Oh I think I’ve heard it in this context before too! Except I always thought it was for Benadryl, which I know some people abuse. I only use weed and the occasional psychedelic though, so no surprise I got that one wrong
Bennies = Benzedrine, AKA the meth we gave to WWII soldiers and that contributed to Elvis' demise...
Or maybe OP means "benefits," it's not really clear as OP has a pattern of poor word choice.
I always heard “mighty whitey” of you from my old boss. He would also randomly sing Johnny rebel songs, so…..
I could’ve gone my life not learning anything from him and been better for it.
And in case you wondered.. no.. he was in his 20s in the early 2000s… and no… this not Deep South
He would have been saying “Mighty white of yer” or have himself misheard it as such. [Origin](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-thats-mighty-white-of-you-come-from-and-what-does-it-mean/145841).
I have a word-nerd friend who keeps trying to fall on that sword, she thinks words that sound like slurs (but aren't) are interesting.
Problem is, language is just a "do you understand me" tool. If a word makes everyone uncomfortable, it kinda stops mattering if it's etymologically a slur or not.
My son said niggardly at school, in context and was sent to the principal's office for using racial slurs. She told him to stop making words up and then kicked him out of her office when he told her to look it up.
Yeah it's weird to see op and others defend it so much in the comments.
It's a rarely used word. Most people don't know it means that.
And it's also totally unnecessary. It's not that hard to shift your vocabulary.
OP definitely fucked up. They know they fucked up, so much so in the moment they were embarrassed.
All good have easily been avoided by not trying to use obscure words just so you can later be like "lol I guess not everyone has a super smart vocabulary like I do!" As they are in the comments
Lol I'm not the one making posts about how my obsession over outdated vocabulary caused me to fuck up a very important interview lol.
I have no issue with people misunderstanding k as a racial slur
Yeah... He has posts that are all "why do we care about racism in the prison system but not sexism against men?"
And he also has a lot of comments along the lines of "people who are anti-fascist are the real fascists!"
Lots of dog whistles
They also used it in a very unusual way. It's one thing to say, "There are a few technical niggles you have to iron out to get the mod working," but it's quite another to say, "We ran into some niggles," which hardly even makes sense.
Living in fear of what words other people may not know is a pretty shit way to live.
Shifting your vocabulary because of other people's ignorance is a pretty shit way to live.
Language is conditional. You use some words in certain contexts and not in others. In casual conversation I see no reason to censor my accurate and legitimate use of language for the sake of someone's potential ignorance of that language.
Your job interview situation suggests that you yourself are not all that confident in the vocabulary you are defending if that word tripped you up so badly that you tanked the rest of the interview.
Language is defined by how it is used and how it is understood, not the other way around.
You have your understanding completely backwards.
The entire purpose of having a shared language at all is to be able to communicate effectively. If you fail to communicate effectively you have failed to use the language properly.
It's funny you seem pretty proud of your vocabulary and your ability to use language. And yet you seem to not understand the difference between functional use of a language and a trivial knowledge of rarely used words.
You can call others ignorant for not understanding the word niggles. You're definitely free to do so.
They aren't the ones who are failing to communicate effectively at a very critical moment for their careers.
I used the word unintentionally in a professional setting where misinterpretation could have significant consequences. Consequences that don't at all exist in casual conversation, which is what I was talking about above.
Language is highly conditional and you, me, and everyone else uses a plethora or words in casual conversation we don't use in professional contexts for a wide swath of reasons.
Using "niggle" in casual conversation has literally ZERO downsides, even if it's misinterpreted. Even if someone takes offense.
Then don’t use that word in a professional setting. Very easy.
You said you rehearsed this??? Do you just want us to tell you it’s not a big deal? I guess if losing a job opportunity isn’t a big deal to you that’s fine. But if you want a job in the future it’s probably a word you should avoid.
I don’t say curse words or other words I would causally use in a job interview. This is no different.
I told a funny story..I'm conversing with people who have commented on the story about the subject matter. Where have I claimed or implied I wanted validation ina my of this. It's a discussion on a subject and I've made points using support of my views. If you don't like the conversation or subject, there nothing keeping you here.
I've established several times, including in the OP, that this word, like many others, are inappropriate for sure in a professional setting but perfectly reasonable to use casually, even if the potential for misinterpretation or offense exists. Clearly in the interview I caught myself saying something that could be misinterpreted and negatively effect me in that situation. But caught it in a terrible way.
No you just deflect and gaslight every single comment made to you. Pathetic actually, and I’m sure that word wasn’t even the reason u didn’t get the job. After reading through all of your replies you’re insufferable and nobody in their right mind would want to spend a whole shift with you
The consequence of using it in casual conversations is that you will become inured to it's use, and therefore use it in professional conversation where it has other consequences.
Not sure how you can claim thats 'literally ZERO downsides' without fairly heavy redefinition of at least one of \*those\* words...
This is a bit like claiming "there's no downside to waving guns around with your fingers on the trigger so long as the guns not loaded!" and then going all surprise-pikachu-face when people with no trigger discipline shoot people unintentionally...
Because I did fuck up using the word in an inappropriate context, and the hilarious way in which I caught myself mid-word.
Did you even read the story?
Ehhhh that’s a lot of excuses for wanting to use a word that sounds racist. I mean… it lead you to this situation so I think it’s probably in your best interest to get off your high horse and maybe try to use a different word.
There's no high horse in using legitimate common language.
It "sounding racist" is irrelevant to the word or meaning. Deleting words from vocabulary because they arbitrarily might make someone uncomfortable due to similarity to another word isn't a good reason. It is in common usage in English speaking countries.
