# I'm an old nigger with a pickney **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 20, 2014, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-old-nigger-with-a-pickney/701894 "2014-10-20T03:48:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-old-nigger-with-a-pickney/701894/1 "2014-10-20T03:48:09Z")
I get told all the time, even a few times from my wife that I act like an old nigger. Even a couple of strangers have told me that, I need to stop acting like I have no training I am acting so old niggerish. Pickney is rarer, but still used. Heard just the other day from an old woman that if I just would give my pickney some good licks he would listen better to me. Yea I’m not in the USA (I’m in Trinidad) and these terms are not considered offensive and everyone who used them were black and they meant no offense, vague translation follows. Old nigger: Someone with no manners, someone who is uncouth, not civilized. Pickney: A small child. Yes I have told my wife if we go to the USA try very hard not to use these terms by accident lol, as they are considered very offensive. ---
**Author:** ![jimbuff314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c57346/32.png) [@jimbuff314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimbuff314)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-old-nigger-with-a-pickney/701894/2 "2014-10-20T03:55:53Z")
I think the word is _[pickaninny](http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pickaninny)_. (_Someone please tell me why I’m doing this._) ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-old-nigger-with-a-pickney/701894/3 "2014-10-20T03:56:02Z")
Oh yea you can be an ON by such horrible acts as buying a slice of pizza and…eating it while walking down the street. Eating in de road?! you ON! ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-old-nigger-with-a-pickney/701894/4 "2014-10-20T03:57:56Z")
> [@jimbuff314](#): > > I think the word is _[pickaninny](http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pickaninny)_. > > (_Someone please tell me why I’m doing this._) Maybe but it is pronounced pick-nee here. From your wiki link: > [@](#): > > In certain dialects of Caribbean English, the words pickney and pickney-negger are used to refer to children. There you go! ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-old-nigger-with-a-pickney/701894/5 "2014-10-20T04:07:12Z")
> [@jimbuff314](#): > > I think the word is _[pickaninny](http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pickaninny)_. > > (_Someone please tell me why I’m doing this._) I’m not sure but you spared me from doing the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-old-nigger-with-a-pickney/701894/6 "2014-10-20T04:09:18Z")
If anyone is curious the tone of thread is humorous, instead of offended. Just some cross cultural humor. For an example of a fairly innocuous word that is meaningless in USA English but offensive here see coolie(to refer to a person of east Indian heritage as a slur). (Before someone says it yes my wife knows nigger is a slur in the USA, she didn’t think pickney was though). ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-old-nigger-with-a-pickney/701894/7 "2014-10-20T04:14:59Z")
Did you end up getting malaria or dengue fever or whatever you thought you had last week? Still feverish? Diarrhea of the fingertips? ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-old-nigger-with-a-pickney/701894/8 "2014-10-20T04:24:09Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Did you end up getting malaria or dengue fever or whatever you thought you had last week? Still feverish? Diarrhea of the fingertips? Probably chikungunya, seeing as how I still wake up every morning feeling like an arthritic 80 year old. Joints in my hands and feet are especially painful. I’m not making anything up here BTW, except for like I said no one says pickaninny they call small children pickneys(pick-knees). I just find it funny people will tell you listen stop acting like an old nigger, and start beating that pickney!:eek:😕 ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-old-nigger-with-a-pickney/701894/9 "2014-10-20T04:30:30Z")
_N-word, Please!_ Doesn’t really have the same ring to it, does it? ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-old-nigger-with-a-pickney/701894/10 "2014-10-20T04:46:52Z")
If anyone is unclear… Am I making this up? NO Do I think these terms are acceptable? NO Do I use these terms? NO Do I find it kind of funny in an absurd way that these terms are used here? YES ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-old-nigger-with-a-pickney/701894/11 "2014-10-20T05:21:03Z")
> [@grude](#): > > If anyone is curious the tone of thread is humorous, instead of offended. Just some cross cultural humor. > > For an example of a fairly innocuous word that is meaningless in USA English but offensive here see coolie(to refer to a person of east Indian heritage as a slur). > (Before someone says it yes my wife knows nigger is a slur in the USA, she didn’t think pickney was though). If pickney isn’t considered a slur here in the USA, it’s probably because most USAians don’t know that it means the same as pickaninny. That’s going to be recognized. And just for the record, “coolie”, while a little outdated, is typically frowned upon. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-an-old-nigger-with-a-pickney/701894/12 "2014-10-20T05:30:19Z")
I’m going to close this under the seemingly obvious “not a good idea” clause. If someone has very good reason as to why it should be reopened, make a topic in ATMB and I might consider it. Until then, it’s just not a good idea.