Question for Americans.
Mar. 2nd, 2004 11:11 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
davywavyWhat is a 'cracker' and why is being one such a bad thing? I'm aware that the term derives from 'cracking corn', but I don't know what this is either and so can't make the leap to 'cracker trash' from here.
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no subject
Date: 2004-03-02 03:14 am (UTC)though from my POV being a 'cracker' is a good thing, surely?
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Date: 2004-03-02 03:16 am (UTC)Why would being a cracker be a good thing? because it means that they at least have work?
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Date: 2004-03-02 03:19 am (UTC)"That blonde was a cracker!"
"Thats a cracking piece of cheese Gromit"
and so on, that, and Bobby-Dazzler are two of the phrases that i think of as 'his' (even though i use them on occasion)
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Date: 2004-03-02 03:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-02 03:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-02 04:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-02 05:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-02 05:09 am (UTC)And am now hungry, damn you.
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Date: 2004-03-02 05:10 am (UTC)if it helps any i'm desiring chicken soup hellaciously and won't get any for AAAAAGES...if at all?
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Date: 2004-03-02 05:23 am (UTC)In other news, I may be in b'ham next week if you want to do lunch.
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Date: 2004-03-02 05:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-02 05:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-02 05:26 am (UTC)as long as its not Wednesday is likely to be doable...
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Date: 2004-03-02 05:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-02 05:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-02 03:37 am (UTC)Cracker is a term for white trash only, since our pasty pale skin looks like white crackers, its a term of insult, a modern version of honky.
its a bad thing i guess cos its an insult and implys your low life, council estate scallys (the UK equivilent)
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Date: 2004-03-02 09:01 am (UTC)Though it's not always used to refer to the lower economy, Jerry Springer-appearing white folk, but can also denote any Euro-American depending on the area.
The thing of it is, like "Honky" it rally doesn't seem to piss off or disturb anyone.
Language Lesson from a historically minded once-southerner
Date: 2004-03-02 02:39 pm (UTC)While currently the connotations are less harsh than they used to be it is right up on par (in the not so recent past) to using the term "colored" to refer to those of african descent.
It is a term equated originally with being "Poor White", a precursor term for white trash. This was a deeply offensive term, even in a time and location when many people of all colors were poor. To be a "Poor White" you were not only poor but lacking in even basic social graces and values. The difference between "White people who were poor" and "Poor Whites" was absolute in the time frame (Early to mid 1900's). It was often said it would be better to be a black than a Poor White. (Remember, this being the time frame before Civil Rights really had any impact on the lives of Americans)
Cracker was another similar term that in recent years has come to simply mean "White Person" with occasional overtones of "hopelessly white" i.e. white guy who doesn't get soul music or hip culture. Originally Redneck too was in this catagory, meaning essentially the same thing; being a caucasian directed vulgarity on the same level as Nigger was towards blacks.
Re: Language Lesson from a historically minded once-southerner
Date: 2004-03-03 02:20 am (UTC)Re: Language Lesson from a historically minded once-southerner
Date: 2004-03-03 04:47 pm (UTC)