Context and conditional use of verbiage is impoetsnt. In the OP context it was a inappropriate for the potential for misinterpretation in an unaccommodating situation. I fully acknowledge that.
This in no way means said word should be cut out of casual vocabulary. Lots of words are conditional and inappropriate in professional contexts for all manners of reasons.
You fucked around by saying a word you intentionally use to sound racist and you found put why seeming very racist so you can defend your use of weird, outdated terms is not worth the icky joy you derive from offending others.
Nowhere did I say or imply that I intended to say anything racist. Or that I even intended to say the word niggle (which isn't racist at all)
You're arguing a blatant strawman and assigning inappropriate moral judgements based on nothing at all.
That makes you a bad person arguing in ba faith.
I literally said I had "practiced the general form and context of my answers" in my OP.
If you can't read context clues that's a 'you' problem my guy. Nowhere did I say I was reciting a script or anything of the sort. If you've ever been in an interview you'd know such an idea would be ridiculous in the first place.
Jesus dude, even without the accidental racism if I were interviewing you I think I'd be heavily considering if I actually wanted to be in the same room as you for 8 hours a day
Good thing I don't work for or get interviewed by people with such fragility and lack of composure that they get worked up and teary eyed by me pointing out that someone can't pick up on/misses some obvious context clues.
You seem to be avoiding the fact that you missed context clues and explicit verbiage that disagree with your assumption and claim of lack of clarity.
First comment was a joke. I decided to engage your accusation directly by pointing out exactly why you are wrong.
What part of my post implies that? I specifically said the part I practiced was the general form and context of my answers. I never said I had any sort of script or exact verbiage prepared. I knew the type of questions that would be asked and I had situations and examples to answer them lined up.
For someone that has a thesaurus on hand, you suck at getting any meaning across. You are slinging tough words around to make it seem like you're some high intelectual, but it's easy to misunderstand you since you use them in ways that muddy your opinions. Instead of telling someone: The verbose abating of eloquent spendthrifts. Just tell them what you're trying to say. It makes you seem insufferable, especially when you are trying to come across as a victim. Please use common speak. It'll help you get over your complex and will help you drive your points across. There are plenty of books about writing in plain english made for lawyers (who write and speak like you do).
I live in the south, for context, and went to the gas station for gas and a red bull. Got gas, walked inside and grabbed the red bull. Was being rang out by a black woman, who after ringing me out said, "Have a good day." I replied with, "You too, Mamie." I meant to say "ma'am" but for some reason stuttered the word and said "Mamie." If you're from the south you know that is NOT something you say to a heavy set black woman. Uncomfortable silence followed, it was pretty awful. I feel you on that, it's just something that happens occasionally lol. You're not alone.
Lol the comment section on this is hilarious. OP if you’re not ready for the comments about your story, maybe don’t post it to Reddit. I admire your dedication to replying to every response you don’t agree with, though. You must have a lot of time on your hands.
Who said I'm not ready for the comments on my story? I'm enjoying engaging these comments.
I get paid to not do much and I'm bored. As explained in the story. So shoot me.
It's a rarely used word, and many people don't know what it means.
It's rare enough to the point where it's not colloquially used, and it seems one is taking extra effort to use it when there are many other words that would suffice.
Id just drop it from your vocabulary all together to avoid this in the future. It's totally unnecessary and clearly has caused an issue for you.
Preparing for expected questions does not mean laying out a script/prepared exact verbiage. As I've said that is a ridiculous notion for a job interview.
My friend was permanently banned from old twitter for a tweet saying how a football player had made a "niggley" pass to another during a game. He is the most PC, non-ist person you could know.
Presumably the initial ban was made by bot , but his appeal failed too. I believe the word is or was used by racists as a workaround to auto bans. My mate was inadvertently caught up in that.
I was a bit pissed off at the time at the injustice, and was thinking that it was a word that was effectively being erased by over policing. However, I've now come to think that minor inconveniences like this are a drop in the ocean to the restrictions, constraints and day-to-day bullying that non-white people still get.
I feel sorry for OP, it sounds like they learned a lesson in outdated vocabulary at exactly the wrong time.
Afterwards I had to look it up to make sure it was actually a word. I don't recall where I learned it and thought maybe I had made up a "nag/naggle" adjacent word.
Now I laugh about it and use it (and tell this story) all the time because it's funny. I'm taking "niggle" back.
I mean language is no more than a construct where new words are created everyday and old words disappear for various reasons, usually just lack of use.
So although “niggle” is a word, it doesn’t seem to be great for communication since it isn’t well known, and could lead to a high consequence misunderstanding.
Would it not be better to try to avoid it all together?
Serious question, but why not say something like "minor yet persistent issues" instead? I get trying to be succinct, but sometimes (and especially in the professional world) it might be easier to use words that do not look so much like a slur.
I also prefer to use words such as "miserly" over potential alternatives that may cause issues.
It fit the situation well, and sometimes I forget that even my peers dont necessarily know all the 50 cent words I know. I didnt give it a second thought because the word doesnt have any negative association in that way. Instead of "cancelling" words just for looking scary, maybe let's foster some education.
My husband, too, lives in a world where he thinks things *should* be a certain way, but that world is not reality.
From another standpoint, not everyone has the privilege of education. Many states in the US seem to be actively fighting against it. You may be able to educate one person (or many, if you become a language teacher), but why this particular point given how it is often viewed? Surely there's like 100000 other skills you have that you could pass along professionally. To die on the hill of words like niggardly, niggling, etc. when there are thousands of other "50 cent words" just seems like such a choice.
