Difference between revisions 11601521 and 12235282 on enwiki

'''Ofay''' is a [[race|racial]] slur; a black [[slang]] term for a white person.  The term appears in print begining in the early 20th century, and may be older still.  It's origin is unclear.

At least two possible derivations point to the [[Atlantic slave trade]] and [[Nigeria]].  During the 17th through 19th centuries, European traders established coastal ports in present-day Nigeria for their increasing traffic in slaves destined for the Americas.  Thus, "Ofay" might derive from the [[Ibibio]] word "afia," which means "light-colored," and may have refered to European traders.  "Ofay" might also come from the [[Yoruba]] word "ofe," spoken in hopes of disappearing from danger such as that posed by European traders.

A third possible origin is the [[Pig Latin]] pronounciation of the [[English language | English]] word "foe."  This connection might only be coincidental.

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