Wigger
Encyclopedia
Wigger is a pejorative slang
term for a white person
who emulates mannerisms, language
, and fashions
associated with African-American culture, particularly hip hop
in the United States or the Grime
/Garage
scene in Britain. The term is a portmanteau of either wannabe or white and nigger
. The term is considered derogatory, reflecting stereotypes of African-American or Black British
culture, and can be used pejoratively, because of its connotations of cultural appropriation
. It is also often used in a racist manner, not only belittling the person perceived as acting black, but also demeaning black people and culture by proxy. Some, however, use the term neutrally, or as a light joke, without any racism
intended.
– has appeared in several generations since slavery was abolished in the western world. The concept has been documented in the United States
, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and other white-majority countries. An early form of this was the white negro in the jazz and swing music
scenes of the 1920s and 1930s; as examined in the 1957 Norman Mailer
essay, "The White Negro." It was later seen in the Zoot suit
er of the 1930s and 1940s; the hipster
of the 1940s; and the beatnik
and rock and roller of the 1950s.
Slang
Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...
term for a white person
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
who emulates mannerisms, language
African American Vernacular English
African American Vernacular English —also called African American English; less precisely Black English, Black Vernacular, Black English Vernacular , or Black Vernacular English —is an African American variety of American English...
, and fashions
Hip hop fashion
Hip hop fashion is a distinctive style of dress originating with African American youth on the scene of New York City, Los Angeles, Orlando, Chicago, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area, Detroit, Memphis, Atlanta, St. Louis, Jersey City, Miami, Toronto and Vancouver among others. Each city...
associated with African-American culture, particularly hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
in the United States or the Grime
Grime (music)
Grime is a style of music that emerged from Bow, East London, England in the early 2000s, primarily as a development of UK garage, dancehall, and hip hop...
/Garage
UK garage
UK garage is a genre of electronic dance music originating from the United Kingdom in the early-1990s. UK garage is a descendant of house music which originated in Chicago and New York, United States. UK garage usually features a distinctive syncopated 4/4 percussive rhythm with 'shuffling'...
scene in Britain. The term is a portmanteau of either wannabe or white and nigger
Nigger
Nigger is a noun in the English language, most notable for its usage in a pejorative context to refer to black people , and also as an informal slang term, among other contexts. It is a common ethnic slur...
. The term is considered derogatory, reflecting stereotypes of African-American or Black British
Black British
Black British is a term used to describe British people of Black African descent, especially those of Afro-Caribbean background. The term has been used from the 1950s to refer to Black people from former British colonies in the West Indies and Africa, who are residents of the United Kingdom and...
culture, and can be used pejoratively, because of its connotations of cultural appropriation
Cultural appropriation
Cultural appropriation is the adoption of some specific elements of one culture by a different cultural group. It describes acculturation or assimilation, but can imply a negative view towards acculturation from a minority culture by a dominant culture. It can include the introduction of forms of...
. It is also often used in a racist manner, not only belittling the person perceived as acting black, but also demeaning black people and culture by proxy. Some, however, use the term neutrally, or as a light joke, without any racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
intended.
Phenomenon
The phenomenon of white people adopting stereotypical black mannerisms, speech, and apparel – which in the general case is called allophiliaAllophilia
Allophilia is having positive attitude for a group that is not one's own. The term derived from Greek words meaning "liking or love of the other"....
– has appeared in several generations since slavery was abolished in the western world. The concept has been documented in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and other white-majority countries. An early form of this was the white negro in the jazz and swing music
Swing (genre)
Swing music, also known as swing jazz or simply swing, is a form of jazz music that developed in the early 1930s and became a distinctive style by 1935 in the United States...
scenes of the 1920s and 1930s; as examined in the 1957 Norman Mailer
Norman Mailer
Norman Kingsley Mailer was an American novelist, journalist, essayist, poet, playwright, screenwriter, and film director.Along with Truman Capote, Joan Didion, Hunter S...
essay, "The White Negro." It was later seen in the Zoot suit
Zoot suit
A zoot suit is a suit with high-waisted, wide-legged, tight-cuffed, pegged trousers, and a long coat with wide lapels and wide padded shoulders. This style of clothing was popularized by African Americans, Mexican-Americans, and Italian Americans during the late 1930s and the 1940s...
er of the 1930s and 1940s; the hipster
Hipster (1940s subculture)
Hipster, as used in the 1940s, referred to aficionados of jazz, in particular bebop, which became popular in the early 1940s. The hipster adopted the lifestyle of the jazz musician, including some or all of the following: dress, slang, use of cannabis and other drugs, relaxed attitude, sarcastic...
of the 1940s; and the beatnik
Beatnik
Beatnik was a media stereotype of the 1950s and early 1960s that displayed the more superficial aspects of the Beat Generation literary movement of the 1950s and violent film images, along with a cartoonish depiction of the real-life people and the spiritual quest in Jack Kerouac's autobiographical...
and rock and roller of the 1950s.
See also
- AllophiliaAllophiliaAllophilia is having positive attitude for a group that is not one's own. The term derived from Greek words meaning "liking or love of the other"....
- ChavChavA chav is a term that is used in the United Kingdom to describe a stereotype of teenagers and young adults from an underclass background.-Etymology:...
- Cultural appropriationCultural appropriationCultural appropriation is the adoption of some specific elements of one culture by a different cultural group. It describes acculturation or assimilation, but can imply a negative view towards acculturation from a minority culture by a dominant culture. It can include the introduction of forms of...
- Honkie
- JafaicanJafaicanMulticultural London English , colloquially called Jafaican, is a dialect of English that emerged in the late 20th century. It is spoken mainly in inner London, with the exception of areas such as Brent, Newham, Haringey and Enfield...
- Minstrel showMinstrel showThe minstrel show, or minstrelsy, was an American entertainment consisting of comic skits, variety acts, dancing, and music, performed by white people in blackface or, especially after the Civil War, black people in blackface....
- RacismRacismRacism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
- White GuiltWhite guiltWhite guilt refers to the concept of individual or collective guilt often said to be felt by some white people for the racist treatment of people of color by whites both historically and presently...