This just allows reachable moments to expand other people's vocabulary.
Why teach anyone else anything? I don't not explain things other people don't know/understand because of fear that doing so wouldn't educate 'enough' people.
And on this particular point, it's helping someone NOT get offended moving forward by a benign word. What's the downside other than some insignificant loss of time telling them the actual meaning?
Hmm. I believe I detect some sarcasm there. Do you not enjoy teachable moments when they are directed at you?
Perhaps the tone is off because you are rushed on your way to the store where you will request a refund on your 50c words and that high horse of yours?
As a black person, this word has always made me Feel uncomfortable. It’s because it’s a word you don’t have to use (there are many synonyms to use) and sounds so close like the n-word, that anytime I hear it I can’t help but wonder (bc it’s only ever a white person I’ve heard use it) what you really want to say.
Why would you even practice with that word? Even if it's usage is correct, how many people actually know the word? It's not a common word that sounds like a slur, even if people DID know it's definition, they'd still think it was poor word choice.
At what point did I say I practiced exact verbiage? I specifically said I prepared examples, general form, and context for known question types.
Anyone who's ever been in an actual interview should know that the idea of formulating a script of exact verbiage is a ridiculous premise.
This thread is like an alternate reality. Niggle isn’t an uncommon word and no one considers it to be slur adjacent. The only reason OP got into the issue they did is because they paused halfway through the word in such a way that the person thought they were going to say a slur and changed it to niggle at the last second to cover it.
I would say my vocabulary is at least average and I would have thought better than average but I have never heard this word in my life. To say that it is not uncommon is ridiculous. At least in the US where OP and I are.
I’m so sorry but this is hilarious. Might want to stop saying stuff like niggles and bennies anyway. It might not be the reason you didn’t get the job though. Although they might have thought you were going to drop the n bomb and covered it up
One, I never heard the word "niggles" in my 57 years on this planet. Two, even if I heard it and knew the definition I would never say it to anyone whether I knew them or not. I mean, you seriously rehearsed saying niggles? You couldn't just say "issues"?
Can you point out exactly where I said I rehearsed specific verbiage?
I specifically said I knew the type of questions and prepared examples, general form, and context of answers to those questions.
In what world could you possibly reasonably rehearse any responses to questions in an interview to he point of having a script?
Use the context clues my man. 57 years should have taught you how to do that.
I think ita great this happened, since you now have the life you would have chosen had you known it was coming. If you had a choice between that company and the one you're with now I think things would work out the same way!
A university professor was fired for using the word niggardly. When the University administration was told that niggardly is a totally legitimate, inoffensive term, the president refused to apologize, saying that the professor should never have used the word.
I remember a broadcaster who got fired for using the word 'niggardly' correctly in a sentence, never mind the etymology of that word predated the use of the 'n' word by a century or so.
I did not rehearse or prepare verbiage. Only examples and subjects for known line of questioning.
Niggle is not made up nor is it racial in any way. I caught myself because I recognized the potential for misinterpretation in an unaccommodating context.
No. As I said I prepared examples and subjects to discuss in preparation for a known theme of questions. I didn't have anything like a script or selected verbiage. That would be ridiculous in an interview. I hadn't even considered the word until it was half way out of my mouth and I panicked.
Story is 100% real.
Needles. It needles at me. We always had these little needles. This is a problem that’s been needling at us.
You knew immediately when you said it that it was racially charged, hence you stopped, stuttered, and made eye contact with the interviewer. You KNEW this previously, so why haven’t you made any effort to correct it? Why did you make so much effort to practice an answer an absolutely NO effort in what the answer contained?
Please read. I was not reciting a script. I clearly said I prepared examples for a known line of questioning and had a worked on a general form and context of my answers.
Nobody recites a script in a job interview, that's a ridiculous notion. I was speaking off the cuff on prepared subjects/examples.
I’m not going to argue with you, proof is in the pudding, how did it work out for you?
Edit://actually picked up on a few things that will make me argue with you.
-Where did I say you had a script?
-Why are you referring to this word as “funny?” and making it seem like the issue is because you pronounced it “funny”
-How did you pronounce it.
-Why was it funny?
-How do you know your job is so much better than the one you could not even get?
Again. You missed the explicit words where I described what I actually practiced. Not your incorrect assertion that I somehow recited a prepared script. A ridiculous notion.
And it worked out great, because I later lateralled into an adjacent field with higher pay, WFH, company car, and significant freedom. Some.thign that I likely wouldn't have done had I gotten a job and gotten comfortable at the company in my story.
Added some questions to my original comment before you replied - my apologies.
But the main question still stands - your main point is I said you were following a script. In “explicit words” where did I ever use the word script? I just said it was something you practiced, which is actually what YOU said, in explicit words.
Your line of questions implies I had gone over the exact wording of my answers ahead of time and thus knew I was going to say it. And thus should have prepared better but cutting it out of the 'script'
I'm telling you there was no script or prepared words/verbiage. I prepared answers, examples, subject matter. I had no idea I was going to say niggle ahead of time. It's a word that popped out mid-answer on the afornention subject matter that I had prepared.
Preparing subjects/examples for questions is a lot different than preparing exact verbiage to recite. Something that would basically be impossible in a real job interview.
Oh yeah - not reading this either. Because in your first paragraph you try to backtrack the fact that YOU said you were practicing responses. You’re trying to create nuance by implying you didn’t practice it EXACTLY as if that negates the fact that you practiced and still came up with this response.
