Mullato is not necessarily offensive but it is a word that is not regularly used any more. I came about during the slave era so my guess would be that it has a bit of negative connotation towards it.
Rihanna complains about lack of privacy on Polish beach
There is virtual consensus on the origins of mulatto. Most lexicographers believe it comes from Spanish and Portuguese words for mule, which in turn are based on the Latin term for the same animal, mulus. The word was first used about 400 years ago to label children who had one black (African) and one white (European) parent. A mule, of course, is the offspring of a horse and a donkey.
I can understand why it might be considered offensive.
poland_
10 Jul 2013 / #123
Did you read the conclusion of this article you posted?
Of course I did, but it didn't support my position, so I selectively chose the text that did.
poland_
10 Jul 2013 / #125
The article had a conclusion which is the most important part, its states mulatto is not offensive in Canada. It goes further and states Reuters, BBC and other media news channels do not consider the term offensive.
Firstly the piece in the link was written in 2002, and as you know language and race relations, being as dynamic as they are, have a habit of changing as noted in the same piece. I think it is a stretch to say it is the most important part, however.
Furthermore, it goes on to say that unless you are bi-racial, it may be wise to avoid the use of the word:
If one were to have a look at the Understanding Slavery Initiative website, they say the following:
Suffice to say, not being a person of mixed-color multi-ethnicity, I am steering clear of the term mulatto.
CBC's policy is to avoid mentioning skin colour, ethnic background, and so forth in news stories unless it's relevant. Racist and other insulting language is also shunned. But the corporation's Journalistic Standards and Practices handbook doesn't try to list objectionable words and phrases because, as noted in section 4.1 on Good Taste, "public acceptance in this area is always changing." A key question, then, is whether mulatto is intrinsically offensive.
Furthermore, it goes on to say that unless you are bi-racial, it may be wise to avoid the use of the word:
On the other hand, it may be best to avoid describing people as mulatto in news stories, not merely because the term originally meant mule but because it shores up pseudo-scientific attempts to classify us by blends of skin colour. People who identify themselves this way, of course, have every right to do so. But others have an equally valid prerogative to steer clear of the word, the same way they would give quadroon or octoroon a wide berth.
If one were to have a look at the Understanding Slavery Initiative website, they say the following:
Mulatto
Comes from the Spanish or Portuguese term for 'young mule'. A mule is a hybrid mix of a horse and a donkey. This term is derogatory in its use to depict people of mixed race or people of dual descent, most often of an enslaved Black female and a White man; mixed race women were often more privileged than the enslaved from Africa but still treated as second-class citizens; the term 'mulatto' was commonly used in the 18th century but is now considered derogatory and unacceptable today.
Comes from the Spanish or Portuguese term for 'young mule'. A mule is a hybrid mix of a horse and a donkey. This term is derogatory in its use to depict people of mixed race or people of dual descent, most often of an enslaved Black female and a White man; mixed race women were often more privileged than the enslaved from Africa but still treated as second-class citizens; the term 'mulatto' was commonly used in the 18th century but is now considered derogatory and unacceptable today.
Suffice to say, not being a person of mixed-color multi-ethnicity, I am steering clear of the term mulatto.
poland_
11 Jul 2013 / #127
Suffice to say, not being a person of mixed-color multi-ethnicity, I am steering clear of the term mulatto.
I would be more inclined to believe the word has its origins in Arabic. When the Moors invaded Spain and Portugal the Arabic word was used to describe the children of the local European population and moors as mixed. When the Portuguese and Spanish involved themselves in slave trading they used the same word as they would use in Spain or southern Portugal mulatto. That is also the reason we find a common usage of the word in former Portuguese and Spanish colonies.
I would be more inclined to believe
Well, not being a professional etymologist, I will still stay away from the term unless I really want to be offensive. Why take the chance?
More importantly, If Rih-rih really wanted to have seclusion on a Polish Beach, where would she have gone?
poland_
11 Jul 2013 / #129
More importantly, If Rih-rih really wanted to have seclusion on a Polish Beach, where would she have gone?
If I wanted seclusion on a Polish beach I would go to the beach just north of Jurata on the way to Hel, the sand is white and the beach is always empty, Rihanna is notorius for going walkabout, in London she jumped on the tube to go to her concert at the 02.
Anthonycasey 1 | 11
11 Jul 2013 / #130
Slebs are public property if they choose to go to public places (as are the rest of us).
Privacy can only be expected on private property.
Privacy can only be expected on private property.
WielkiPolak 54 | 988
11 Jul 2013 / #131
I can't believe that some folks in this thread have tried to claim racism.
Is the article biased? Yes, the guy perhaps does not like Rihanna much. Is it racist? No. All it says is, if there is black lady on a beach, it draws attention [since it is rare in parts of Poland]. If that black lady is a well known pop singer, then it draws more attention. How is it racist? Oh, because it mentioned her race. How dare the article mention her race, that's racism! If I say, that black dude over there showed me the way to the stadium, that makes me racist? Why? What, because I didn't need to mention his race. Give me a break.
Is the article biased? Yes, the guy perhaps does not like Rihanna much. Is it racist? No. All it says is, if there is black lady on a beach, it draws attention [since it is rare in parts of Poland]. If that black lady is a well known pop singer, then it draws more attention. How is it racist? Oh, because it mentioned her race. How dare the article mention her race, that's racism! If I say, that black dude over there showed me the way to the stadium, that makes me racist? Why? What, because I didn't need to mention his race. Give me a break.
If I wanted seclusion on a Polish beach I would go to the beach just north of Jurata on the way to Hel, the sand is white and the beach is always empty, Rihanna is notorius for going walkabout, in London she jumped on the tube to go to her concert at the 02.
