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Kaffir is of Sanskrit origin, not Arabic. It means 'unbeliever' (of any faith or fact) or 'uncultured' - hence its use in 'Kaffir lime' in Asia - a lime with thick, bumpy skin, and small fruit area inside - an 'uncultured' lime. It went into Dutch too, meaning 'unbeliever' - in this case, not an 'infidel', but a 'heathen'. From Holland with the Dutch East India Company, it arrived in South Africa. All 'heathens' were called 'kaffirs'. The term has evolved to be a derogatory term in much the same way as 'negro' and it's alternate pronunciation, 'nigger'. In the same way as 'negro' is the word for the colour black in some European languages, its original use was not derogatory, but descriptive. It is not its original meaning, but the way it was used that made it offensive. Kaffir originally meant 'heathen', but its use was derogatory, and hence the word itself has become derogatory.

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Q: Why is Kaffir such an offensive word to black people?
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WHAT DOES keffer mean southafricaans?

Do you mean Kaffir? Historically it is derived from an Arabic word used by Arab and Somali traders that refers to non-Muslim, non-believers in South Africa. Also historically used by the Boer trek farmers to describe a person not converted to Christianity. Another spelling of a similar word in Dutch means Bug. However in the 20th Century the current derogatory meaning of the word as pertains to South Africans that was used during Apartheid as a racial slur towards the native black people not to different from the word Ni**er when applied to US Black people. Just as the "N" word denotes the word Ni**er, the "K" word denotes the word Kaffir. The word Kaffir was also used Namibia much the same way. Another word Kaffir-boetie, or Kaffir brother, is used as a derogatory slur towards white people who fraternized with or sympathized with the cause of the black people.


What is a kaffir?

"Kaffir" is a derogatory term that has been historically used as a racial slur in some parts of the world, particularly South Africa, to refer to black Africans. It is offensive and disrespectful and should not be used.


What are some combination of this anagram karffi?

The letters 'karffi' are an anagram of the word kaffir. (A term used to refer to a black person which is now extremely offensive)The next possible longest words are fakir.


What does a kaffir means?

It's a succulent plant with beautiful impressive flowers that grows in South Africa. The word 'kaffir' however, is a derogatory name for a black person, the South African equivalent of the 'n-word'. The proper name for the plant is either Clivia or Bush Lily.


What does a kaffir lily mean?

It's a succulent plant with beautiful impressive flowers that grows in South Africa. The word 'kaffir' however, is a derogatory name for a black person, the South African equivalent of the 'n-word'. The proper name for the plant is either Clivia or Bush Lily.


Why is picnic an offensive word to black people?

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Why is the n word offensive to black people?

The history of the word suggests that when it is used by non-blacks, they are doing so to make someone black feel inferior and less than human.


When we you go from negro to color people?

Black people have been called in various names. Their titles changed from Negro to color people in the 1960s. The word Negro was considered to be offensive.


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Is Jesus offensive to the Jewish people?

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Is it wrong to call an Afro person a negro?

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How did slavery start for negroes?

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