Definition Essay: The Meaning Of Pet Name

In her article “ The Meanings of a Word,” Gloria Naylor, a writer, argues that the N-word is indicated a lack of self- respect in her community, and although words themselves are not hurts people, but once a group of people agree on a negative use; the word can be used to insult others. Naylor only experiences with the N-word in her community because her uncles, aunts, cousins, friends, and parents use the N-word in positive ways while others use it as an insult. Naylor's community had rules for behavior and what the N-word means. In her article, Naylor gives three meaning for the N-word. In singular, the N-word applies to a man who is intelligence and desires to do well.

When having a regular conversation with my boyfriend Isaac, over a snapchat we were looking at he noticed an odd word on the picture. He looked at it for a minute and question what “bae” was. I simply told him it was what people were saying for short instead of babe. The actual meaning of bae is before anyone else, but in our generation, it is used to call or name a person’s significant other. Isaac was astonished over how people were becoming so lazy that they could not even finish saying the word babe or baby, so bae was the new thing in to say. He added that the English language could be much better and people would sound like they had more education if words like these were prohibited or banned. The WRC 1013 10 a.m. class conducted a survey to identify the top 10 words, along with the number of times each of the 10 words was identified as needing to be banished. The idea of this survey is based off from the Lake Superior State University. “Rabe and fellow LSSU faculty and staff came up with the first list of words and phrases that people love to hate at a New Year’s Eve party in 1975, publishing it on Jan. 1, 1976” (). While many of these words are used daily, too much repetition can reflect how each generation is developing in a downward direction.

The word “bitch” throughout our society has developed tremendously, the use of the word has grown and grown as our generation has progressed. The term “bitch” did not become a “universal female insult until the 1920s” (Pardes) it was insulting and hurtful to women at the time, but now the term has so many definitions. When a woman is called that word it can have many different meanings because the definition has grown as years has gone by. Today the word is not even considered an insult in many situations, it's more of a compliment to some women. Society today has used the word so often that when they hear it, it's normal. The word is being used on a daily basis. Although many people use the term mainly towards women it is still considered an insult. Not only does the term express how one feels towards women, but as how they see them. The way in which hip-hop artists use the term to describe women is unacceptable, artists “are just reiterating the acceptability of the word” (Elan).

But [she] didn’t ‘hear’ it until it was said by a small pair of lips that had already learned it could be a way to humiliate [her]” (Naylor, 411). This not only supports the fact that the boy had been taught or heard this word by someone older like a parent, but it is also sad that a nine-year-old had to be taught that such a nasty, ugly word was created to make her and people like her feel ashamed and embarrassed to be black, or that are worth less as human beings, which is absolutely false. That is why slurs are created though, to make groups of people feel less “human”. This essay explored the most infamous slur against the black community. The fact that slurs like this are prevalent in today's society is extremely upsetting and wrong. There are plenty of racial slurs that are so casually used today, it makes one's stomach ache in distress. Ableist slurs are even less reprimanded, a high school student walking through the hall will hear the r-word too many times to count during the course of a day. Just as commonly used are homophobic and anti-LGBT slurs. A high school student will hear the f-slur and the q-slur plenty of times, and even more will “that’s so gay” or “you’re so gay” be whipped from the mouth of students without a second thought. It’s disheartening.

I would like to be called Isaac because it means “he laughs” and I like to laugh a lot.

Martha Irvine, a graduate of the University of Michigan published an article titled Queer Evolution which talked about how the word “Queer” itself has evolved into the mainstream. Originally the word’s definition was to describe something as odd or weird. Society utilized the word “Queer” as an insult to the LGBTQ community. As more sexual orientations are being discovered, “Queer” became a more accepted word in the gay community in order to make things simpler. Irvine’s essay showed that whatever word we use, can affect a person depending on the intention, and the tone of how it’s being said. Irvine’s essay is very similar to Deborah Tannen’s essay You’re Wearing That which talks about the relationship between mother and daughter and how words have established expectations for women based on their appearance and behavior. Another essay that well connects with Tannen and Irvine’s articles is a section from a book written by Michael Kimmel titled Bros Before Hos’’: The Guy Code. Kimmel talks about “The Guy Code”, rules that a man should always follow in order to be considered a real man. Words are the reason why these standards have been established for all genders and sexualities. The relationships between parents and children would be better if words were replaced, which would abolish the expectations that society has for men and women.

