Page "Nigger" Paragraph 65

The word niggardly ( miserly ) is etymologically unrelated to nigger, derived from the Old Norse word nig ( stingy ) and the Middle English word nigon.

In the US, this word has been misinterpreted as related to nigger and taken as offensive.

In January 1999, David Howard, a white Washington, D. C. city employee, was compelled to resign after using niggardly — in a financial context — while speaking with black colleagues, who took umbrage.

After reviewing the misunderstanding, Mayor Anthony Williams offered to reinstate Howard, who refused reinstatement for another job elsewhere in the mayor's government.