I was born in Tuckahoe, near Hillsborough, and about twelve miles from Easton, in Talbot county, Maryland. I have no accurate knowledge of my age, never having seen any authentic record containing it. By far the larger part of the slaves know as little of
their ages as horses know of theirs, and it is the wish of most masters within my knowledge to keep their slaves thus ignorant. I
do not remember to have ever met a slave who could tell of his birthday. They seldom come nearer to it than planting-time,
harvest-time, cherry-time, spring-time, or fall-time. A want of information concerning my own was a source of unhappiness to
me even during childhood. The white children could tell their ages. I could not tell why I ought to be deprived of the same
privilege. I was not allowed to make any inquiries of my master concerning it. He deemed all such inquiries on the part of a slave
improper and impertinent, and evidence of a restless spirit. The nearest estimate I can give makes me now between twenty-
seven and twenty-eight years of age. I come to this, from hearing my master say, some time during 1835, I was about seventeen
years old.
What is the meaning of the word impertinent as it is used in the passage?