Why Are The Pc Brigade So Desperately Searching For Isms?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/27236363
He got in the SH for using the word "slope" last month, now some mumblings may have sounded like the verbotten word. Someone got into hot water last year for using the entirely urelated word "niggardly". I think most are not racist, is it really necessary to leap on even the tiniest of slips/mistakes/misunderstandings ?

[McMouse]

I am deeply offended when by racist Frog friend refers to me as Rosbif.

[Gromit]

Naomi, You are correct.

The only version I knew and assumed was the correct version had 'catch a tiger by his toe', when I was eeny meenying 45 years ago.

The n*gger version it seems was popular in the US in the 1880s, but was promoted by The Boy Scout movement...

// It was also used by Rudyard Kipling in his "A Counting-Out Song", from Land and Sea Tales for Scouts and Guides, published in 1935. This may have helped popularise this version in the United Kingdom where it seems to have replaced all earlier versions until the late twentieth century. //

[ludwig]

// I can remember being able to buy n*gg*r brown boot polish (by Kiwi). I wonder what it's called now. //

Brown?

[ummmm]

Gromit....we sang the n*gger version and I'm 40.

Obviously we sang it not realising the meaning.

[Booldawg]

Clarkson being Clarkson. He has always been irked with Liberalisation. Nothing to see here, move on!

[Mamyalynne]

I worked in a haberdashers and we got replacement labels for the reels of Silko sewing thread called 'n' Brown, new name 'Dark Brown'.


Clarkson tries to push it as far as possible, then makes a whining apology - too big for his boots and shows a lack of intelligence.

We always sang...

♪ Eeny Meeny Miny Moe, put the baby on the Po....♪ :-)

[Kromovaracun]

Just a question for ABers who are older than me - was this rhyme ever used with the offending word in British playgrounds?

I mean, I used to use it too when I was a kid - but the offending word was usually replaced with "tiger." I didn't realise the "n-bomb" was ever used in it until some years later and until this story came out I thought it was only an American thing.

[ummmm]

Krom - Yes. It was sang at my primary school.

[jno]

your version sounds nice, mamya. I learnt Gromit's version with "tiger", but I am not British.

The BBC have admitted that they knew of the double meaning of slope ("a light-hearted word play joke"). Clarkson, having first denied using the N word has now changed his mind and admitted that he did but tried to "obscure" it. The BBC have now told him he's on a final warning.

[Daffy6543]

I always used the 'n' word version, as did everyone I know. I grew up in Leicester which has a high black and Asian (eg. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh) population, they also used the same term in the rhyme.

[meglet]

I am 40 and we used the offending version in the playground. Although I remember singing "catch a nicker by it's toe" without knowing it wasn't the actual word.

I have just heard the recording on the radio and frankly I'm stunned it's gone this far. He doesn't say even the word, he mumbles!

[cazzz1975]

We used to use "catch a nicker by the toe"

to be honest at a young age like a lot of other deciding rhymes (or doing a dip), most of the lyrics didnt make sense and I dont think any of us ever questioned them.

eg) ibble obble, black bobble
ibble obble out.

[mccfluff]

quick poll round the office - everyone apart from me used the n bomb without knowing what they were saying

i used to say eeney meeny miny mo catch a midget by his toe....

& i'm having the pee taking out of me now

[Kromovaracun]

"eg) ibble obble, black bobble
ibble obble out."

If this is the same rhyme I think it is, then at school we used to use the same one but with an AWFUL lot of swear-words.

[Kromovaracun]

thanks mcfluff!

[ummmm]

McFluff...you shouldn't snog midgets then!!

In all fairness....I didn't even know what a n1gger was.

[mccfluff]

thanks for?

[Kromovaracun]

asking around the office.