Talk:Ofay
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[edit] Foe
This is where the word comes from; I'm not sure what kind of documentation you might have to the otherwise, but I would very much like to see it. I think that it's quite condesending to imply that this word has some kind of root in african-ness, particularly if you're not chosing to site this fact.
—The preceding unsigned comment was added by 141.140.151.122 (talk) 22:00, 15 February 2007 (UTC).
[edit] Au fait
I won't put this on the main page because I have no documentation.
"Ofay" and "Au fait" sound suspiciously similar, and more to the point, "au fait" means (roughly) "well-skilled or instructed". Most online dictionaries will corroborate this. As this term is Latinate (French) I assume it came out of New Orleans, meaning a white who was familiar with black customs and slang.
Perhaps it grew into a slightly racist term, but its origin is important to consider.
~ Jimbonator 11:32, 10 August 2005 (UTC)
- But where is it "commonly used in English"? Certainly not in any variety of American English I've ever spoken or been exposed to. (For reference, I've lived in the New York metropolitan area and suburban New Jersey, the Tucson area of Arizona, and Orange County, California, not in that order.) DM, 69.248.116.112 02:02, 28 January 2007 (UTC)
To the best of my knowledge, it's more of a historical term. If you read Langston Hughes, James Baldwin, or Richard Wright, you're sure to come across this word.
[edit] "Black slang"
What is "black slang". That sounds racist you wouldn't say nigger was "white slang". Plus we don't know the origins of the word so how can we it is "black" in origin. Explain how a word can originate to an entire race as well if you to call Ofay "black slang". —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Dualldual (talk • contribs) 08:11, Mar 27, 2006 (UTC).
