Racial meaning of cracker in slang

For almost half a millennium, the phrase call a spade a spade has served as a demand to tell it like it is. Yours is the second letter ive gotten recently on the subject of racial insults. This slang page is designed to explain what the meaning of cracker is. I should explain to your lordship what is meant by crackers. How did the slang term cracker come about to mean white people. Are the terms cracker, redneck and white trash racist. Since then, its meaning has become more generalized and it is often used by blacks to describe whites, especially racist whites. Jul 01, 20 but it turns out cracker s roots go back even further than the 17th century. Jul 01, 20 with a single phrase, rachel jeantel, that friend of trayvon martins, may have lit a fuse in the trial of his accused killer.

All the way back to the age of shakespeare, at least. The online etymology dictionary traces the slur cracker poor, white trash either to crack to boast or to corncracker poor white farmer. A term in southeastern united states english to describe poor white trash, derived from the scottish meaning of the verb to crack, which, in this sense. So lets take a look at the history of the cracker slur to examine its history and potentially problematic use.

Prior to that, crack was a noun meaning something superior and a verb meaning to boast. The amount of misinformation contained in some of these answers is amazing. Cracker, sometimes white cracker or cracka, is a racial epithet for white people, used especially for poor rural whites in the southern united states. Broader ethnic categories aboriginal australian aboabbo aus australian aboriginal person. Crackerjack definition is a person or thing of marked excellence. With a single phrase, rachel jeantel, that friend of trayvon martins, may have lit a fuse in the trial of his accused killer. Cracker has a murky history but generally describes poor whites. According to the 1911 edition of the encyclopedia britannica. Definition of crack head the online slang dictionary.

Cracker, sometimes white cracker, is a usually disparaging term for poor whites, mainly used in the southern united states, but in recent decades in usage throughout north america. Refers to circumcision and consumerism never pay retail. Sep 10, 2016 franchesca ramsey explains how slaves used the word cracker. Cracking definition is very impressive or effective. Some versions state that the reason for this was that the white men were too afraid.

Racist definition, a person who believes in racism, the doctrine that ones own racial group is superior or that a particular racial group is inferior to the others. Originally, this was simply an informal term for aborigine, and was in fact used by aboriginal people themselves until it started to be considered offensive in the 1950s. Someone wants cracker barrel to change its name because he. Definition of the slang term cracker with an example. It is sometimes used in a neutral context in reference to a native of florida, georgia or texas see florida cracker, georgia cracker or texas cracker. One theory suggests it begins with us slaves, who sang as a pastime an act of community and resistance at night after their labor. The term cracker cracka is used as an ethnic or racial slur for americans of european descent, but more specifically for americans of northwestern european descent, according to the. Chiefwpd jun 29, 20 i have been informed of the rule that it is not possible for a minority person to be racist. The true origin of the word spic, the racist insult aimed at hispanics as hate incidents are on the rise and antiimmigrant rhetoric intensifies, the word spic has come into focus. Thus, if a black person says calls a white person cracker, it assumes the black speaker has superiority over an inferior white person. Meaning instrument for crushing or cracking is from 1630s. Crackhead definition of crackhead by the free dictionary. Mar 01, 2010 this feature is not available right now. Jul 12, 20 it is becoming a racist term because people think it is, but it actually came from what mule drivers in florida called themselves in the past.

Where did the term come from though, and is it actually as offensive as. A list of slang words and phrases, idioms, jargon, acronyms, and abbreviations. Cracker is an elongation of crack, an adjective meaning expert or superior that dates from the 18th century. Though it has since turned into a racial insult, ramsey says that upper class whites in the 1600s and 1700s used cracker to refer to dumb, lazy lower. Although originally a classist term, meaning the same as poor white trash, it has evolved through usage to be a derogatory term for someone considered a white person. How did the slang term cracker come about to mean white. I know it goes back to before 1600 which would put its or. A cracker is a thin, crisp biscuit which is often eaten with cheese. The slur has its roots in minstrel show era depictions. Crickets are known to chirp in the evening, when the moon is out greens dictionary of slang, however, only cites the term in the 1990s in prison slang in 2015, a basketball coach in maine settled a. Cracker term cracker, sometimes white cracker or cracka, is a term for white people, used especially for poor rural whites in the southern united states. It is a derogatory term used to refer to white people, sort of like the white version of the n word. Cracker, sometimes white cracker, is a usually pejorative term for a white person, mainly used in the southern united states, but in recent decades it has entered common usage throughout north america. Coined during the civil war, referring to how white you had to be in order to serve in the army.

