Author Topic: yellow bone, red bone, brown bone, etc?  (Read 4068 times)

Kal

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yellow bone, red bone, brown bone, etc?
« on: July 30, 2016, 09:45:40 AM »
Hello Jose,

I am trying to figure out the difference between red bone, yellow bone and brown bone in regards to skin tone or color. These words seem to be slang(I think). Can you help me out?

Joe Carillo

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Re: yellow bone, red bone, brown bone, etc?
« Reply #1 on: July 30, 2016, 05:46:11 PM »
Not being based in the Continental United States, I'm not really knowledgeable about the terms "red bone," "yellow bone," and "brown bone" with reference to skin tone or color. This is actually the first time that I'm hearing about them, and since you appear to be living in the U.S., you most probably have a much better idea about them than I do.

When it comes to colloquial or slang terms like those three, I find UrbanDictionary.com a better and more perspicacious resource for definitions than conventional English dictionaries. Here's what UrbanDictionary.com has to say about those three terms:

1. Redbone - "a specific brown-to-reddish skinned people of Louisiana with dark eyes and straight, frizzy or curly hair. They are often thought of as a tri-racial people of Native American, African and some form of Eastern or Western European heritage. Redbones are not necessarily Creole or Cajun--they traditionally speak English."

2. Yellow bone - "a slang 'Mostly Southern' term for a Black Female with a very light skin complexion. Sometimes they are mixed, but that is not always the case, as Black people come in many different shades. This term is primarily used by African Americans, and can be taken into serious offense if used by another race."

3. Brown bone - "a female or male of African American descent who has brown skin."

I'm glad to be of help and in the process to learn more about Americana myself.
« Last Edit: July 30, 2016, 11:43:36 PM by Joe Carillo »