Discussion Question #2 (Discussion set #4)

In what circumstances/contexts do certain phrases and words take up a derogatory meaning?

In the Brown article, the term "half-caste" is used to describe someone who is the son or daughter of a biracial couple. It seems to carry with it, however, a negative connotation as it implies that the individual is neither fully one or the other. This implies, in a way, that the individual is something less.

This term, when used in African countries such as Nigeria, is used more as a description about someone--a description to their race, not anything insulting. It is more of a characeristic--like being tall or short.

My question is, what makes a term or phrase derogatory in one context and not in another? Does it matter who says what and to whom it is directed? Is it widely understood what the term means and the different contexts in which it can be used?