# Politically Correct Niger? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 2, 2003, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politically-correct-niger/205108 "2003-10-02T13:09:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politically-correct-niger/205108/1 "2003-10-02T13:09:48Z")
I just received a flyer from my local birdseed store that is offering **nyjer** seed for $.79 a pound. Nyjer? _ **NYJER?** _ Niger (aka thistle) seed is a staple for those of us who like to feed the finches. I checked several online dictionaries and none of them show any listing for “nyjer”. Are we _that_ worried about being politically correct that we are now changing the spelling of common words because they sort of _look_ like an offensive word? God forbid, is Nigeria next? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![kabbes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e99b99/32.png) [@kabbes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kabbes)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politically-correct-niger/205108/2 "2003-10-02T13:11:25Z")
Pnyjeareeah. It’s the only answer. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politically-correct-niger/205108/3 "2003-10-02T13:16:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ruby \* > \*\*God forbid, is Nigeria next? :rolleyes: \*\* Do you mean Nyjeria? ---
**Author:** ![Erroneous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71c47a/32.png) [@Erroneous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erroneous)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politically-correct-niger/205108/4 "2003-10-02T13:24:37Z")
When you feed those finches, I hope you’re not nyggardly with the seed. ---
**Author:** ![Anonymous\_Coward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/94ad74/32.png) [@Anonymous\_Coward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anonymous_Coward)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politically-correct-niger/205108/5 "2003-10-02T13:25:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Erroneous \* > \*\*When you feed those finches, I hope you’re not nyggardly with the seed. \*\* Heh. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politically-correct-niger/205108/6 "2003-10-02T13:27:07Z")
Maybe the pet shop was just being nyggardly, and purchased an off-brand to sell at regular prices. Ya know, Brocks vs. Brachs, Nyger vs. Niger. ---
**Author:** ![SentientMeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SentientMeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SentientMeat)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politically-correct-niger/205108/7 "2003-10-02T13:33:03Z")
I believe “nee-jer” is phonetically more accurate when referring to the African country between Chad (K’had) and Mali (as in Bob). ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politically-correct-niger/205108/8 "2003-10-02T13:49:17Z")
Yes, that’s true. But most Americans don’t know how to pronounce Niger. I didn’t until a few weeks ago myself. I asked a Ghanan guy I know the following question: “If we call people from Nigeria Nigerians, what do we call people from Niger?” He said “Nee-zheer-ee-ehns,” all Frenchy-like, and pointed out “Remember that it was French. The name of the country should be pronounced Nee-zher.” Good to know. I wonder if they have any womyn selling the nyger seed. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politically-correct-niger/205108/9 "2003-10-02T13:53:19Z")
Not only are they PC, but they can’t spell and they don’t know their etymology. _Niger_ (correctly pronounced NY-jer) is the Latin word for the color black, and one would assume that because this is Africa, that the river and the country would be nsamed for the color. BUT. . As it turns out, early Arab cosmographers named the region after the Hausa word for river (_ni_) and the name of the river, Gir; thus Nigir, later changed to Niger. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politically-correct-niger/205108/10 "2003-10-02T15:46:41Z")
I just called the store to get further information and they advised that the name “Nyjer” is a tradmark of the Wild Bird Feeding Institute. Here’s the link [http://www.wbfi.org/pdf/wbfibrochure1.pdf](http://www.wbfi.org/pdf/wbfibrochure1.pdf) > [@](#): > > Nyjer® Seed ~ > Not Thistle > A Big Name for a Small Black Seed > Nyjer® is a trademark of the Wild Bird > Feeding Institute, doing business as the Wild > Bird Feeding Industry, and can be approved > for use only by member and non-member firms > that follow the guidelines outlined for its use. At least that makes a little more sense. I guess they can call it Purple People Eaters® if they want. Unless, of course, they want to offend all of the Purple People Eaters worldwide. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politically-correct-niger/205108/11 "2003-10-02T16:56:31Z")
Remember all the flack in Washington when Mayor Williams’ aide used the word “niggardly”? I can understand why a seed supplier would rather not be hassled like that, even if out of ignorance. But at least he didn’t change the English pronunciation of the original word. Anyone remember rapeseed oil? Now it’s canola. If we can accept that, we can accept “Nyjer seed”. ---
**Author:** ![Hyperelastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Hyperelastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hyperelastic)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politically-correct-niger/205108/12 "2003-10-02T19:04:04Z")
I take no position on the subject of the OP, but I would like to relate a sort-of-funny, sort-of-not story. Our third grade class received a new globe and as we gathered around to look, one girl exclaimed, “Look! There’s a country called ‘Nigger’!!” ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politically-correct-niger/205108/13 "2003-10-02T19:07:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Hyperelastic \* > Our third grade class received a new globe and as we gathered around to look, one girl exclaimed, “Look! There’s a country called ‘Nigger’!!” How old was the previous globe that it didn’t have Niger on it? ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politically-correct-niger/205108/14 "2003-10-02T19:15:51Z")
– _ **nyjer** _ – NY = New York – Jer = Jersey – nyjer seed = New York/New Jersey seed. It’s simply birdseed marketed toward the urban finch. Don’t you feel foolish now? ---
**Author:** ![gloaming](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@gloaming](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gloaming)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politically-correct-niger/205108/15 "2003-10-02T20:43:35Z")
_Just had to de-lurk for this one…_ Nice clarification on the Arabic origin of _Niger_. But those who named the river describing the universe, or just making maps? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![gloaming](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@gloaming](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gloaming)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politically-correct-niger/205108/16 "2003-10-02T20:54:43Z")
Oops. Meant to say: _But **were** those who named the river…etc._ ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politically-correct-niger/205108/17 "2003-10-02T21:48:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Erroneous \* > \*\*When you feed those finches, I hope you’re not nyggardly with the seed. \*\* They’re not finches. She has tyts. ---
**Author:** ![Wikkit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c0e974/32.png) [@Wikkit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wikkit)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politically-correct-niger/205108/18 "2003-10-02T22:43:36Z")
And what a pair of tyts they are. Her boobies are nice too.