I wrote a lengthy reply, but I find that I also want to say something briefer.
The specific claims you made in the great-grandparent of this comment were that “this [sc. previously inoffensive words becoming taboo] has never actually happened in history” and that “Words become taboo because they are used offensively”. And the specific thing I challenged you on is whether that is in fact why “black” became taboo.
(Of course on Scott’s account the final stage of the process is “because they are used offensively”. What you disagree with is whether that’s how it starts.)
Your comment doesn’t offer any evidence that the switch from “negro” to “black” happened because “negro” was being used offensively. I would be very interested in evidence that it did.
I wrote a lengthy reply, but I find that I also want to say something briefer.
The specific claims you made in the great-grandparent of this comment were that “this [sc. previously inoffensive words becoming taboo] has never actually happened in history” and that “Words become taboo because they are used offensively”. And the specific thing I challenged you on is whether that is in fact why “black” became taboo.
(Of course on Scott’s account the final stage of the process is “because they are used offensively”. What you disagree with is whether that’s how it starts.)
Your comment doesn’t offer any evidence that the switch from “negro” to “black” happened because “negro” was being used offensively. I would be very interested in evidence that it did.