4 ms·

I certainly wouldn't understand it. I have my doubts that it is even universally understood inside the black community. The most reasonable interpretation is t

by burfog 8y ago

I certainly wouldn't understand it. I have my doubts that it is even universally understood inside the black community. The most reasonable interpretation is that it is an insult, along the lines of "Why don’t you just give me a lawyer, asshole?" (or motherfucker, or asswipe, or shithead...) Note that it happens to be a question. That isn't really the proper way to ask for something. The answer to the question may well be "Because you haven't demanded one yet, parakeet".

krapp 8y ago
It's still comprehensible. You understand it to be a request for a lawyer. You may find it insulting, or grammatically incorrect, but you're obviously aware that a lawyer, and not a "lawyer dog" is being asked for.
throwaway_3E 8y ago
What makes insult the "most reasonable interpretation?" Couldn't this be explained as the suspect was in fact showing respect to the officer? As counterposed with: "Why don't you just give me a lawyer, bitch?"
- burfog 8y ago
  Since "dog" is the male version of "bitch", it could be effectively the same insult. The best assumption for a random mysterious word is an insult, especially when used as name for you. If you don't know what "kike" or "tard" means and you assume it is an insult, you wouldn't be wrong.
PhasmaFelis 8y ago
> I certainly wouldn't understand it. I have my doubts that it is even universally understood inside the black community. The most reasonable interpretation is that it is an insult I'm a 40-year-old out-of-touch white dude and I know exactly what "dog" means in this context. So do my 65-year-old parents. Maybe your life has been so far removed from mainstream American culture that you haven't heard basic slang for the last quarter-century at least. That doesn't mean it's reasonable or excusable for a working cop.

4 ms·

I certainly wouldn't understand it. I have my doubts that it is even universally understood inside the black community. The most reasonable interpretation is t

by burfog 8y ago

krapp 8y ago
It's still comprehensible. You understand it to be a request for a lawyer. You may find it insulting, or grammatically incorrect, but you're obviously aware that a lawyer, and not a "lawyer dog" is being asked for.
throwaway_3E 8y ago
What makes insult the "most reasonable interpretation?" Couldn't this be explained as the suspect was in fact showing respect to the officer? As counterposed with: "Why don't you just give me a lawyer, bitch?"
- burfog 8y ago
  Since "dog" is the male version of "bitch", it could be effectively the same insult. The best assumption for a random mysterious word is an insult, especially when used as name for you. If you don't know what "kike" or "tard" means and you assume it is an insult, you wouldn't be wrong.
PhasmaFelis 8y ago
> I certainly wouldn't understand it. I have my doubts that it is even universally understood inside the black community. The most reasonable interpretation is that it is an insult I'm a 40-year-old out-of-touch white dude and I know exactly what "dog" means in this context. So do my 65-year-old parents. Maybe your life has been so far removed from mainstream American culture that you haven't heard basic slang for the last quarter-century at least. That doesn't mean it's reasonable or excusable for a working cop.