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Tim sent me a reply to Lucy / Larry (etc.)'s obsessions about exomyms. CCC
Lucy's theory of the origin of the "word" Melungeon, is that it is a word that bad white people coined in the late 18th century to insult people of color.
Lucy puts "Melungeon" in a class with other derogatory ethnic terms such as "ebo-shins" "gizzard foot" etc. that were made up by white folk 200 years ago.
The PROBLEM with Lucy's theory is that no one can figure out how the word "Melungeon" would be used as an insult to people of color. It's not obvious.
By Lucy's rationalization, why not conclude that "Melungeon" was a word that black people made up to insult people of mixed color they thought were "getting above their raising." Like, say, "brass ankles."
Again, same problem. No one can explain how "Melungeon" can be considered an exonymish insult against mixed people of color.
It is true that people of color sometimes dodged the word "Melungeon." But it is also true that at different times some people of color found protection in the word "Melungeon" as meaning "not colored."
Neither of these two ethnic-related scenarios explains the origin of the word, however.
The word "Melungeon" and its uses is a subject more complicated than Lucy is willing to entertain.
Why isnt Lucy willing?
Lucy has devised a reductionist theory about who the Melungeon people, and subsequently she attempts to whittle all issues, like the origin of the word "Melungeon," down to fit her theory.
Her reductionist theory about Melungeons is that they were just common everyday mixed folks who appeared in late colonial America. Lucy hates thinking about any evidence beyond that. And she resents anyone else thinking about evidence beyond that also.
Her presumptuous theory about the word "Melungeon" is based on her prejudice that "whitey is evil" and constantly seeks to abuse people of color, like giving them abusive names like "Melungeons."
Failure to explain how exactly the word "Melungeon" is abusive to people of color is just a minor annoyance for reductionist Lucy.
Tim Hashaw
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