Dean S. Messing wrote:
John Summerfield wrote:
Dean S. Messing wrote:
>> Even worse in international fora such as this, where we come from many
>> different cultures. I offended an American once by describing him as
>> penurious, but an Australian in the same financial position would most
>> certainly have agreed with me.
>
> Well, at least you had the good sense to not call him "niggardly". He
> might have thought you bigoted against black people. Is "penurious"
> not a pejorative in Aussie?
Primary meaning is synonymous with skint. Not a (brass
razoo|shekel|penny) to one's name.
Ya learn something every day. As I've never heard of "skint" I see
from google that it's British slang. I'm guessing that it derives from
"skin flint" which, in America anyway, can be insulting (depending, of
More likely, I think, from skinned.
course on one's tone of voice, &c.)
You reminded me of a chap over east who wants Coon cheese renamed.
Reckons it's offensive. Ditto the E. S. Nigger Brown Stand.
The first time my Father-in-Law (who is Chinese) visited us I chucked
at the brand of toothpaste he brought with him: "Darkie" with a
picture of a smiling white-toothed black man on it. I see at
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darlie> that Political Correctness has
struck down even this.
And then there's David Howard, the head of the Office of Public
Advocate in Washington D.C. in the late 90's, who dared to use the
word "niggardly" while discussing the budget with city employees.
Within days Howard was forced to publicly apologise and resign because
of such a "racially insensitive" remark.
I had heard of that. Americans might be offended at my thoughts at the
time:-)
_I_ think he should have challenged his detractors' command of American
English and referred reporters to Webster.
--
Cheers
John
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