# The recent taboo of using the N-word under ANY circumstances

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recent-taboo-of-using-the-n-word-under-any-circumstances/827189>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [January 4, 2019, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recent-taboo-of-using-the-n-word-under-any-circumstances/827189 "2019-01-04T11:03:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 14

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**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2019, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-recent-taboo-of-using-the-n-word-under-any-circumstances/827189/14 "2019-01-04T15:57:51Z")

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> [@Icarus](#):
>
> The inherent risk is that there will always be people using “Hey, I’m just referring to the word by quoting Mark Twain.” as cover to say the word 1,000 times a day.

I agree. The problem is how some people kept looking for loopholes that allowed them to say it.

“Can I say it if I’m quoting Mark Twain? Can I say it if I’m quoting Quentin Tarantino? Can I say it if I’m quoting the lyrics to a rap song? Can I say it if I’m being ironic? Can I can it if I’m wearing a disapproving look? Can I say it if I pronounce it slightly differently? Can I say a word that sounds like it?”

If you tell these people they can’t say it a thousand times a day, their response will be “So it’s okay to say it nine hundred times a day?”

Eventually you just have to tell these people that they can never say it under any circumstances. It’s the only way you can stop them.

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