Ransome's usage of the "Nword"


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Posted by Ed Kiser on August 01, 2007 at 14:35:32 from 64.12.116.198 user Kisered.

In Reply to: Re: Where are all the eels going? posted by Dave Thewlis on August 01, 2007 at 02:36:02:

I did a FIND on all twelve books for any usages of the infamous "Nword" and found the following. These references are just the lines containing the target word and thus are seen quite out of context. To see the proper situation, one should look into the books themselves at the indicated chapter to see how each usage is done.

Within this collection of quotes, I have taken the liberty of editing the Ransome text to replace the "Nword" with a more symbolic representative making use of the trio of periods (uh, Full Stops if that be your preference) not wishing to incur any further displeasures.

In BIG SIX, the reference is to how people (white) look when viewing the NEGATIVE.

In PETER DUCK, CH13, this is a direct observation of the race of Mogandy. Perhaps not intended to be derogatory, but merely descriptive.

For the remaining references in PETER DUCK, it becomes a rather archaic description of BLACK PEARLS, where the words used are as found on the labels on the discovered treasure, so labeled by others and at some much earlier time.

When reading literature of some earlier time (and when is that NOT the case) we must realize that the words chosen reflect the common usages of THAT time which do not necessarily reflect the Political Correctness of any such usage as we define it today. What was acceptable THEN was considered OK as it was the norm for that time.

Consider the usage of the "Nword" in the works of Mark Twain, as in "Tom Sawyer" or "Huckelberry Finn" where those references are rather frequent, reflecting those times before the American Civil War when Slavery was a legal condition in certain areas of the country. But all that was THEN, although viewed quite differently today.

As for the references made by Ransome, we need to keep in mind the times in which he wrote, being in the 1930-1945 general area. I have no awareness of the acceptability of this "Nword" in Great Britain during those pre-war years, and during the war itself, but in the USA, such usage was quite normal and not uncommon. It took time for the offensive nature of this to become more in the general awareness of both whites and blacks, and so we learned and adapted.

Thus endeth the sermon for today...

Ed Kiser, Kentucky


---------- BSCH31.TXT
whizz!" he said. "N...s!"
"Look like n...s to me," said Pete.

---------- PDCH13.TXT
Mogandy, the n..., blacker'n Black Jake. Then there was a brother of

---------- PDCH28.TXT
"'Bonies,'" he said. "'Mallies.' What on earth can that mean? 'N...s.'

---------- PDCH35.TXT
children had read: "Mallies," "Bonies," "Roses," "N...s."
"What about the 'N...s'?" asked Titty.
"'N...s. ' Negritoes. Niger ... Black. If they had black pearls
With quick, eager fingers he undid the "N...s." There were very




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