Anonymous  +  362068 Tue, 08 May 07 03:58 PM Can N-word signify something other than "***". For example "no" and "not" - little children have genius for N-words (they keep saying no)? Anonymous

	Grammar Geek  +  362111 Tue, 08 May 07 05:02 PM I'm not sure I understand, but if you mean "Can the phrase 'n-word' be used to mean something other than a particular racial epithet?" the answer is yes, as long as you have defined the conditions sufficiently. If you said "My daughter just said the n-word!" I would assume you meant that racially charged word. But if we had been having a conversation about how your daughter always says "NO!" and you have started calling it "the 'n-word'" to avoid saying it in front of her, and then said "Listen! She just said the n-word again!" I would know what you mean. For some people, the "c-word" is "commitment" (as in a relationship) but for others, it's an entirely diferent, very nasty word. I would have to hear the context to know which one you mean. (Edited by khoff to change "n-work" to "n-word") (Edited by Barb to say "Thanks!") Grammar Geek Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006 Veteran Member 19,675 Barbara, who answers in American English. My housekeeping skills attest to the truth of the second law of thermodynamics: Left to themselves, things get more and more random! Conversations

	khoff  +  362140 Tue, 08 May 07 06:10 PM And some people might use "the c-word" to avoid referring directly  to cancer.  ("She went to the doctor today -- I think he mightt have used the c-word; she looked really shaken up.") khoff Joined on Sun, Mar 6 2005 Senior Member 3,272 Native speaker of American English (but not a grammar expert)

	nona the brit  +  362153 Tue, 08 May 07 06:33 PM I'd assume the doctor said an obsene word. I can't imagine n-word, c-word or f-word meaning anything other than the rude words. You could try using them in other contexts but everyone's first thought will always be the rude one. nona the brit Joined on Wed, Sep 22 2004 England Veteran Member 11,713 The name says it all.

	khoff  +  362204 Tue, 08 May 07 08:35 PM I know people of my parents' generation would sometimes superstitiously refer to "the Big C" instead of cancer -- maybe that was in the back of my mind and I merged it with the idea of "the c-word."    But it's also possible that the expressions are subject to more varied use in the U.S.than the U.K.   More opinions, please?? khoff

	Kooyeen  +  362258 Tue, 08 May 07 11:00 PM  Nona The Brit wrote: I can't imagine n-word or f-word meaning anything other than the rude words. You could try using them in other contexts but everyone's first thought will always be the rude one. Yeah, I think the same as Nona. You can "invent" a new meaning for every word if you want, and then use it with a restricted number of people who know what you are talking about. But the F-word is always the F-word for everyone, everywhere and in every situation, and the same is true of the N-word. The first poster mentioned "N-words", plural, not "word", so I think that could also have a different invented meaning (= children use N-words, no, not, never), but when people talk about the N-word, it's always the N-word. Just my opinion, what it seems to me. Kooyeen Joined on Thu, Dec 22 2005 Italy Senior Member 4,971 Parental Advisory / Explicit Posts Plurals

	nona the brit  +  362411 Wed, 09 May 07 09:25 AM I was just about to say what Kooyeen said. 'n-words' is completely different to 'the n-word'. nona the brit