In some parts of the U.S. the word "Canadian" has ugly connotations ... and not because we refused to join the war in Iraq.

In the south, "Canadian" is a racial slur referring to African-Americans. The term has its roots in the word Canuck, says an expert.

"Canuck, that very same term of endearment Canadians use now," was used by racist southern Americans to insult French Canadians with dark skins, said Stefan Dollinger, editor in chief of Dictionary of Canadianisms on Historical Principles. Over time, we gave the word Canuck a totally different spin and it now refers to any Canadian, he said.

"In the U.S. some people still use Canuck as a slur," said Dollinger, who is also the director of the University of British Columbia's Canadian English lab.

Internet message-board posters have been discussing the issue of southern Americans using the word Canadian to replace racial epithets for black people.

A Texas district attorney got into trouble and have left others wondering what exactly it means when he used the word "Canadians" to describe blacks on a jury.

In an e-mail to a junior prosecutor, district attorney Mike Trent wrote: "He overcame a subversively good defence by Matt Hennessey that has some Canadians on the jury feeling sorry for the defendant and forced them to do the right thing."

Reports indicated there were no Canadians, but a number of black people.

"Never heard of that here in Edmonton," said Michael Broodhagen, local chapter president of the National Black Coalition of Canada Society.