John Summerfield wrote: >Dean Messing wrote: >> 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. Of course. I forgot (and I shd. know!) the old past-tense inflection, "t" as in "lernt". >> 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. Googling around a bit, I found this: <http://www.jewishworldreview.com/tony/snow020199.asp> The 7th paragraph expresses your probable thoughts quite eloquently. Dean
