# Have you used snigger in conversation?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-used-snigger-in-conversation/560431
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [November 12, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-used-snigger-in-conversation/560431 "2010-11-12T15:08:55Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2010, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-used-snigger-in-conversation/560431/21 "2010-11-12T22:43:01Z")
> [@perfectparanoia](#):
>
> I said other since I am sure it’s snicker.
I’m sure you’re [wrong](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/snigger), but they are synonymous.
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### Author:  [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2010, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-used-snigger-in-conversation/560431/22 "2010-11-12T23:07:25Z")
I don’t even let my wife yell at me for fear of being branded a racist.
Goddamn nagger gotta learn her place.
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### Author:  [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2010, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-used-snigger-in-conversation/560431/23 "2010-11-12T23:21:50Z")
“No, she’s a cute little white gal, but our third child was a nagger, an’ that’s why I want a day-vorce”.
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### Author:  [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2010, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-used-snigger-in-conversation/560431/24 "2010-11-12T23:23:04Z")
> [@Bosstone](#):
>
> Snicker and snigger are slightly different to me. Snicker is a slightly more neutral connotation, and I’ll frequently use it instead of giggle when referring to myself laughing because giggling is more feminine or girlish. Snigger is far further down the mean end of the scale.
>
> Still, I personally rarely use it. I think the last time I saw snigger in print was in _Redwall_.
Same here, except that I’ve never read Redwall.
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### Author:  [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2010, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-used-snigger-in-conversation/560431/25 "2010-11-12T23:33:21Z")
I use the word, but I spell it, and say it, with a “ck” in the middle. I always got the impression that sniggering would cause you to be embarrassed if your Mom saw you doing it.
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### Author:  [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)
#### Post date: [November 13, 2010, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-used-snigger-in-conversation/560431/26 "2010-11-13T00:43:36Z")
I use it. It’s a useful word to describe a specific type of laughter.
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### Author:  [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)
#### Post date: [November 13, 2010, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-used-snigger-in-conversation/560431/27 "2010-11-13T01:12:28Z")
I would never say it because most people I talk to probably don’t know the word. However I’ve used it in writing a fair amount. I like it much better than snicker. Which, BTW, doesn’t read as the same thing to me. Snickering is a laugh that sounds a certain way (in my head).
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### Author:  [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)
#### Post date: [November 13, 2010, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-used-snigger-in-conversation/560431/28 "2010-11-13T04:05:49Z")
I use both “snigger” and “snicker” - they’re different words to me. I’d never even thought about the fact that people might think I meant sblackperson.
Hilariously, the guy who was reading out the descriptions of baskets they were raffling off at our inservice day yesterday - I don’t know what the hell he said, but our whole table was sure he said “nigger”. It was an artistic basket, full of work by “artists, photographers, niggers, and painters”. I KNOW, obviously, he didn’t say what we thought he said - but what on earth did he actually say?
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### Author:  [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)
#### Post date: [November 13, 2010, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-used-snigger-in-conversation/560431/29 "2010-11-13T07:03:59Z")
I have on a couple of occasions run thorugh synonyms for “laugh” when I was talking for some reason, which would include “snigger” along with chortle, guffaw and titter.
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### Author:  [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)
#### Post date: [November 13, 2010, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-used-snigger-in-conversation/560431/30 "2010-11-13T08:19:14Z")
Oh, I voted wrong. I use snicker, not snigger. Heck, Firefox doesn’t even consider it a legitimate word. But I wouldn’t have a problem with snigger because of two things: one, the letter S is the easiest consonant in the world to hear, and, two, I’ve never encountered anyone who tried to use it as a way to sneak a bad word into a conversation.
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### Author:  [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)
#### Post date: [November 13, 2010, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-used-snigger-in-conversation/560431/31 "2010-11-13T09:38:54Z")
UK here, I voted yes.
Very, very common over here and have never even noticed a similarity to other less well-regarded words.
It is useful as it describes a specific type of laughter (Scooby-do “sniggers”) and other words like “snicker” don’t work (Mutley “snickers”).