The word cracker is commonly understood as a racist slur for whites. P lease note that this article includes images of human remains t he word caucasian is used in the u. It implies a person who lives in the utmost worst conditions and a person who no one really cares about. Submitted by waltergr via thejargonfile on aug 14 2009. Cracker means something entirely different in florida. The word coon originating in 1742 currently has three main meanings. Cracker has also been used as a proud or jocular selfdescription. The term is most widely used in the uk where circumcision among nonjews or nonmuslims is more rare, but in the united states, where it is more common, it can be considered insulting to many nonjewish males as well. A term used by mexicans and other non whites in texas to describe whites in a derogatory fashion. It has been taken as an offensive and derogatory term to people of caucasian or european descent and is largely considered a slur in modern usage.

Used mainly during the first and second world wars, and directed especially at german soldiers. Its a racial slur nowadays because word meanings and usages change and evolve over time. Crackers definition of crackers by the free dictionary. Do white people actually find the term cracker offensive. What does the racial term cracker mean and how did the. That means the court is willing to consider the context in which boy is used to determine if its being. Biglipped tyrone, or for female version biglipped tyreesha. One theory holds that the term comes from the common diet of poor whites. In harriet beecher stowes abolitionist 1852 novel, uncle toms cabin, uncle tom is a martyr, not a sellout. The meaning of the word has changed a lot over the last four. Cracker conveys history of bigotry that still resonates. Cracker comes from the gaelic word craic which means a good conversation and is still in use in ireland today. Chleuh from the name of the chleuh, a north african ethnicity a term with racial connotations.

In this teachercreated vocab test youll find basic 10th grade terms every high schooler should know. Coal cracker is from 1853 of persons, 1857 of machinery that breaks up mined coal. But her name and its racial implications gagged some of her fellow competitors with monet x change saying, miz cracker loves that name because it causes a stir. My colleague and one of my longtime writing partners, carol mukhopadhyay, has written a wonderful article, getting rid of the word caucasian, that is still relevant today for. What does the racial term cracker mean and how did the term. The original meaning for cracker was white people who, in the south, that would crack corn for fermentation. Cracker meaning in the cambridge english dictionary. The following is a list of ethnic slurs ethnophaulisms that are, or have been, used as insinuations or allegations about members of a given ethnicity, or to refer to them in a derogatory that is, critical or disrespectful, pejorative disapproving or contemptuous, or otherwise insulting manner. But they would also crack corn to make it easier to make into meal for the making of southern corn bread.

In mtvs explainer web series decoded above, franchesca ramsey explains that cracker is a classist insult invented by a richer white upper class to describe lower class white people. Today, cracker is often used as a derogatory term for a white person for obvious reasons. A real estate agent who sells a home in an upperclass white neighborhood to a black family, thus lowering the values of other homes in the neighborhood. As it turns out, in the area in which rachel jeantel was raised, the word cracker isnt a racial slur at all, but rather, a proud nod to the regions history, and ones own ancestry. Apheresis of the word alboche, which in turn is a blend of allemand french for german and caboche slang for head. Where does the term cracker come from, and how disparaging. Slang is very informal usage in vocabulary and idiom that is characteristically more metaphorical, playful, elliptical, vivid and ephemeral than ordinary language random house unabridged dictionary learn 600 slang expressions an idiom is. Sep 06, 2019 the term cracker cracka is used as an ethnic or racial slur for americans of european descent, but more specifically for americans of northwestern european descent, according to the. Today nobody wants to be called an uncle tom, but 150 years ago, it was a compliment. The good news, according to prerna lal of, is that the u. Cracker definition and meaning collins english dictionary.

