John Cowan wrote:
> Philip Newton scripsit:
>
>
>>FWIW: In German, "Kanacke" means is a derogative word meaning roughly
>>"foreigner". I was a bit surprised when I read a travel guide to the
>>South Pacific and realised that this word probably derives from the
>>name of the Kanak people; I had thought it was more or less a nonsense
>>word.
>
>
> It's much more likely from Hawai'ian _kanaka_ 'human being, native
> Hawaiian of Polynesian descent' which is mostly of historical use in
> English; it can also be derogatory or (like _geek_, _queer_) a paradoxical
> symbol of pride.
What's the origin of _geek_, BTW?
/BP 8^)
--
B.Philip Jonsson -- melroch at melroch dot se
Solitudinem faciunt pacem appellant!
(Tacitus)