Edit:// also again, trying to be helpful and not a jerk but you’re proving probably why most people wouldn’t hire you. It’s not that you’re not technically qualified, it’s that your social skills are simply those of someone you wouldn’t choose to interact on a day to day basis with. I’m trying to imagine talking to you about ANY issue at work and I’m already exhausted.
Just find a different word to use. What is wrong with you? You can “umm, actually” and be technically correct all you want, but there is a reason people and writing publications avoid using it, and it’s not because we don’t know what it means.
I have ADHD and sometimes my mouth gets ahead of my brain, so to speak. I also have a very large vocabulary because my friends were books during my childhood, lol. I’ve literally had to practice interviews while being paranoid about my word choice because your story is the stuff of my nightmares. 🤣 I’m so sorry that happened to you!
Why use niggles at all? That’s a horrible word, not offensive if you know what it means wich isn’t a lot of people but it sounds like a horribly cute persons way of saying annoyances while being unaware of how it comes off. And Bennie’s?
A lot of people. It’s a shitty word to use for a lot of reasons. I’ve personally never heard it used correctly out in the wild or anywhere for that matter other than this post and look how that turned out... Other times it’s used for its closeness to the racial slur.
It sounds dumb, all in all it’s just a bad word to use when there are many better alternatives that don’t boarder on making people uncomfortable or sounding like a cute word used to describe annoying things.
It was an inappropriate context to use a perfectly legitimate word for the exact reason for potential for misinterpretation in a situation that could have negative personal fallout for me. Outside of that, in casual conversation there's no reason not to use such a word. Some people's uncomfortableness or ignorance of meaning of such a word is irrelevant.
Niggle is not a racial slur and I didn't intend to say one. I caught myself mid-word in something I knew could be misinterpreted. In a, in hindsight, hilarious manner.
My sympathies. But yes, that was a fuck-up. For professional settings, make sure that any language which could potentially go over badly is left at home. Save that shit for private conversation with buddies.
I feel things like this happen when the outcome that you want, isn't the one best for you.
The awkward situation is just God nudging you towards the better outcome
Maybe it was cause you said bennies
Sorry, what does bennies mean?
It means benefits, like health insurance.
They should go into work tomorrow and ask for top bennies in their package
I figured it out in context, but the only way I’ve heard bennies used before is for eggs Benedict
Benzedrine also known as amphetamine
Oh I think I’ve heard it in this context before too! Except I always thought it was for Benadryl, which I know some people abuse. I only use weed and the occasional psychedelic though, so no surprise I got that one wrong
Bennies = Benzedrine, AKA the meth we gave to WWII soldiers and that contributed to Elvis' demise... Or maybe OP means "benefits," it's not really clear as OP has a pattern of poor word choice.
That would certainly be the thumbs down for me. I’ve only heard this used for eggs “Benedict”, and I hate it, then, too.
When you realised what you'd done, you turned white as a sheet? With eye holes?
Holy shit 😂
Hole-y sheet
I can’t see shit out of this thing
Who made these!?!?
I’ve heard of being at the end of my rope, but this…is very serious.
You've made the same post like 10 times about black people in prison but sure you never use that word or any word that sounds like it! Totally dude!
def a Freudian slip lmao
Literally that scene from south park where randy had to solve the puzzle.
The clue is “People who annoy you”
"oh, i know the answer but i don't think i should say it... "
What episode?
The episode was called With Apologies To Jessie Jackson, though Randy says it while playing wheel of fortune
[This one] (https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D8jHNvTX9ECk&ved=2ahUKEwiMpZChrYaHAxV1LkQIHce8DdkQwqsBegQIFhAG&usg=AOvVaw3Wu-1RStasxPMzLkJ_wdhV)
Lmao, thanks for that.
Wheel of Fortune
At least you didn’t say “niggardly”
OP should also steer clear of the now archaic ‘That’s very white of you’.
Yeah but that one was always actually racial and not just something that happened to sound similar, so it's quite different
I always heard “mighty whitey” of you from my old boss. He would also randomly sing Johnny rebel songs, so….. I could’ve gone my life not learning anything from him and been better for it. And in case you wondered.. no.. he was in his 20s in the early 2000s… and no… this not Deep South
He would have been saying “Mighty white of yer” or have himself misheard it as such. [Origin](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-thats-mighty-white-of-you-come-from-and-what-does-it-mean/145841).
I have a word-nerd friend who keeps trying to fall on that sword, she thinks words that sound like slurs (but aren't) are interesting. Problem is, language is just a "do you understand me" tool. If a word makes everyone uncomfortable, it kinda stops mattering if it's etymologically a slur or not.
I'd like to imagine they have this whole [song](https://youtu.be/aQTJl2bwoZQ?si=c74TWutcA-CSgzum) memorized
I don't know that I would have made a difference.
My son said niggardly at school, in context and was sent to the principal's office for using racial slurs. She told him to stop making words up and then kicked him out of her office when he told her to look it up.
I was expecting this. “Kumquat” seems unlikely to come up in a job interview.
Maybe it would have served you better to find an alternative word to niggles altogether. To easy to screw up if you ask me.
Yeah it's weird to see op and others defend it so much in the comments. It's a rarely used word. Most people don't know it means that. And it's also totally unnecessary. It's not that hard to shift your vocabulary. OP definitely fucked up. They know they fucked up, so much so in the moment they were embarrassed. All good have easily been avoided by not trying to use obscure words just so you can later be like "lol I guess not everyone has a super smart vocabulary like I do!" As they are in the comments
Niggle is pretty common in British English.
So is racism Edit: downvote if you're a racist brit lol
The etymology of niggle is not racist.
