Of course this all derives from the appalling insult WOG.

Which stood for Wily Oriental Gentleman.

Unforgivable. Gentleman? How dare you?
Oriental? My God, insinuating that someone came from the east. Filth!
Wily? Ban Jo from Radio One this moment and jail that rapper immediately.

Golly... it's enough to make your hair stand on end.

As I heard it it was "Worthy Oriental Gentleman" (Or "Worker on Government Service") but when has it ever been used as anything but an insult?

Once again I repeat those who are not and have never been subject to it's use as an insult fail to recognise the insult.

Indeed this "Oh it really means something quite complimentary, what's all the fuss about" is quite typical of those who refuse to accept it is an insult and that it is insulting to those as the sharp end of it.

It is not and has never been a term of endearment.

What would your advice be to those who do find it through experience to be insulting?

"Get over it". People can shout NONCE at me all they like if they wish to display their stupidity - it makes no difference to me.

And I'm certainly not going to urge dismissal when it crops up in passing conversations about other people.

JK2006 wrote:
"Get over it". People can shout NONCE at me all they like if they wish to display their stupidity - it makes no difference to me.

And I'm certainly not going to urge dismissal when it crops up in passing conversations about other people.
Somebody who is black cannot retort "I'm not black" your comparison falls down.

What if someone says "Accept you conviction and now keep quiet"?

I'd say "I don't agree with you".

But if someone says that about someone else in a private conversation or on a broadcast I'm not going to say "they should shut up".

Both words {"wog" and "nonce"} are simply reflections of their users' stupidity. I'd leave it at that. For the record, I agree entirely, zoo. Words like these have no place on the lips of civilised people. And no one ever benefitted from the kind of mindset which inspires their use.

JK2006 wrote:
I'd say "I don't agree with you".

But if someone says that about someone else in a private conversation or on a broadcast I'm not going to say "they should shut up".
If they persist and others join in jeering at you then you would be quite unaffected? In the past you have certainly displayed annoyance at repeated uniformed "opinion" and quite rightly so.

ETA you do speak out against such "opinion" and certainly don't just accept it. Nor should you. any more than people should accept being called a wog or a nigger.

...there is a problem with this example as it was a comment made, seemingly, in private and is different to public broadcast.

It remains that wog is a term of offence, is intended as a term of offence, is used as a term of offence and is best avoided (unless you wish to offend).

Wog is a word used to offend. Menwhile, golliwog is a name for a soft toy. While golliwog can be used in an offensive way, if people choose to, it can also be used in innocence. Any word can be used offensively. Some words which offend today, did not offend yesterday. It's all about how they are used, the tone of voice, formation of sentence, etc.

I forgot to mention on my Fab Chart post that their featured video this week is The Gollywog Song. It's worth listening to - as opposed to just judging it by the title.

http://fabchart.tripod.com

the word WOG is obviously an insult.

The word Golly or Gollywog describes a soft toy which many people of all races may or may not have in their soft toy collection.

I think we must remember that.

I have not heard or seen one black person on TV or radio agree with the sacking of Carol Thatcher. It is all horribly white PC New Labour supporters who are frothing at the mouth and using the THATCHER word because they are trying to persuade us the though BROWN is useless and awful and unfair - they can point to a name which is more awful of their opponents.

Very childish.