It means “present, appearing, or found everywhere”, and such usage is not found everywhere in the black community. So no, the usage of the word that you describe is not ubiquitous in the black community, any more than it’s ubiquitous in the white community.
I’m not aware that we had established that he didn’t use it in an offensive or inappropriate manner. Asking “Does this mean we can finally say the word n-----?” might be offensive and inappropriate no matter who says it.
I’m about 99% sure you’re wrong here. Whether you’re black or white, your race puts you in a protected class.
HOWEVER, if you’re willing to fire both white and black people for using racial slurs that apply to others but not to themselves, arguably you haven’t discriminated. If I touch my own butt in the office, that’s very different from my touching someone else’s butt.
Sure, let’s imagine an anchor who is so goddamned stupid that he expects some black viewers will be pleased to see a white anchor saying “nigger” on the news. Stupidity is also not a protected class.
Edit: Maybe when you talk about the “thousands of their viewers” who say the word every day you’re talking about white racists, in which case, see above re: stupidity not being a protected class.
“Ubiquitous” means “found everywhere.” The word is not ubiquitous in black culture.
Again, this is wrong. The class being referred to in the phrase “protected class” is not “black,” or “female,” or “Muslim.” It means “race” or “gender” or “religion.” Every person in the US is part of a protected class, because every person in America has a race, or a gender, or some form of religious views (even if those views are, “religion is a bunch of hooey.”)
No, it doesn’t, it means “widespread”. If it meant, literally, “present everywhere,” then neither cars, nor telephones, nor English would be ubiquitous in the US. Is that what you think the word means?
Nitpick: some civil rights statutes do protect one particular group but not others. The ADEA only protects people over 40, and the Equal Pay Act only protects women. The vast majority are not like that, however.
“or”?
Grotonian, the most common definition of “ubiquitous” is found here.
If your claim is that the word is ubiquitous among black Americans in the way that phones are ubiquitous among Americans, you’re still wrong.
Even here I’m pretty sure you’re wrong. The text of the law prohibits pay discrimination:
Given the precedent of miscegenation laws, which equally restricted people in who they could marry, I don’t think this is actually the case. At least, I am reasonably sure that you wouldn’t claim that miscegenation laws arguably aren’t discrimination.
From your link:
“existing or being everywhere at the same time”
From the same link, “widespread” <a ubiquitous fashion>
You think a ubiquitous fashion is literally everywhere at the same time? Then I suggest you not use the word.
I already gave a link, it means “widespread”. And it’s use is widespread in the black community. You don’t have to like it, but it’s true.
Yeah, I’m conflicted about it. Socially, of course there’s a difference, and I look very skeptically on anyone who claims not to understand that difference. But I don’t know whether I think the law ought to recognize such a difference.
This is a silly argument. The word has two different meanings; you were originally unclear, but now you’ve clarified. If all you’re saying is that the word is used by many African American folk, of course that’s neither controversial nor especially relevant.
Do you want to go back and count how many definitions you had to skip over to get the one you wanted?
I suggest you stop using dictionaries as cites until you understand how they work.
I suggest you learn what a “context clue” is. Do you think the sentence, “The word “nigger” is ubiquitous in the black community” means that ALL black people say “nigger” all day long, all at the same time, repeatedly? Is that what you think it means?
Because it doesn’t. And no one but you and Dorkness thinks it does.
So I’ll repeat my advice to you: don’t use “ubiquitous” if you think it means that.
No, when I read that sentence, I thought it meant, “The vast majority of black people use the word on a regular basis.” Because that’s what the words you used in that sentence mean when strung together in that order. If you’d just meant “widespread,” you should have just said “widespread,” instead of trying to sound more impressive by using words you don’t fully understand.
I’m going to have to expand my earlier advice from, “not using dictionaries as a cite until you understand how they work,” to “not using the English language until you understand how it works.”
Probably most other languages, too.
Meh. He’s clarified his point to the point of irrelevance, so I’m happy to let him have the victory.
Yep. It’s “widespread”. Unfortunately, it’s also widespread in some white communities as well.
“Vast majority”? No definition cited said anything about a “vast majority”. Here’s a fun activity that can help you. Look up “ubiquitous”, then re-read the sentence. Does “appearing everywhere at the same time” make sense, or does “commonplace” make sense, in that sentence? If you can figure out what makes sense, you might be able to figure out how the word is being used.
Here’s another dictionary tip: dictionaries have different meanings listed because words can mean different things. You shouldn’t stop reading after the first definition. You might look foolish if you try and claim that ONLY the first definition is valid. Multiple definitions are included for a reason.
In the future, if I see that you are contributing to a thread, I will use “common”, or “widespread”, or “frequent” so as not to confuse you.
You know, it’s a lot easier, and less personally embarrassing, just to say, “Hey, I was wrong about that!”
But some people prefer digging holes, apparently.