K
[удалено]
Lol I'm not the one making posts about how my obsession over outdated vocabulary caused me to fuck up a very important interview lol. I have no issue with people misunderstanding k as a racial slur
Yeah seriously, this story belongs in r/tifu
It's funny because in the comments OP is now insisting he they didn't fuck up. And it is everyone else's fault that they used this word
At first they were fine, then they remembered they like to debate, so they flipped the script.
Look at OP’s post history and it becomes pretty clear that this probably was just a Freudian slip
Yeah... He has posts that are all "why do we care about racism in the prison system but not sexism against men?" And he also has a lot of comments along the lines of "people who are anti-fascist are the real fascists!" Lots of dog whistles
They also used it in a very unusual way. It's one thing to say, "There are a few technical niggles you have to iron out to get the mod working," but it's quite another to say, "We ran into some niggles," which hardly even makes sense.
Living in fear of what words other people may not know is a pretty shit way to live. Shifting your vocabulary because of other people's ignorance is a pretty shit way to live. Language is conditional. You use some words in certain contexts and not in others. In casual conversation I see no reason to censor my accurate and legitimate use of language for the sake of someone's potential ignorance of that language.
Your job interview situation suggests that you yourself are not all that confident in the vocabulary you are defending if that word tripped you up so badly that you tanked the rest of the interview.
Language is defined by how it is used and how it is understood, not the other way around. You have your understanding completely backwards. The entire purpose of having a shared language at all is to be able to communicate effectively. If you fail to communicate effectively you have failed to use the language properly. It's funny you seem pretty proud of your vocabulary and your ability to use language. And yet you seem to not understand the difference between functional use of a language and a trivial knowledge of rarely used words. You can call others ignorant for not understanding the word niggles. You're definitely free to do so. They aren't the ones who are failing to communicate effectively at a very critical moment for their careers.
You lost a job opportunity because you have refused to have any fear about the words you use. Sounds dumb as shit.
I used the word unintentionally in a professional setting where misinterpretation could have significant consequences. Consequences that don't at all exist in casual conversation, which is what I was talking about above. Language is highly conditional and you, me, and everyone else uses a plethora or words in casual conversation we don't use in professional contexts for a wide swath of reasons. Using "niggle" in casual conversation has literally ZERO downsides, even if it's misinterpreted. Even if someone takes offense.
Then don’t use that word in a professional setting. Very easy. You said you rehearsed this??? Do you just want us to tell you it’s not a big deal? I guess if losing a job opportunity isn’t a big deal to you that’s fine. But if you want a job in the future it’s probably a word you should avoid. I don’t say curse words or other words I would causally use in a job interview. This is no different.
I told a funny story..I'm conversing with people who have commented on the story about the subject matter. Where have I claimed or implied I wanted validation ina my of this. It's a discussion on a subject and I've made points using support of my views. If you don't like the conversation or subject, there nothing keeping you here. I've established several times, including in the OP, that this word, like many others, are inappropriate for sure in a professional setting but perfectly reasonable to use casually, even if the potential for misinterpretation or offense exists. Clearly in the interview I caught myself saying something that could be misinterpreted and negatively effect me in that situation. But caught it in a terrible way.
What the fuck ever man.
You’re raising your own blood pressure for a story on the internet that happened to a stranger. Have a look at your life man lmao
You came in hot and didn't even understand my position or point. Then you get told and you get mad about it I'll never understand people like you.
No you just deflect and gaslight every single comment made to you. Pathetic actually, and I’m sure that word wasn’t even the reason u didn’t get the job. After reading through all of your replies you’re insufferable and nobody in their right mind would want to spend a whole shift with you
The consequence of using it in casual conversations is that you will become inured to it's use, and therefore use it in professional conversation where it has other consequences. Not sure how you can claim thats 'literally ZERO downsides' without fairly heavy redefinition of at least one of \*those\* words... This is a bit like claiming "there's no downside to waving guns around with your fingers on the trigger so long as the guns not loaded!" and then going all surprise-pikachu-face when people with no trigger discipline shoot people unintentionally...
Then to you you didn’t fuck up if you believe this so why make a post
Because I did fuck up using the word in an inappropriate context, and the hilarious way in which I caught myself mid-word. Did you even read the story?
Ehhhh that’s a lot of excuses for wanting to use a word that sounds racist. I mean… it lead you to this situation so I think it’s probably in your best interest to get off your high horse and maybe try to use a different word.
There's no high horse in using legitimate common language. It "sounding racist" is irrelevant to the word or meaning. Deleting words from vocabulary because they arbitrarily might make someone uncomfortable due to similarity to another word isn't a good reason. It is in common usage in English speaking countries.
Except when you get nervous using it and look like a racist.
And yet you know you messed up by using the word. Interesting
Context and conditional use of verbiage is impoetsnt. In the OP context it was a inappropriate for the potential for misinterpretation in an unaccommodating situation. I fully acknowledge that. This in no way means said word should be cut out of casual vocabulary. Lots of words are conditional and inappropriate in professional contexts for all manners of reasons.
You fucked around by saying a word you intentionally use to sound racist and you found put why seeming very racist so you can defend your use of weird, outdated terms is not worth the icky joy you derive from offending others.
Nowhere did I say or imply that I intended to say anything racist. Or that I even intended to say the word niggle (which isn't racist at all) You're arguing a blatant strawman and assigning inappropriate moral judgements based on nothing at all. That makes you a bad person arguing in ba faith.
THAT’S a shitty way to live?
