January 2012

[Sweder]

I think that "negro" has some connontations that can usually be considered as offensive by the person to whom it is addressed in spite of the fact that the person is black. It all depends on the tone it is said. Actually, according to the Royal Spanish Academy dictionary this expression in some areas in America and even Andalusia -which I ignored- it has a very positive connotation among married or engaged couples and people who are fond of each other. It could be translated into "honey". Of course, the tone would make the difference.

16. m. y f. And. y Am. U. como voz de cariño entre casados, novios o personas que se quieren bien.

Saludos desde Almería

Thanks Antonio. It's also interesting that within some Black cultures - including in western society - the use of 'negro' or ' nigger' between two black people is accepted as a term of endearment or at least mutual acknowledgement. In the case of Suarez the panel decided that used seven times within a two minute spell it was intended to cause offence and not, as the player claimed, an attempt to be friendly.

It seems that language only becomes insulting if the recipient is upset or offended by its use or those within earshot are offended. In a recent case a television programe - Sherlock - received around 100 calls/ e-mails to object to there being partial nudity in the show. When the story was repeated in a National newspaper the number of complaints doubled. This suggests the second 100 people were offended just by hearing about the nudity, not by seeing it for themselves.

In Lewes we have a designer who produced a chair covered in images taken from Playboy in the 1950's. The pictures were 'risque' but not overtly offensive. The chair was on display in a shop window. One person complained to the police that this was offensive and the police asked the shop owner to remove the chair from sight.

In both these cases a small minority are having a say in what the great majority are allowed to see/ experience. The issue of offence or perceived offence is not a balanced one. In the case of Luis Suarez the only person he offended was Patrice Evra. Did this require such a grand act by the FA or should it have been dealt with privately? I'd say probably so given, as EG says, the amount of print and screen devoted to it.

I'll shut about this now. I just wish Liverpool would too.