted the term, have infacted influenced the public to their point of view?

Democracy = Your choice - Their rule.
As I am You and They are us
=-_Get with the program man_-=
  • Registered: 2004-08-19

Re: The origins of word "Negro"

Negro comes from the Latin niger which means black. I don't know where they got it from. How ancient is this mountain/plains split? Is it from before the human migration to the west and east, during their pit-stop in the Caucasus?

  • Registered: 2005-03-07

Re: The origins of word "Negro"

"Pagan" is old Latin word that means "country-dweller."

You can't change a tiger's stripes,
but you can avoid its teeth.
  • Registered: 2004-04-21

Re: The origins of word "Negro"

My mother (now 87) who grew up in Georgia (the southern US state) would irritate me by saying "nigra".  I believe Lyndon Johnson used to pronounce it that way, too.  "Negro" is a term that was coined by outsiders and has colonial undertones, so I don't blame blacks one bit for finding it distasteful.

  • From: LA
  • Registered: 2005-09-18

Re: The origins of word "Negro"

Literally, Negro means black in Spanish (letter by letter).  The Spanish conquerors started the trade of africans into the new World to replace the locaL slave labor they were losing.  In Puerto Rico the entire indian population was vanished by the late 1800's.  The Spanish refered to this new source of free labor as "negros" due to the darker tone of their skin (the "e" in negro sounds like the "e" pest.  The British brought africans to the US and used the same term (negros) to refered to them.  The local people mispronounced the word and soon it was pronounced "neegro" (notice the double "e").  As time passed by the word degraded into what we know as niger. 

By the way, do you know why italians are called wop's?  Many italians that came to the US through Ely's Island in the early 1900 did not have any documentation.  Their paperwork was stamped WOP (without papers).  Every derogatory word has a very clear beginning and most of time the word did not mean what it means today.