American Vogue was yesterday branded absurd for suggesting the phrase 'a niggling worry' was racist towards Meghan Markle.
The magazine criticised a Daily Mail front page for using the words alongside Harry and Meghan's engagement photo in 2017.
It was used in a headline to signpost to an inside article written by Sarah Vine.
American Vogue suggested the word was racist, even though 'niggling' means 'to gnaw at' or a 'persistent annoyance'.
he magazine admitted as much, yet went on to level what the Mail called an 'extremely serious and unfounded allegation' of racism.
What the OED says
The word 'niggle' has been in the English language since the late 16th century.
The Oxford English Dictionary says its origin is uncertain, but it may derive from Swiss German or Scandinavian. It has several meanings in English, including 'to cause slight but persistent annoyance, discomfort or anxiety'.
There is no suggestion that it has any racially offensive connotations.
In its latest issue, long-standing Vogue writer Hamish Bowles, a 57-year-old Briton, states: 'In 2017, the Daily Mail, featuring Harry and Meghan's touching engagement picture on the front page, saw fit to run the headline from their columnist Sarah Vine: 'Yes, they're joyfully in love. 'So why do I have a niggling worry about this engagement picture?' (Webster's defines the word niggling thus: 'bothersome or persistent especially in a petty or tiresome way'.
'Nevertheless, the word seemed a surprising choice and jumped from the page, as presumably it was intended to.'
Last night Toby Young, general secretary of the Free Speech Union, said: 'It's a bit like claiming that a newspaper is racist because the ink it uses on its pages is black. It's just silly and absurd.'
The word is in such common use that it has appeared in The Times 3,687 times, in The Guardian 2,268 times – and 2,037 times in the Daily Mail.
It has even been used eight times in American Vogue itself.
Last year, Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of US Vogue, was forced to make an apology for publishing material that had been intolerant, as well as not doing enough to promote black staff and designers.
Yesterday the Mail wrote to her asking her to amend the latest article's 'deliberate accusation of racism against this paper and Sarah Vine'.
The Nigg word
The Nigg word
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: The Nigg word
The unedited version is even worse...
Yes, they're joyfully in love. 'So why do I have a niggling worry about her handling him so gingerly in this engagement picture?
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Burning Petard
- Posts: 4625
- Joined: Fri Feb 12, 2016 5:35 pm
- Location: Near Bear, Delaware
Re: The Nigg word
I object to this entire thread. The very word 'racist' is indicative of characterizations and generalizations without objective, scientific definition.
Oh, if I only had the money to get away from this horrible social practice, I would retire to a nice swamp cabin on the Niger River.
snailgate
Oh, if I only had the money to get away from this horrible social practice, I would retire to a nice swamp cabin on the Niger River.
snailgate
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Bicycle Bill
- Posts: 9820
- Joined: Thu Dec 03, 2015 1:10 pm
- Location: Living in a suburb of Berkeley on the Prairie along with my Yellow Rose of Texas
Re: The Nigg word
You think you've seen shit-storms in your day? I dare anyone to properly use the word "niggardly" in a conversation.
You ain't seen nuthin' yet!
-"BB"-
You ain't seen nuthin' yet!
-"BB"-
Yes, I suppose I could agree with you ... but then we'd both be wrong, wouldn't we?
Re: The Nigg word
In my opinion, she looks considerably honkey! Shame on her,
Soon, I’ll post my farewell message. The end is starting to get close. There are many misconceptions about me, and before I go, to live with my ancestors on the steppes, I want to set the record straight.