0
Usenet Posted 22 years ago
Usage
Is *shine* offensive?
Hi folks,
Recently I had a chat with an American parish priest living in California, but born and brought up in Chicago countryside. Intrigued by the scarceness of my name "Shine" in the US, he asked me if I knew what it meant to black person. I said, "no". Well, I was astonished to hear him say that, among other meanings, the word "Shine" was also a disparaging term for a Black person.
I never thought the name "Shine" had such a black side! To my dismay, the dictionary.com testifies it, though it comes only as the eighth sense:
Shine
n.
1. Brightness from a source of light; radiance.
2. Brightness from reflected light; luster.
3. A shoeshine.
4. Excellence in quality or appearance; splendor.
5. Fair weather: rain or shine.
6. shines Informal. Pranks or tricks.
7. Slang. Whiskey; moonshine.
8. Offensive Slang. Used as a disparaging term for a Black person.
Given the fact that I am not a black, is it strange for someone to call me "Shine", when s/he already knows it as a disparaging term for black?
Any comments about my name?
Love,
Shine.
Recently I had a chat with an American parish priest living in California, but born and brought up in Chicago countryside. Intrigued by the scarceness of my name "Shine" in the US, he asked me if I knew what it meant to black person. I said, "no". Well, I was astonished to hear him say that, among other meanings, the word "Shine" was also a disparaging term for a Black person.
I never thought the name "Shine" had such a black side! To my dismay, the dictionary.com testifies it, though it comes only as the eighth sense:
Shine
n.
1. Brightness from a source of light; radiance.
2. Brightness from reflected light; luster.
3. A shoeshine.
4. Excellence in quality or appearance; splendor.
5. Fair weather: rain or shine.
6. shines Informal. Pranks or tricks.
7. Slang. Whiskey; moonshine.
8. Offensive Slang. Used as a disparaging term for a Black person.
Given the fact that I am not a black, is it strange for someone to call me "Shine", when s/he already knows it as a disparaging term for black?
Any comments about my name?
Love,
Shine.
Top answer
[/nq] There are 3,284,221 disparaging terms for black people in English (including "black"), which represents about 75% of English vocabulary. But in the final analysis, it's intention that counts, so that's all you really need to worry about. People who have a problem with the words themselves need to resolve their issues themselves; it's not your problem.
- [/nq] There are 3,284,221 disparaging terms for black people in English (including "black"), which represents about 75% of English vocabulary.
- But in the final analysis, it's intention that counts, so that's all you really need to worry about.
- People who have a problem with the words themselves need to resolve their issues themselves; it's not your problem.
- [/nq] Should you care?
- Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.
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20 Answers
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[nq:1]Well, I was astonished to hear him say that, among other meanings, the word "Shine" was also a disparaging term for a Black person.[/nq]
There are 3,284,221 disparaging terms for black people in English (including "black"), which represents about 75% of English vocabulary.
But in the final analysis, it's intention that counts, so that's all you really need to worry about. People
There are 3,284,221 disparaging terms for black people in English (including "black"), which represents about 75% of English vocabulary.
But in the final analysis, it's intention that counts, so that's all you really need to worry about. People
00
[nq:1]Hi folks, Recently I had a chat with an American parish priest living in California, but born and brought up ... black side! To my dismay, the dictionary.com testifies it, though it comes only as the eighth sense: Shine n. 1.[/nq]
No. First of all, the term is used as "a shine" or "the shine" as in "There was a shine standing in the parking lot". Secondly, it's a very uncommon usage in g
No. First of all, the term is used as "a shine" or "the shine" as in "There was a shine standing in the parking lot". Secondly, it's a very uncommon usage in g
00
[nq:2]Well, I was astonished to hear him say that, among other meanings, the word "Shine" was also a disparaging term for a Black person.[/nq]
[nq:1]There are 3,284,221 disparaging terms for black people in English (including "black"), which represents about 75% of English vocabulary.[/nq]
This is a rather curious statement for a teacher of English to make.
[nq:1]But in the final analy
[nq:1]There are 3,284,221 disparaging terms for black people in English (including "black"), which represents about 75% of English vocabulary.[/nq]
This is a rather curious statement for a teacher of English to make.
[nq:1]But in the final analy
00
I must say, you're alright for an Englishman.
Skitt (in Hayward, California)
www.geocities.com/opus731/
Skitt (in Hayward, California)
www.geocities.com/opus731/
00
[nq:2]This is a rather curious statement for a teacher of ... be worth as much as a snowflake in a bakery.[/nq]
[nq:1]I must say, you're alright for an Englishman.[/nq]
Gosh!
Andrew Gwilliam
To email me, replace "bottomless pit" with "silverhelm"
[nq:1]I must say, you're alright for an Englishman.[/nq]
Gosh!
Andrew Gwilliam
To email me, replace "bottomless pit" with "silverhelm"
00
[nq:1]Hi folks, Recently I had a chat with an American parish priest living in California, but born and brought up ... had such a black side! To my dismay, the dictionary.com testifies it, though it comes only as the eighth sense:[/nq]
And then there's Shine Warne, who doesn't shine as brightly as Muri.
Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
And then there's Shine Warne, who doesn't shine as brightly as Muri.
Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
00
[nq:1]I must say, you're alright for an Englishman.[/nq]
And you're okay for a Russian too.
Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7734/stevesig.htm
E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk
And you're okay for a Russian too.
Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7734/stevesig.htm
E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk
00
[nq:2]This is a rather curious statement for a teacher of ... be worth as much as a snowflake in a bakery.[/nq]
[nq:1]I must say, you're alright for an Englishman.[/nq]
And you're unarguably the finest Lithuanian I've ever known.
[nq:1]I must say, you're alright for an Englishman.[/nq]
And you're unarguably the finest Lithuanian I've ever known.
00
[nq:2]I must say, you're alright for an Englishman.[/nq]
[nq:1]And you're okay for a Russian too.[/nq]
Latvian, no?
Andrew Gwilliam
To email me, replace "bottomless pit" with "silverhelm"
[nq:1]And you're okay for a Russian too.[/nq]
Latvian, no?
Andrew Gwilliam
To email me, replace "bottomless pit" with "silverhelm"
00
[nq:2]Hi folks, Recently I had a chat with an American ... testifies it, though it comes only as the eighth sense:[/nq]
[nq:1]And then there's Shine Warne, who doesn't shine as brightly as Muri.[/nq]
Ka-ching!
Andrew Gwilliam
To email me, replace "bottomless pit" with "silverhelm"
[nq:1]And then there's Shine Warne, who doesn't shine as brightly as Muri.[/nq]
Ka-ching!
Andrew Gwilliam
To email me, replace "bottomless pit" with "silverhelm"
0
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