#  The Troublesome Career of the N-Word 

 



 **Warning: the readings assigned in this page may be disturbing**. They examine the word "nigger" from two points of view: legal and sociolinguistic. First, however, the word history of ["taboo" from the American Heritage Dictionary](/file_url/207) will give an idea of where the word "taboo" comes from, and what it meant at an earlier stage in history.

 The second reading is from Professor Randall Kennedy's book [Nigger: The Strange Career of a Troublesome Word](/file_url/222)*.* The link takes you to an electronic copy of Chapter 3, which you are expected to read for lecture and discussion.