Most of the coastline is quite peaceful - she happened to choose the most crowded resort and no coincidence.
poland_
11 Jul 2013 / #133
she happened to choose the most crowded resort and no coincidence.
The headliners for the Open'er mostly stay at the Sopot Sheraton the beach she was on is 200 mtrs away form the hotel. As I mentioned earlier in this thread, firstly she was on the lash big time Saturday night at the KOL concert, so she must have been recovering on the Sunday, secondly her security underestimated the numbers, they could have easily closed/payed for a section of the beach to keep the paps and eager fans away. She went walk about Poles are not used to this, it had nothing o do with her being Bajan, she is an international megastar and the crowds did not know how to react so they just followed her around gawping in disbelief.
I doubt her PR operation thought she wouldn't attract any attention in a holiday resort down the road from a major pop festival.
Amazingly, no one seems able to let this thread go. For all of the Rihanna bashing going on, the PF members sure can't seem to get enough her :)
For all of the Rihanna bashing going on, the PF members sure can't seem to get enough her
We're all bashing Rihanna therefore we must love her? Reductio ad absurdum.
Indeed.
Personally, I couldn't name even one of her songs or pick her out in an identity pareade.
The idea of a pop star pitching up in the middle of Sopot beach at the busiest time of the year and then complaining that a crowd formed is strangely amusing though.
Personally, I couldn't name even one of her songs or pick her out in an identity pareade.
The idea of a pop star pitching up in the middle of Sopot beach at the busiest time of the year and then complaining that a crowd formed is strangely amusing though.
WielkiPolak 54 | 988
12 Jul 2013 / #138
Oh come on, you must know Umbrella-ella-ella-eh-eh-eh!
Never knowingly heard it ;-)
Harry
12 Jul 2013 / #140
Wasn't that Justine Beiver?
mochadot18 18 | 246
12 Jul 2013 / #141
Omg how can you not know her songs even if you don't like her. And umbrella is an old song lol. But she does we found love, what's my name.
Omg how can you not know her songs even if you don't like her. And umbrella is an old song lol. But she does we found love, what's my name.
Easy. I don't have a TV, don't listen to pop music radio and go to bars that play older music. Though I listen to an awful lot of music, mostly classical, go to the opera. the ballet and the Filharmonia every couple of weeks plus other classical performances, sometimes go to jazz concerts and quite possibly hear more live music than anyone here. If I'm somewhere that pop music is playing, it tends to go in one ear and out of the other. No pop tune is original, (there is a finite combination of notes on the tonal scale they use) the lyrics are hard to hear and the production methods they use make them very easy to ignore.
Rihanna is undoubtedly successful, however if she pitched up in a lot of places she'd be ignored. She chose the town beach at Sopot accompanied by her very successful PR team and crammed with the type of people who buy her product. No accident.
Rihanna is undoubtedly successful, however if she pitched up in a lot of places she'd be ignored.
Most of these "stars" are "famous" because of the fact they are...famous. They crave for attention in the "coloured press" and then pretend it disturbs them.
Although there are also others. I remember some years ago Bruce Springsteen was in Antwerp for a concert, and afterwards he slipped away and with some members of his band hit the pub-life in Antwerp Old Town, on their own.
I remember some years ago Bruce Springsteen was in Antwerp for a concert, and afterwards he slipped away and with some members of his band hit the pub-life in Antwerp Old Town, on their own.
I was sat next to a guy in a restaurant once and after he left people were going on and on about him being someone called Roger Waters. It didn't mean much to me and I'm still not sure what the difference is between him and Roger Whittaker. I didn't leave with any particular impression of the guy. He certainly didn't have minders or PR people in evidence.
Performers who live and die by publicity (Rihanna is one of them if she travels with an entourage and pretends to complain about privacy) live and die by getting their face in trashy publications and on the television - it's how they make their living. Nobody would buy this trashy stuff if it wasn't marketed heavily. What do those Kardashiam people really do except pose in front of news cameras? All smoke and mirrors.
Another prime example is Paris Hilton. I never understood why she became "famous" in the first place :)
Except for the hotels :)
Except for the hotels :)
RevokeNice 15 | 1854
13 Jul 2013 / #146
Hilton released a load of pron clips. Thats how she became famous. At least Rihanna can sing somewhat.
Wroclaw Boy
13 Jul 2013 / #147
Performers who live and die by publicity (Rihanna is one of them if she travels with an entourage and pretends to complain about privacy) live and die by getting their face in trashy publications and on the television - it's how they make their living. Nobody would buy this trashy stuff if it wasn't marketed heavily.
If they can make Jade Goody a national star..........the mind boggles. its all about the management agents/companies isnt it? throwing all this ***** out there through their various media channels. I really couldn't give a rats ass.
The media could probably make goofy a heart throb if they decided so.
Performers who live and die by publicity live and die by getting their face in trashy publications and on the television - it's how they make their living.
Fully agreed, jon.
That Rihanna`s behaviour reminds me of a certain excerpt from Godfather, how a little starlet refuses to go to bed with a famous actor and singer, Johnny Fontane:
But there was something else he recognized. It had happened a few times before. The girl who went on a date with her mind all made up not to go to bed with him, no
matter how much she liked him, just so that she could tell her friends, and even more, herself, that she had turned down a chance to screw for the great Johnny Fontane. It was something he understood now that he was older and he wasn't angry.
It was something he understood now that he was older and he wasn't angry.
Additional explanation for simpletons like McDuce: Rihanna went to the beach in the Polish city of Sopot with her mind all made up not to go to bed with anybody present on that beach, no matter how much she liked them, just so she could tell her fans in other parts of the world that she was attacked by a wild crowd who desired to screw her in Poland.
agniesca
28 Jun 2017 / #149
It serves her right . she never should of visited the damn racist country
Lack of privacy is the price for popularity, that's simple...