Fellow dudes and English native speakers, a dude is in need of your verbal skills, man!
As a part of my job I am making some semi-formal invitations to our corporate party which will be Jamaica-themed. While translating it to English I've encountered a problem...
In this invitation, among various forms of entertainment, 'dancing black-skinned goddesses' are mentioned. This is like the literal translation of the phrase which is not in any way offensive in our language.
However it seems offensive in English and I'm having trouble deciding how to describe it correctly. I've had a few options: dark-skinned dancers, afro dancers, ebony dancers... but each one of these sounds a little bit offensive to me. Or maybe not. I don't know, we generally don't have this problem, so I need help from some native speaker dudes :)
P.S. googled 'non-offensive form of describing a black person'. First link it gave me was this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigger). Dammit, Google!
How about Afro-Caribbean Dancers?
Quote from: meekon5 on July 08, 2014, 12:59:13 PM
How about Afro-Caribbean Dancers?
that actually sounds pretty good, thanks for the hint!
but since we're on the topic, are any of the options I've mentioned offensive? just for the general knowledge
I like "Afro-Caribbean Dancers" best of the options given. The others are more likely to be interpreted as insensitive because they focus more on skin coloration than ethnicity and geography.
Your other option is to shift the emphasis entirely from the dancers to the activity. (i.e., Afro-Caribbean Dancing, Caribbean Dancing, etc). That removes even more of the potentially sensitive components and highlights the cultural activities. It's also less descriptive and colorful. Ah, the wages of political correction.
Quote from: jgiffin on July 08, 2014, 07:55:27 PM
I like "Afro-Caribbean Dancers" best of the options given. The others are more likely to be interpreted as insensitive because they focus more on skin coloration than ethnicity and geography.
Your other option is to shift the emphasis entirely from the dancers to the activity. (i.e., Afro-Caribbean Dancing, Caribbean Dancing, etc). That removes even more of the potentially sensitive components and highlights the cultural activities. It's also less descriptive and colorful. Ah, the wages of political correction.
don't even get me started on political correction and tolerance.
I mean, we are different colored, and in a perfect world where slavery in the U.S. never happened, maybe people are ok with describing other races by skin color.
This is a hugely unpopular opinion, but I think true unity can be achieved not by ignoring our differences, but by acknowledging and accepting them. Then again I might be saying this because I'm white middle class in a mostly single-etnos country.
Quote from: Bullett00th on July 09, 2014, 11:26:00 AM
Quote from: jgiffin on July 08, 2014, 07:55:27 PM
I like "Afro-Caribbean Dancers" best of the options given. The others are more likely to be interpreted as insensitive because they focus more on skin coloration than ethnicity and geography.
Your other option is to shift the emphasis entirely from the dancers to the activity. (i.e., Afro-Caribbean Dancing, Caribbean Dancing, etc). That removes even more of the potentially sensitive components and highlights the cultural activities. It's also less descriptive and colorful. Ah, the wages of political correction.
don't even get me started on political correction and tolerance.
I mean, we are different colored, and in a perfect world where slavery in the U.S. never happened, maybe people are ok with describing other races by skin color.
This is a hugely unpopular opinion, but I think true unity can be achieved not by ignoring our differences, but by acknowledging and accepting them. Then again I might be saying this because I'm white middle class in a mostly single-etnos country.
Racist!
Stop it people! Please... drink beer, take it easy, and back down....
Would that be DARK beer or LIGHT beer?
;D
Your choice. There is no such thing as "wrong" beer.
Quote from: Hominid on July 09, 2014, 11:20:49 PM
Your choice. There is no such thing as "wrong" beer.
Fuckin' eh! All beer is good. 8)
(http://cdn2.modernman.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/homerdrink.jpg)
Quote from: jdurand on July 09, 2014, 09:25:07 PM
Would that be DARK beer or LIGHT beer?
;D
White beer!
But dark chocolate...
What about:
"Dancers."
8)
Quote from: bvenable78 on July 18, 2014, 01:27:12 PM
What about:
"Dancers."
8)
I dig your work.
Fabulous stuff, man.
Quote from: bvenable78 on July 18, 2014, 01:27:12 PM
What about:
"Dancers."
8)
Actually good point, bloody obvious when you think about it.
Good idea dude.
Nubian princesses.
Quote from: Ynot on July 19, 2014, 02:32:55 PM
Nubian princesses.
Don't be google-ing that at work what ever you do!
Quote from: meekon5 on July 19, 2014, 04:36:25 PM
Quote from: Ynot on July 19, 2014, 02:32:55 PM
Nubian princesses.
Don't be google-ing that at work what ever you do!
*>Googles it at work , on national television , live<*
Quote from: meekon5 on July 19, 2014, 04:36:25 PM
Quote from: Ynot on July 19, 2014, 02:32:55 PM
Nubian princesses.
Don't be google-ing that at work what ever you do!
I suppose it won't come as a big surprise to my colleagues after checking the wikipedia article for the N word