In the light of the Carol Thatcher issue....

[DumbledoresGirl]

....is the exclamation "golly!" offensive?

Just heard on Radio 4, the word derives from the Negro word god. So I suppose it has always been blasphemous, but that aside, is it now offensive?

SGM - I'd always thought that the use of the word 'negros/negroes' in academic discourse refers to the period in American history when all black people who lived in America (and to a lesser degree, Britain) were referred to thus. In other words, it is a historical term, much like the term 'Whigs': we no longer use it, but we can use it when referring to a group which a past society believed existed, without racist intent or effect.

Sorry, that wasn't quite clear: should say
we no longer use it to refer to 'black people' as a homogenous group...

I see.

SGM...any light shed by your DH?