July 21, 2003 at 12:00 am
#14939
T.C.
Member
I have never heard the phrase used as such, but if you read the FAQs for the Internet newsgroup alt.english.usage, you’ll find that ‘to call a spade a spade’ was not originally a slur, although in present usage it can be taken that way via another popular phrase ‘black as the ace of spades,’ referring to a deck of playing cards: http://www.english-usage.com/faq.html#fxtocall
Dare To Ask Talk And News About Our Differences