Another word we use a lot is “niggle” or “niggled”. Again, very specific and useful and I can’t ever recall anyone taking the slightest offence or notice of any of the above.
Context is everything, it is the reason I can use “cock” “balls” “chink” “spick” and “fanny” in certain situations (though rarely in the same sentence) and expect reasonable people not to be offended.
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### Author:  [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)
#### Post date: [November 13, 2010, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-used-snigger-in-conversation/560431/32 "2010-11-13T19:21:14Z")
> [@Zsofia](#):
>
> I use both “snigger” and “snicker” - they’re different words to me. I’d never even thought about the fact that people might think I meant sblackperson.
>
> Hilariously, the guy who was reading out the descriptions of baskets they were raffling off at our inservice day yesterday - I don’t know what the hell he said, but our whole table was sure he said “nigger”. It was an artistic basket, full of work by “artists, photographers, niggers, and painters”. I KNOW, obviously, he didn’t say what we thought he said - but what on earth did he actually say?
Knitters?
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### Author:  [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)
#### Post date: [November 13, 2010, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-used-snigger-in-conversation/560431/33 "2010-11-13T19:27:17Z")
> [@BigT](#):
>
> Oh, I voted wrong. I use snicker, not snigger. Heck, Firefox doesn’t even consider it a legitimate word. But I wouldn’t have a problem with snigger because of two things: one, the letter S is the easiest consonant in the world to hear, and, two, I’ve never encountered anyone who tried to use it as a way to sneak a bad word into a conversation.
“Let’s see if the censor catches this one!” Tom sniggered.
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### Author:  [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)
#### Post date: [November 13, 2010, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-used-snigger-in-conversation/560431/34 "2010-11-13T23:41:51Z")
I don’t think it’s offensive, but it just doesn’t come up for me. All that it brings to mind is _My Fair Lady_:
**Eliza** : Here! What are you sniggering at?
**Freddy** : The new small talk, you do it so awfully well.
**Eliza** : Well if I was doing it proper, what was you sniggering at? Have I said anything I oughtn’t?
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### Author:  [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)
#### Post date: [November 14, 2010, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-used-snigger-in-conversation/560431/35 "2010-11-14T03:29:34Z")
> [@scifisam2009](#):
>
> Knitters?
Knitters! Of course! Knitters! We couldn’t figure that out for love nor money!
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### Author:  [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)
#### Post date: [November 14, 2010, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-used-snigger-in-conversation/560431/36 "2010-11-14T17:44:28Z")
> [@Tom\_Scud](#):
>
> Didn’t realize it was a British/US divide; my own mental categorization of the two words had “snigger” as slightly more derisive and unfriendly than “snicker”. You could “snicker” at a joke but pretty much only “snigger” at a person.
>
> ETA: damn you, Bosstone!
Same here.
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### Author:  [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)
#### Post date: [November 14, 2010, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-used-snigger-in-conversation/560431/37 "2010-11-14T19:50:34Z")
Never! I keep a pet capuchin on my porch, but I refer to him as the verandah primate just to be safe.
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### Author:  [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)
#### Post date: [November 14, 2010, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-used-snigger-in-conversation/560431/38 "2010-11-14T23:37:39Z")
Snigger yes, Snicker is a chocolate bar.
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### Author:  [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)
#### Post date: [November 15, 2010, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-used-snigger-in-conversation/560431/39 "2010-11-15T08:30:12Z")
> [@kayaker](#):
>
> I once was doing laundry, and said, “my load of coloreds is done”. ☹
Let’s hope you didn’t have any bleeding reds…
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### Author:  [@Chopper9760](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chopper9760)
#### Post date: [November 15, 2010, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-used-snigger-in-conversation/560431/40 "2010-11-15T15:30:15Z")
I use snigger and snicker in slightly different ways.
I agree with the Scooby-do reference, that’s a good snigger. While I wouldn’t call it malicious, I always get the impression that the one sniggering is getting some enjoyment out of someone’s misfortune or maybe just gleeful over mischief.
To me a snicker is merely a sarcastic laugh. Like a derisive snort or huff. Depending on context though it can mean exactly the same thing as snigger.
Never heard the Brit/US thing, interesting.
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