nitty gritty

[ann foster]

why is this saying offensive

[pinus]

Is it? There's a discussion of the origins here http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-nit2.htm

[beale]

It isn't offensive is it? Unless you're ridiculously sensitive I suppose. Like the AB profanity filter.

[jenstar]

Of course it isn't. Unless you have something about nits and grit.

[boognish76]

It isn't. That slave ship thing is an etymological urban myth.

[shakenzi]

where i'm from it means to get down to the truth, stop playing around... so if someone told me to get down to the nitty gritty, i would take it to mean be honest...