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I found this post:
quote:
Sooner was originally a derisive term, but was adopted with pride by those being scorned. The same is true of yankee and hoosier.
If you folks can supply me with four more, I'll have a theme. Help is solicited. Thank you.
 
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Are you asking about names of sports teams?
 
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Laughing at myself!

Sorry about the ambiguity, Kalleh. I'm asking about ethnic (etc.) slurs that were proudly adopted by the victims as their own name, and thereby lost their offensiveness.
 
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Certainly the N-word is used among the African-American community with respect. Certain musicians, I think, take pride in calling themselves "White Trash".

This goes beyond ethnic slurs. The "Big Bang" was originally a slur. There is actually a general linguistic principle about such reversals. Knight, for example, comes from the word meaning knave.
 
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Winners of the Washington Post Style Invitational Contest are collectively known as losers. Smile


Build a man a fire and he's warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.
 
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