Mary Jane Clement (Parker)

[Handypandy]

The "N" word can also trace its roots back to the Spanish/ Portuguese language, it doesn't make it acceptable in modern parlance.

[Regorian]

I would like to protest about modern PCness. Such people if living 100 or 200 years ago would have had quite a different attitude. Just illustrates rank hypocrisy.

In the 1980's I had a lady friend whose family were Anglo's from a Trinidad plantation. She had a lovely Trinidad accent and still does. The locals called her and her ilk 'white honkey's'.

What have you got to say to that?

[Jamjar]

I think that the issue here is that RC is a site that caters to folk of all races and historical backgrounds, with a global audience. We don't know who is viewing these pages and therefore, should ensure that we do not hurt the feelings of our fellow researchers.

The use of a word that may or may not have been considered offensive by some is unnecessary, when there are unoffensive ways to broach the subject. The word in question here is now considered to be slang and offensive.

Here in Australia we have a wide range of words that were used for the rightful owners of our lands and for the immigrants that helped this country become what it is today. I grew up in a family that regularly used them. Most of those words are considered offensive now, and are only used by those with a racist attitude.

It is the same with words used to describe African Americans and the Inuits.

My advice is that if something can be said in a way that has no chance of causing offence to anyone at all, then let's take the better option.

Jamjar

[Handypandy]

............... Such people if living 100 or 200 years ago would have had quite a different attitude.

What have you got to say to that?

Seriously??.... I won't be drawn further....

[Regorian]

............... Such people if living 100 or 200 years ago would have had quite a different attitude.

What have you got to say to that?

Sory, your comment in wrong place.




A lot more recently actually. I had a lady friend whose father died about 2000. She decided she would like to go on a battlefield tour in Italy where her father and his brother had served, the latter Royal Fusiliers and KIA early 1944. I asked her whether she had any memorabilia. She brought out a box which told me that he had served in 69th Anti-tank Regt. RA. Looking it up, it was in an Indian Infantry Division, 3rd I think. Ooh, she didnt like that. I explained that they were very good soldiers and had fought and died for Britain well back into the 18th Century.

Empire Windrush came from Jamaica? about 1950, they weren't welcome.

Australia had a very bad record for treatment of aborigines and child abuse until well after WWII. Australia was effectively independent from 1900 or 1901 and didn't take it's orders from London.

My family has black African members,

Seriously??.... I won't be drawn further....

[Erato]

You can't get around the fact that this word was once used to describe people.  And, in terms of genealogy, it is useful information to have since it gives some information on the ancestors of the person so labeled.  It appears on US censuses  -  I have one individual who was variously labeled as 'mulatto' or 'white' from one census to another.  Similarly, 'mestizo' is used to describe persons of mixed race in Latin America.  It is a term used on the census in Ecuador and most people put themselves into that category - being mixtures of white and Native American and sometimes black, too.

[youngtug]

I thought it was from arabic originally.

[Handypandy]

You can't get around the fact that this word was once used to describe people.  And, in terms of genealogy, it is useful information to have since it gives some information on the ancestors of the person so labeled.  It appears on US censuses  -  I have one individual who was variously labeled as 'mulatto' or 'white' from one census to another.  Similarly, 'mestizo' is used to describe persons of mixed race in Latin America.  It is a term used on the census in Ecuador and most people put themselves into that category - being mixtures of white and Native American and sometimes black, too.

Absolutely, I am not advocating rewriting history. I think Pat's point and my defence of it, is the context of using the term today. My daughter and her partner have four children but have never married. A few years ago my grandchildren would have been described as bastards. I'm not sure that I would be comfortable of them being described as such today. Maybe its just me then...

[jloy326]

Another