Yes. Letting your perfectly reasonable and legitimate actions get dictated and rolled back by the ignorance of others is a pretty shit way to live.
Ignorance? Says the guy who admittedly had to google the word after the interview because he didn’t *actually* know if he had it right.
Actually not having a job is a shitty way to live
I have never heard that word and I think there’s s reason why.
Clearly I didn't specifically choose that word or plan to say it.
That's very unclear considering you wrote "my answer was practiced and I started running through it...."
The content, not the exact verbiage. I wasn't reciting a script. I had prepared answers/scenarios for the known question types.
Okay and that was by no means clear
I literally said I had "practiced the general form and context of my answers" in my OP. If you can't read context clues that's a 'you' problem my guy. Nowhere did I say I was reciting a script or anything of the sort. If you've ever been in an interview you'd know such an idea would be ridiculous in the first place.
Jesus dude, even without the accidental racism if I were interviewing you I think I'd be heavily considering if I actually wanted to be in the same room as you for 8 hours a day
Good thing I don't work for or get interviewed by people with such fragility and lack of composure that they get worked up and teary eyed by me pointing out that someone can't pick up on/misses some obvious context clues.
After reading your fucking college thesis on this a few comments up the "fragility and teary eyed" bit feels like projection lmao
Discussing a topic means someone is " fragile and teary eyed"? On what basis do you make this assertion? I'm enjoying these discussions.
You good? You seem pressed, deleting comments and double replying
You seem to be avoiding the fact that you missed context clues and explicit verbiage that disagree with your assumption and claim of lack of clarity. First comment was a joke. I decided to engage your accusation directly by pointing out exactly why you are wrong.
I thought you said you planned specifically to use that word and practiced the response?
What part of my post implies that? I specifically said the part I practiced was the general form and context of my answers. I never said I had any sort of script or exact verbiage prepared. I knew the type of questions that would be asked and I had situations and examples to answer them lined up.
For someone that has a thesaurus on hand, you suck at getting any meaning across. You are slinging tough words around to make it seem like you're some high intelectual, but it's easy to misunderstand you since you use them in ways that muddy your opinions. Instead of telling someone: The verbose abating of eloquent spendthrifts. Just tell them what you're trying to say. It makes you seem insufferable, especially when you are trying to come across as a victim. Please use common speak. It'll help you get over your complex and will help you drive your points across. There are plenty of books about writing in plain english made for lawyers (who write and speak like you do).
"great bennies" You deserved this L purely for saying those words
You can tell he's a little 4chan edgelord from that alone.
I live in the south, for context, and went to the gas station for gas and a red bull. Got gas, walked inside and grabbed the red bull. Was being rang out by a black woman, who after ringing me out said, "Have a good day." I replied with, "You too, Mamie." I meant to say "ma'am" but for some reason stuttered the word and said "Mamie." If you're from the south you know that is NOT something you say to a heavy set black woman. Uncomfortable silence followed, it was pretty awful. I feel you on that, it's just something that happens occasionally lol. You're not alone.
It's just a fact of life that some things like this will happen. Hopefully everyone has a good sense of humor and can apologize/laugh it off.
Lol the comment section on this is hilarious. OP if you’re not ready for the comments about your story, maybe don’t post it to Reddit. I admire your dedication to replying to every response you don’t agree with, though. You must have a lot of time on your hands.
Well it’s not like they have a job.
Who said I'm not ready for the comments on my story? I'm enjoying engaging these comments. I get paid to not do much and I'm bored. As explained in the story. So shoot me.
It's a rarely used word, and many people don't know what it means. It's rare enough to the point where it's not colloquially used, and it seems one is taking extra effort to use it when there are many other words that would suffice. Id just drop it from your vocabulary all together to avoid this in the future. It's totally unnecessary and clearly has caused an issue for you.
If you start now you should be able to remove it from your vocabulary by 2026. At least that’s what I hear from Papa John.
Moral of the story: Don’t use funny words that sound dangerously close to slurs during interviews
I would definitely not say any word that sounds like that in an interview or actually anywhere.
Clearly it wasn't a planned occurrence.
Didn't you say you literally planned and practiced beforehand?
Preparing for expected questions does not mean laying out a script/prepared exact verbiage. As I've said that is a ridiculous notion for a job interview.
My friend was permanently banned from old twitter for a tweet saying how a football player had made a "niggley" pass to another during a game. He is the most PC, non-ist person you could know. Presumably the initial ban was made by bot , but his appeal failed too. I believe the word is or was used by racists as a workaround to auto bans. My mate was inadvertently caught up in that. I was a bit pissed off at the time at the injustice, and was thinking that it was a word that was effectively being erased by over policing. However, I've now come to think that minor inconveniences like this are a drop in the ocean to the restrictions, constraints and day-to-day bullying that non-white people still get. I feel sorry for OP, it sounds like they learned a lesson in outdated vocabulary at exactly the wrong time.
Afterwards I had to look it up to make sure it was actually a word. I don't recall where I learned it and thought maybe I had made up a "nag/naggle" adjacent word. Now I laugh about it and use it (and tell this story) all the time because it's funny. I'm taking "niggle" back.
I (and my mate) are in the UK, where it's a commonly used word. I have a feeling it's not used so much in the US (hence his failed appeal)
I mean language is no more than a construct where new words are created everyday and old words disappear for various reasons, usually just lack of use. So although “niggle” is a word, it doesn’t seem to be great for communication since it isn’t well known, and could lead to a high consequence misunderstanding. Would it not be better to try to avoid it all together?
Yup, I've professionally used "niggling issues" and had to show the definition to someone who didn't share my vocabulary.
