Posted by alexandra_k on November 30, 2004, at 3:57:17
In reply to Re: kiwi slang » alexandra_k, posted by verne on November 29, 2004, at 9:20:16
I had to ask my office mates what was supposed to be offensive about the expression 'J*P' (as in the mad J*P poet) thing. I hadn't heard that one.
I thought that the poster used the expression in much the same way that it is (sort of) non-offensive slang for people with relatively dark skin to say 'wassup n*gg*r' when addressing each other.
Reclaiming the expressions and attempting to remove the offensiveness.
In New Zealand the word 'Pakeha' is accepted officially as 'non-maori'. In practice it means white person, however, and nobody would refer to somebody from Samoa or Tonga or wherever as pakeha. It was offensive at the time of its introduction. Now it is on official forms in the little boxes that you tick when asked about your ethnicity.
Curious.
Now I heard (though maybe wrong) that F*ck used to mean for unlawful carnal knowledge (ie of a minor). That wasn't offensive, though if you called someone a F*ck*r then I suppose they might take offense if it was false....
Curious.
poster:alexandra_k
thread:420609
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20041122/msgs/422200.html