Nappy hair?

[Chavster]

If someone were to say 'OMG OMG OMG I really want to shave my head, because I have nappy hair', what does that mean? The nappy hair part, not the 'I want to shave my head' part.

Nappy here = diaper.

[tomgallagher]

Nappy here= curly kinky hair. As a race most black folks have that kind of hair but it's not restricted to them.

[Chavster]

Ok, that makes sense. When I posted that, i couldnt remember where I heard it, but then it came to me. I was watching the first episode of the US version of The X Factor, and one of the contestants mentioned that Justin Timberlake had nappy hair, and I thought wtf? But now it makes sense

[Razor X]

Nappy here= curly kinky hair. As a race most black folks have that kind of hair but it's not restricted to them.

And be careful about using it because the term can be considered offensive.

[Chavster]

Oh, sorry

That didnt occur to me. It was said openly on a tv show so I didnt even think it might be offensive.

[Razor X]

Oh, sorry

That didnt occur to me. It was said openly on a tv show so I didnt even think it might be offensive.

Depends on who's saying it and who it's being said about. 

[tomgallagher]

I don't think it is over there but you would be a better judge of that than I would.

[D.A.L.U.I.]

For a pretty good film on the whole subject:

Good Hair is a 2009 American comedy documentary film produced by Chris Rock Productions and HBO Films, starring and narrated by comedian Chris Rock.  Should be available on Netflix.

[Arnie]

Imus got in a lot of hot water over the context he used among other words...

http://mediamatters.org/research/200704040011

[Chavster]

Well I've never heard the word over here, apart from when someone is talking about diapers, because a diaper here is called a nappy. I thought 'nappy hair' meant someone looked like they were wearing a diaper on their head, in the same way 'helmet hair' means (I think) they look like they have a football helmet on their head.

I just looked at that link ^... what does hos mean?

[D.A.L.U.I.]

what does hos mean?

Pronounced Hoz, think oldest profession!

[Chavster]

ok.

Now I'm wondering where that term came from...hoz/hos = prostitute? It doesnt even sound similar

Actually dont worry. The last time I asked about an American pronunciation or punctuation, it was like World War 17. I'm not that desperate to know

[D.A.L.U.I.]

Talk from 'da hood!  Street slang, primarily used by African-American and Latino street people. 

[Chavster]

Oh, well then I wouldnt understand it at all. Maybe its short for hooker. Hos = hooker.

[Chavster]

Incidentally, I didnt think nappy hair was a disrespectful term because it was used on an American prime time tv show (The X Factor) on Thursday night. Simon Cowell (or one of the judges, I cant remember which) asked the contestant on stage who he was as good as (or wanted to be like), and his response was along the lines of 'Whitney Houston before she lost it, Mariah Carey before she lost it, and Justin Timberlake without the nappy hair'. So I assumed if it was ok to be broadcast to the American public on Fox at something like 8pm, then it would be ok for me to ask what it (nappy hair) is/was.