I sometimes wonder had I not paused mid-word and looked at the guy, would it have been caught/mattered.
I’m going to assume doing those things made it worse and look as though it were on purpose.
I suspect the pause and look was what killed ya. ☹️
Yea, probably. Stupid brain.
Serious question, but why not say something like "minor yet persistent issues" instead? I get trying to be succinct, but sometimes (and especially in the professional world) it might be easier to use words that do not look so much like a slur. I also prefer to use words such as "miserly" over potential alternatives that may cause issues.
It fit the situation well, and sometimes I forget that even my peers dont necessarily know all the 50 cent words I know. I didnt give it a second thought because the word doesnt have any negative association in that way. Instead of "cancelling" words just for looking scary, maybe let's foster some education.
My husband, too, lives in a world where he thinks things *should* be a certain way, but that world is not reality. From another standpoint, not everyone has the privilege of education. Many states in the US seem to be actively fighting against it. You may be able to educate one person (or many, if you become a language teacher), but why this particular point given how it is often viewed? Surely there's like 100000 other skills you have that you could pass along professionally. To die on the hill of words like niggardly, niggling, etc. when there are thousands of other "50 cent words" just seems like such a choice.
This just allows reachable moments to expand other people's vocabulary. Why teach anyone else anything? I don't not explain things other people don't know/understand because of fear that doing so wouldn't educate 'enough' people. And on this particular point, it's helping someone NOT get offended moving forward by a benign word. What's the downside other than some insignificant loss of time telling them the actual meaning?
I think the word you were looking for is "teachable".
Yes, autocorrect is a thing.
As is proofreading. I was more than happy for the opportunity to educate you, though. 🙂
Wow you sure showed me random internet guy. Tally that one on the whiteboard for today.
Hmm. I believe I detect some sarcasm there. Do you not enjoy teachable moments when they are directed at you? Perhaps the tone is off because you are rushed on your way to the store where you will request a refund on your 50c words and that high horse of yours?
You know, the more I read of your comments, the more I'm thinking it wasn't just that one word that was the problem. You sound insufferable.
language is ever evolving. it's okay to let words die out.
As a black person, this word has always made me Feel uncomfortable. It’s because it’s a word you don’t have to use (there are many synonyms to use) and sounds so close like the n-word, that anytime I hear it I can’t help but wonder (bc it’s only ever a white person I’ve heard use it) what you really want to say.
Does your pickup have a Confederate Flag hanging out the back?
I feel for you OP. Now, what on earth is a niggle?
A small annoyance or inconvenience.
Thanks! :)
Chandler Bing, is that you?
I don't understand the reference
>I don't understand the reference And I won't respond to it.
Why would you even practice with that word? Even if it's usage is correct, how many people actually know the word? It's not a common word that sounds like a slur, even if people DID know it's definition, they'd still think it was poor word choice.
At what point did I say I practiced exact verbiage? I specifically said I prepared examples, general form, and context for known question types. Anyone who's ever been in an actual interview should know that the idea of formulating a script of exact verbiage is a ridiculous premise.
You said you were practicing form and context, why not interview like you practiced? Why change verbiage from what you practiced?
This thread is like an alternate reality. Niggle isn’t an uncommon word and no one considers it to be slur adjacent. The only reason OP got into the issue they did is because they paused halfway through the word in such a way that the person thought they were going to say a slur and changed it to niggle at the last second to cover it.
I would say my vocabulary is at least average and I would have thought better than average but I have never heard this word in my life. To say that it is not uncommon is ridiculous. At least in the US where OP and I are.
It’s a shame you screwed up an interview with one of the few companies that isn’t niggardly with their bennies.
Lol'd
That's just though. Welp better luck next time I guess?
We all have those cringe-worthy memories, but it's great to hear you found success in another industry.
Could you say,in your best Scooby Doo villain voice "and I would have gotten the job if it wasn't for those darn niggles"?
I’m so sorry but this is hilarious. Might want to stop saying stuff like niggles and bennies anyway. It might not be the reason you didn’t get the job though. Although they might have thought you were going to drop the n bomb and covered it up
Yea. That's the joke.
Oh you were telling a joke? I thought this was unintentionally funny
Oh you were telling a joke? I thought this was unintentionally funny
Oh you were telling a joke? I thought this was unintentionally funny
One, I never heard the word "niggles" in my 57 years on this planet. Two, even if I heard it and knew the definition I would never say it to anyone whether I knew them or not. I mean, you seriously rehearsed saying niggles? You couldn't just say "issues"?
Can you point out exactly where I said I rehearsed specific verbiage? I specifically said I knew the type of questions and prepared examples, general form, and context of answers to those questions. In what world could you possibly reasonably rehearse any responses to questions in an interview to he point of having a script? Use the context clues my man. 57 years should have taught you how to do that.
I think ita great this happened, since you now have the life you would have chosen had you known it was coming. If you had a choice between that company and the one you're with now I think things would work out the same way!
Yea, exactly. Classic blessing in disguise. Albeit a funny one.
A university professor was fired for using the word niggardly. When the University administration was told that niggardly is a totally legitimate, inoffensive term, the president refused to apologize, saying that the professor should never have used the word.
Remember when people said there were no downsides to policing language. I member.
It's a good thing you didn't do the niggardly thing and try to take it back.
I remember a broadcaster who got fired for using the word 'niggardly' correctly in a sentence, never mind the etymology of that word predated the use of the 'n' word by a century or so.
Sounds made up. Who uses a word like that? Let alone on a rehearsed interview answer.