Cracker is always disparaging and offensive when used to refer to a poor white person in the south. Jul, 2010 cracker, sometimes white cracker, is a usually disparaging term for poor whites, mainly used in the southern united states, but in recent decades in usage throughout north america. The slur has its roots in minstrel show era depictions of black people as buffoonish, lazy, superstitious, prone to theivery, ignorant, and watermelon loving. When used by black people, cracker can refer to a southern white racist, not necessarily poor or rural. Mostly it was used in the 1950s through the 1980s, but there are probably some people who still use it today. This database was created entirely from data gleaned off the net and via submissions from people like you and your parents. Aug 15, 20 the word cracker is commonly understood as a racist slur for whites. The latter derivation is essentially the same as your grandmothers, except that the staple food of poor farmers was cracked corn, not crackers. Another theory is that the term refers to whips that crackers used to drive slaves or cattle. Someone who makes no sense, hence you cant understand a word they say.

Without smiling, to call floridian a cracker may be a crime the. Earlier this summer in this town of 7,000 people about 20 miles north of fort myers, a white police officer, stephen keyes, was called to a. Sep 23, 20 for almost half a millennium, the phrase call a spade a spade has served as a demand to tell it like it is. Crackerjack definition of crackerjack by merriamwebster. Bickie short for biscuit,meaning cookie pips said instead of pits, like orange pits, or peach pits tea often used to describe dinner unless it is called morning tea in which case thats a coffee break in the morning time. Back in the 1700s, cracker was a derogatory term used by american whites to describe poor southerners of their own race. Everyone knows crackers dont come in barrels, they come in bags and boxes. But it turns out crackers roots go back even further than the 17th century. Cracker, sometimes white cracker, is a contemptuous term used for white people, used especially against poor rural whites in the southern united states. One false etymology or backronym of wop is that it is an acronym for without passport or without papers, implying that italian immigrants entered the u. One theory is that it refers to the cracked corn that was a major part of the diet of poor southern whites. It is only in the past century that the expression began to acquire a negative. The term cracker can certainly be a racist insult since racism is literally defined as prejudice against people of other races or believing a particular race is superior to another.

Today were diving deep with some of the most lit terms from 2017. A term in southeastern united states english to describe poor white trash, derived from the scottish meaning of the verb to crack, which, in this sense denotes ostentation. However, as ramsey notes, the slaves werent oppressing poor white people by using the term, because they were still slaves. Coalcracker is from 1853 of persons, 1857 of machinery that breaks up mined coal. Although originally a classist term, meaning the same as poor white trash, it has evolved through usage to be a derogatory term for someone considered a w. In this article, i analyze the discursive construction of this socalled reverse racism, focusing specifically on the euphemization of the racial label cracker as the c. The true origin of the word spic, the racist insult. Cracker barrel 1861 barrel full of sodacrackers for sale was such a common feature of old country stores that the phrase came to be used by 1905 as an adjective, emblematic of downhome ways and. In remoter areas, aboriginal people still often refer to themselves quite neutrally as blackfellas and whites as whitefellas. Thus the song lyric jimmie crack corn and i dont care. Supreme court reversed the holding, ruling that the use of the word boy on its own is not enough evidence of racial animus, but that the word is also not benign. Cracker conveys history of bigotry that still resonates cnn. The name hitler used to refer to his blondehaired, blueeyed master race. Used by white people towards blacks since around 1837.

Where does the term cracker come from, and how disparaging is it. Where did the term come from though, and is it actually as offensive as other racial s. Can be used towards racist whites who dont think theyre racist. This can be stretched to include inviting a black or minority friend over for dinner. Claire said that by the 1940s, the term began to take on yet another meaning in american inner cities in particular. Some cracker group broke into our wordpress installation and defaced it. Crackers meaning in the cambridge english dictionary.