Re: Conrad: white men

On Dec 24, 5:37 pm, David Hatunen <dhatu...@xxxxxxx> wrote:
On Fri, 24 Dec 2010 18:21:09 -0330, Cheryl wrote:
David Hatunen wrote:
On Fri, 24 Dec 2010 07:36:10 -0330, Cheryl wrote:

On 2010-12-24 6:16 AM, Marius Hancu wrote:
On Dec 24, 4:42 am, Marius Hancu<marius.ha...@xxxxxxxxx>  wrote:

"white men": are we talking race here?

[...]

To the white men in the waterside business and to the captains of
ships he was just Jim—nothing more. He had, of course, another name,
but he was anxious that it should not be pronounced. His incognito,
which had as many holes as a sieve, was not meant to hide a
personality but a fact.
Yes, it sounds like it means race, although as I expect you know it
could also mean honest or honourable in older books.

As compared to non-white men. It's still racist.

Well, I'm no expert on the literature of the period, but I had the
impression the term got somewhat disconnected from the 'he's
white-skinned, so he's honest etc' idea before that meaning passed out
of common usuage. It seemed to be used to distinguish one white person
from a group of others rather than whites from non-whites.

But as I said, I'm no expert. I merely pointed the usage out as one that
might be encountered in older books.

Even in my day, "that's mighty white of you" was still used as a means of
praising your selflessness. Everyone knew what it meant.

I have to wonder how many posters in this group were around in America
prior to the social revolution of the 1960s and have a true understanding
of what things were really like.

--
Tucson, Arizona, out where the cacti grow- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

By the same token, I take offense to the phrases "white lie", "white
fury" and "white with fear". I consider them racist and demeaning!
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Conrad: white men
    ... ships he was just Jim—nothing more. ... His incognito, ... could also mean honest or honourable in older books. ...
    (alt.usage.english)
  • Re: Conrad: white men
    ... ships he was just Jim—nothing more. ... His incognito, ... Well, I'm no expert on the literature of the period, but I had the impression the term got somewhat disconnected from the 'he's white-skinned, so he's honest etc' idea before that meaning passed out of common usuage. ... I merely pointed the usage out as one that might be encountered in older books. ...
    (alt.usage.english)
  • Re: Conrad: white men
    ... ships he was just Jim-nothing more. ... could also mean honest or honourable in older books. ...
    (alt.usage.english)
  • Re: Conrad: white men
    ... His incognito, ... could also mean honest or honourable in older books. ... the implied making fun of others imagined racism is a racism of ...
    (alt.usage.english)
  • Re: Conrad: white men
    ... Cheryl typed: ... of ships he was just Jim—nothing more. ... it could also mean honest or honourable in older books. ...
    (alt.usage.english)