The word "negro" can have pejorative connotations, as it may be associated with low class
status, ugliness, vulgar behaviour, noisiness, violence, dishonesty, sexual promiscuity etc.
In the River Plate region, for example, "los negros" is sometimes employed as a general
term for the lower classes and especially for lower-class people whose behaviour is
deemed vulgar and not "respectable".
171. Thus, the word can be employed with the intent to offend and to offend in racial terms;
often the word would be appended with further insult, as in the example "negro de
mierda" [shitty black].
172. The word "negro" is by no means, however, always used offensively. The term can also be
used as a friendly form of address to someone seen as somewhat brown-skinned or even
just black-haired. It may be used affectionately between man and wife, or
girlfriend/boyfriend, it may be used as a nickname in everyday speech, it may be used to
identify in neutral and descriptive fashion someone of dark skin; several famous people in
Uruguay are known as "el negro/la negra such-and-such".
173. "Negro" can be used in the same way that other words referring to physical characteristics
are used as descriptors for particular individuals, eg "el flaco" [the thin one/beanpole] or
"el gordo" [the fat one/fatso]; these words can also be used without the article, eg "hola,
gordo" [hi, fatso] or "chau, flaco" [bye, beanpole]; thus, a group of friends waiting for
another friend might exclaim "mira, ahi viene el negro" [look, here comes the black
one/blackie].
174. In Latin America, other terms may be used in ways that sound odd to a European ear. In
Colombia, the word "mono" (literally, "monkey") is used to address light-skinned people
or people whose hair is lighter than pure black. In Mexico, the word "güero" is used to
address blond or light-haired people. In many areas, the word "moreno" [brown] may be
used as a term of address in similar ways to "negro".
The experts reviewed the paragraphs in Mr Evra's witness statement where he described
what happened in the goalmouth, together with video clips of the goalmouth coming
together. They proceeded, for the purpose of this part of their report, on the basis that the
substance of Mr Evra's account was accurate (ie allowing for linguistic errors made by a
non-native speaker of Spanish). Having done so, the experts provided the following
observations on Mr Evra's account.
178. Mr Evra stated that the goalmouth incident started when he addressed Mr Suarez,
beginning with the phrase "Concha de tu hermana". According to the experts, the literal
translation is "your sister's cunt" and it can be taken as a general swear word expressing
anger, although the word "concha" is not as taboo as the English word "cunt". It is thus
equivalent to "fucking hell" or "fuck me". If directed at someone in particular, it can also be
understood as "[you] son of a bitch".
179. Assuming Mr Suarez responded with "Porque tu eres negro", this would be interpreted in
Uruguay and other regions of Latin America as racially offensive. When the noun is used
in the way described by Mr Evra, it is not a friendly form of address, but is used in an
insulting way: it is given as the rationale for an act of physical aggression (the foul), as if
the person deserved such an attack since they are black. The term is not being used as in
paragraphs 172 and 173 above, but in the sense of paragraph 171