As a lesbian, there are a few slurs that can trigger a spark of dread in me on instinct. The word faggot is one of the first to come to mind. On occasion a group of teasing friends will use such words as a playful insult among one another--and it feels like I am the only person hearing them yell ‘fire’ in a building full of uncaring people. These words burn into my subconscious like a bundle of sticks being thrown into smoldering embers; the hairs on the back of my neck rise, my hands clench into tight fists, and my eyes dart about fearfully for the perpetrator. It is an ugly word--a crude, cruel word in both sound and meaning. It weighs heavily on the tongue like a condemnation, as it remains to be for gay people today. Therefore, due to the word’s implied hatefulness, our culture needs to shift from using faggot as a playful insult, to leaving it behind as we attempt to become a more diverse and accepting world.

"We picked out this baby girl's name when I was pregnant with our first. I met a woman and her dog, and I loved her dog's name. Funny enough, it was the name she had picked out if she had a girl, but she had boys, so she used it for her dog instead. Here we are 3.5 years later, and we are going to use that name for our little girl!"she said 4weeks ago: sheknows.com.

I called my pup Pawnee meaning "water" in our Indian dialect, simply because we lived on the banks of a large river.

I decided it would be fun to name my virtual child after my favorite childhood toy, so we named her Dakota, after my teddy bear. Dakota has a virtual sister whose name is Rose. Her name was decided because a rose is my favorite flower. Although the girls are three years apart, they get along very well even though when they were younger, Dakota was very jealous of Rose.

I have a friend who has a small Chihuahua that she calls Bear. This name seems contradictory to me because he is a small friendly little dog and bears are large, ferocious animals. There are several more examples of contradictory pet names: 1) a snake named Fluffy, 2) a Great Dane named Tiny, 3) a mouse named Giant, 4)

Words that we utilize in our everyday vocabulary have irrevocably over the years altered in their meanings. The etymology of the word “bitch” is a prime example of a word that has become difficult to categorize into a single definition. The word itself has been adapted, reinvented, and created into a form of endearment (akin to best friends). One can be called a bad bitch or a basic bitch, even a ratchet bitch has become socially acceptable. Being called a bitch not too long ago was immediately perceived as an insult, but being a bitch can signify independency and strength. Going back to when bitch was equivalent to a female dog, the shift in the meaning of the word can be traced to our own cultural guidelines. The implications and intricacies of bitch have evolved, and it’s no longer clear what the word indicates anymore.

Among the saddest truths about this lifetime is this: A dog’s life is significantly shorter than a human’s life. I said goodbye to my beloved Miniature Schnauzer, Samson, on March 26th, 2017. He was ten years old. It is an opinion to say that losing a pet is like losing a member of the family. The fact is, though, it is an understatement. Dogs are unique in their own ways. As it is said, “Grief is the price you pay for love.” And I paid a heavy priced that day.

Having a pet is a wonderful idea. Pets bring companionship, personality, and gut wrenching humor to households across the world. Having previously owned both a cat and a dog, and currently being without a pet, I began to think about getting a new furry friend. Born a dog lover, and bred into a cat lover, I had the difficult decision of choosing one of the two.

“A dog is a man’s best friend” goes much deeper than the phrase might initially imply. Recently many medical journals have begun to identify with the many and varied benefits of pet ownership. Men have always relied upon animals for work, transportation, and survival. As times have changed, man has begun to appreciate a different bond with animals. Gone are the days of animals running free outside around the homestead, for now animals are allowed inside and are considered by many to be an integral part of our daily lives! Medical studies have found that animals have a much greater intelligence level than originally thought. Through proper training and experience, animals are not only household pets, but also are becoming an accepted form