Now that ISN'T funny.

'Someone'

Margaret X NF didn't say it, it was something talking about him. (Not that I am a fan of NF but let's not get confused.)

I am quite ok with the phrase "to call a spade a spade" when used in context, in fact, depending on the company I have been known to indicate how down to earth someone is to use the phrase "he calls a spade a %$£@ing shovel!

However I got the distinct impression while listening to the item that the speaker was using it with a racist connotation.

I have no idea if the speaker was white/black/blue/orange or pink! I would be interested to know what gave rise to previous posters thinking that he was black, as in some ways it might give a better slant on the comment.

Perhaps it was televised? In which case I missed it.

The saying "calling a spade a spade" means telling it how it is and does not have racist connotations.

The phrase in itself is not a joke - but if it is called a "joke" and is used to describe Nigel Farage then presumably it's meant to be a play on words and the word "spade" is meant to be seen as the derogatory term for a black person.

The remark may have been made with no malign intentions but personally I don't find it funny.

It is not "PC madness" to avoid using language in a way that might be insulting to other people.

Don't get your k......s in a twist Margaret X I posted my comment to show what a common and prolific saying it is, as there was a discussion about it earlier concerning NF. I am originally from Lancashire and remember my parents using the phrase to ' say it like it is'. I remember a lot of other sayings also that today may not be deemed politicly correct.

So! coming from Yorkshire and having called a spade a spade all my life I have to add that NF said it because it means that you risk making yourself unpopular by speaking the truth.
I have had to learn like many Yorkshire people that it is better not to call a spade a spade when outside Yorkshire.

Jeremy Vine Radio 2 today whilst discussing in-laws said in reply to a listener "Is your FiL the type of man who calls a 'spade a spade?'

My brain is much slower than yours then thatbags

Definitely time to get out in the

Actually, another possible reason for the get out has just clicked in my slow brain. Definitely time to water the houseplants. The world is bonkers.

As quoted in the OP, the phrase about spades is a dead straight, no nonsense phrase that has a perfectly comprehensible meaning that is not racist. I think we need a term for the practice of winkling out supposed racism where racism doesn't exist. I think the speaker feared that winkling out and that's why he added the "get out" at the end. It is ridiculous when it gets to this kind of nonsense.

Oh dear! You are spot on with the age group / intended audience, but I really wasn't that sort of teacher - but maybe when I was leading a staff meeting....

Ariadne
Have a mental image of you saying your previous post standing in front of a class of 14 year olds, probably with your arms folded. I think it's that teachers word.....nonsense that gives it away.

Durhamj. You are right. Any move further right would be goose -steps.

Me too WIWYA

I was half listening to the interview, and I thought the man who mentioned spades was the man whose father came from the West Indies and whom I assumed was black, so it was, in fact, a joke.

Nonsense!

It's not about North and South at all, just about making the effort to understand, reading things carefully, twice if you don't understand, then asking clear questions rather than making wide ranging assumptions about language distribution.

Most language is comprehensible if you make the effort!

Must be nice to be as innocent as you, soon.

May be there are north uk and south uk phrases.
In the county I live in, there are lots of verbal variations in different sections.

I get a bit annoyed, to be honest, that everyone thinks that everyone knows all the different words and phrases.

I shall start a thread!

First used in the 16th Century, according to Mr.Google.
At least the fatal phrase was uttered in The Black Country and not in the
'people of colour' country.
PC madness yet again.

I thought everyone would know that, phoenix, which is why I didn't elaborate in my previous post.

I was obviously wrong!

Jo1book, I always think of Ukip as being further to the right of Tory.

Thankfully in most places the term is no longer used, but the phrase "spade" was sometimes used to refer to people of colour/negroes/Afro Carribeans etc. It is sometimes thought to sort of relate to the suit "spades" in a deck of cards.

[joinsloopylouwateringplantpots]

Very
Non comprendo
Please don't tell me that phrase is racist......

[givesupandwandersofftowaterplantpots]

That's what I said in the OP ruby