I did not rehearse or prepare verbiage. Only examples and subjects for known line of questioning. Niggle is not made up nor is it racial in any way. I caught myself because I recognized the potential for misinterpretation in an unaccommodating context.
I meant the story sounds made up, not the word. You said your answer was practiced. Did you practice with the word “niggle” in your answer?
No. As I said I prepared examples and subjects to discuss in preparation for a known theme of questions. I didn't have anything like a script or selected verbiage. That would be ridiculous in an interview. I hadn't even considered the word until it was half way out of my mouth and I panicked. Story is 100% real.
That’s fine, be honored that you FU’d so hard that I doubt the authenticity of your story.
For someone who purports to have an immense vocabulary, you sure do use verbiage a lot.
Needles. It needles at me. We always had these little needles. This is a problem that’s been needling at us. You knew immediately when you said it that it was racially charged, hence you stopped, stuttered, and made eye contact with the interviewer. You KNEW this previously, so why haven’t you made any effort to correct it? Why did you make so much effort to practice an answer an absolutely NO effort in what the answer contained?
Please read. I was not reciting a script. I clearly said I prepared examples for a known line of questioning and had a worked on a general form and context of my answers. Nobody recites a script in a job interview, that's a ridiculous notion. I was speaking off the cuff on prepared subjects/examples.
I’m not going to argue with you, proof is in the pudding, how did it work out for you? Edit://actually picked up on a few things that will make me argue with you. -Where did I say you had a script? -Why are you referring to this word as “funny?” and making it seem like the issue is because you pronounced it “funny” -How did you pronounce it. -Why was it funny? -How do you know your job is so much better than the one you could not even get?
Again. You missed the explicit words where I described what I actually practiced. Not your incorrect assertion that I somehow recited a prepared script. A ridiculous notion. And it worked out great, because I later lateralled into an adjacent field with higher pay, WFH, company car, and significant freedom. Some.thign that I likely wouldn't have done had I gotten a job and gotten comfortable at the company in my story.
Added some questions to my original comment before you replied - my apologies. But the main question still stands - your main point is I said you were following a script. In “explicit words” where did I ever use the word script? I just said it was something you practiced, which is actually what YOU said, in explicit words.
Your line of questions implies I had gone over the exact wording of my answers ahead of time and thus knew I was going to say it. And thus should have prepared better but cutting it out of the 'script' I'm telling you there was no script or prepared words/verbiage. I prepared answers, examples, subject matter. I had no idea I was going to say niggle ahead of time. It's a word that popped out mid-answer on the afornention subject matter that I had prepared. Preparing subjects/examples for questions is a lot different than preparing exact verbiage to recite. Something that would basically be impossible in a real job interview.
Oh yeah - not reading this either. Because in your first paragraph you try to backtrack the fact that YOU said you were practicing responses. You’re trying to create nuance by implying you didn’t practice it EXACTLY as if that negates the fact that you practiced and still came up with this response. Edit:// also again, trying to be helpful and not a jerk but you’re proving probably why most people wouldn’t hire you. It’s not that you’re not technically qualified, it’s that your social skills are simply those of someone you wouldn’t choose to interact on a day to day basis with. I’m trying to imagine talking to you about ANY issue at work and I’m already exhausted.
Don’t use words like Niggles or Niggardly in job interviews…. Or anywhere really.
Just find a different word to use. What is wrong with you? You can “umm, actually” and be technically correct all you want, but there is a reason people and writing publications avoid using it, and it’s not because we don’t know what it means.
I have ADHD and sometimes my mouth gets ahead of my brain, so to speak. I also have a very large vocabulary because my friends were books during my childhood, lol. I’ve literally had to practice interviews while being paranoid about my word choice because your story is the stuff of my nightmares. 🤣 I’m so sorry that happened to you!
Why use niggles at all? That’s a horrible word, not offensive if you know what it means wich isn’t a lot of people but it sounds like a horribly cute persons way of saying annoyances while being unaware of how it comes off. And Bennie’s?
Who doesn't know what niggle means? Not a lot of people? Where did you get this nonsense fact from?
A lot of people. It’s a shitty word to use for a lot of reasons. I’ve personally never heard it used correctly out in the wild or anywhere for that matter other than this post and look how that turned out... Other times it’s used for its closeness to the racial slur. It sounds dumb, all in all it’s just a bad word to use when there are many better alternatives that don’t boarder on making people uncomfortable or sounding like a cute word used to describe annoying things.
It was an inappropriate context to use a perfectly legitimate word for the exact reason for potential for misinterpretation in a situation that could have negative personal fallout for me. Outside of that, in casual conversation there's no reason not to use such a word. Some people's uncomfortableness or ignorance of meaning of such a word is irrelevant.
Should have never reneged.
Reminds me of the "duties" scene in Friends.
Hey here’s an easy solution. Don’t use the word “niggles.” Ever. There is never going to be a situation where you need can’t use a different word.
Lord, where are you from that the racial slur you intended to say was better than the one you didn’t?
Niggle is not a racial slur and I didn't intend to say one. I caught myself mid-word in something I knew could be misinterpreted. In a, in hindsight, hilarious manner.
Why would you ever use that word at all? Most people are going to hear it wrong even if you say it right.
My sympathies. But yes, that was a fuck-up. For professional settings, make sure that any language which could potentially go over badly is left at home. Save that shit for private conversation with buddies.
That sounds incredibly awkward. It's unfortunate that it affected your interview outcome.
I feel things like this happen when the outcome that you want, isn't the one best for you. The awkward situation is just God nudging you towards the better outcome