Racial Slur

The old idiom, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” has been used for decades, and although a good sentiment, can be disproven by any person with an basic understanding of their feelings. The power of the words one hears can greatly affect their self esteem and confidence. The fact that words hurt is an issue everyone faces, but some words hold too much power, power that can be used in not so ideal ways. Slurs, or words that are used to oppress minority groups, are used too casually in the modern world, with grave consequences on the minorities they are used against. The word faggot, a term used to describe gay men, has become popular in modern America between school boys as a way to either mock their peers or intentionally hurt an actual queer person. This word in particular moves farther away from offensive and can be categorized as oppressive due to its both psychological and social ramifications. The use of the word faggot is an act of oppression when one looks at both the social and psychological effects the word has on both the user and the recipient of the slur.

This word “Nigger” is also known as the N-word is being expressed into everyday world of language when speaking to friends or strangers. During the 1870’s and 1880’s before the civil war, many showed racism and how people treated color skin people and how slavery became such a problem. By looking at In Defense of a Loaded Language by Ta-Nehisi Coates and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, one can analyze that this loaded word is important because a fact so basic to human speech that without it, human language might well collapse. “In Defense of a Loaded word’’ by Ta-Nehisi Coates document which acknowledges that the “Nigger” word is being stated as violent and offensive. ““Nigger” is different because it is attached to one of the most vibrant culture is inextricably linked to the violence that birthed us (source #1).”

Despite that students now use profanity in their public schools and even more out of school, this could cause more children and teens to use the offensive language around their peers.

In “Mommy, What Does Nigger Mean?”, author Gloria Naylor explains throughout her piece that reality shapes language and language can shape reality. Naylor explains this, “chicken or the egg dispute” (Naylor 1) through her experiences with the word nigger. Gloria explains how she starts on one side of reality and shaping her language, then comes to another understanding from the boy in her third grade class. Language can be how words are used, what their meaning is and the purpose behind that selection of words. Reality is everyday life and experiences. When in third grade Naylor encounters nigger as a racial derogatory when a boy said “nigger” to her while receiving graded tests back. To Gloria it was anything but a racial put down since

In the English language, the word "nigger" is an ethnic slur, usually directed at black people. The word originated as a neutral term referring to people with black skin, as a variation of the Spanish and Portuguese noun negro, a descendant of the Latin adjective niger . It was often used disparagingly, and by the mid-twentieth century, particularly in the United States, its usage became unambiguously pejorative, a racist insult. Accordingly, it began to disappear from popular culture, and its continued inclusion in classic works of literature has sparked controversy. In the contemporary United States and United Kingdom, using the word is taboo, and it is often replaced with the euphemism "the N-word". "Nigga" is sometimes used among African Americans in a non-derogatory sense or as a term of endearment. Etymology and history

“Language is a product of society. As society changes, so does language.” Because of this, over time, English speakers all over the world have reinvented language and in some cases come up with their own very different ways of speaking. African American Vernacular English (AAVE), also referred to as Ebonics, is one of these variations of American English, most commonly spoken today by urban working-class and middle-class African Americans. Not only does Ebonics make up an immense part of African American social life and communication, but also it is heavily used in the music industry. Its use in the music industry today, particularly in the hip-hop industry, has definitely had an effect on society’s use of language, especially today’s youth. Although widely used by African Americans, many other ethnicities also use Ebonics as a way of communication. The use of Ebonics has steered many away from learning and/or using Standard English and unfortunately, this has lead to communication barriers between speakers of Ebonics and speakers of Standard English especially within academic environments. Due to this, it is extremely important for school systems to incorporate Ebonics as well as elements from the hip-hop culture into their curriculum to ensure the success of their students.

The use of the term nigger can be used as a amicable greeting between two blacks, or as a “hideous pejorative” (Marriott 94) towards blacks. Marriott notes that the use of nigger is usually condoned and used by younger blacks as a “term of endearment” (98), in hopes to gradually alter the meaning of the word. Their goal is to normalize the usage of nigger between blacks to “dull its edge whenever whites use it” (Marriott 95). This has been proved somewhat efficient, as most whites dread the word and express feelings of disgust whenever it is heard from the mouth of whites. Many younger blacks believe their efforts are stimulating a progression in society, but older blacks and the majority of whites assert just the opposite- it illustrates “anything

In the English language, nigger is an ethnic slur usually directed at black people. The word originated as a neutral term referring to people with black skin, as a variation of the Spanish/Portuguese noun negro, a descendant of the Latin adjective niger . It was often used disparagingly, and by the mid-20th century, particularly in the United States, its usage became unambiguously pejorative, a racist insult. Accordingly, it began to disappear from popular culture, and its continued inclusion in classic works of literature has sparked controversy.

In Leslie Savan’s essay, “What’s Black, Then White, and Said All Over?,” Savan talks about the “hidden costs”(381) and benefits of the black language in America. When observing this economic and psychological boundary its clear that African American people went through lots of pain and suffering when creating trendy words and sayings. This is important to African Americans because most people do not understand that these words have now been adopted by white people “who reap the profits without paying [their] dues”(Savan 382).

Upon analyzing Fahrenheit 451, the novel's informal utilization of profanity could instruct students to communicate in an unprincipled method in the social world. In 1987, Dr. Kassinove, a psychologist, uncovered "that profanity led to decreased delayed compliance and to lower perceptions of trustworthiness" (Kurklen). This rigorous study is plainly expressing that utilizing a profane method of communication in society could lead to a privation

People have been associating where others reside with who they are for the majority of history. In June 2015, this issue brought itself into the limelight when a McKinney, Texas police officer said, “Go back to your section 8 home,” to a group of African American teens who were using a community pool in a primarily white neighborhood (The Washington Post, 2015). The term “section 8 home” is loaded, and refers to an old public housing community created by the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, which was considered viable for white Americans at the time of its creation, that has unfortunately become a place where poverty stricken people of color often reside (The Washington Post, 2015) Sadly, the basis of this racial slur is valid;

“Sticks and stones may brake my bones, but words will never hurt me”, goes one old playground rhyme. We are usually taught to ignore a person who uses foul language, but everyone knows that words can really hurt a person. When someone uses hateful words against us, it can hurt just as much as a slap or a punch. When people start to use obscenities with ethnic or racial slurs, it can push some sensitive buttons. Racial slurs used in a joking manner leads to others using it in a condescending manner, which ultimately leads to violence and feelings of hatred. From my experience, racial slurs can cause the most extreme negative reactions in people.

The corruptness of music today seems to be linked to the crude language and aggression found particularly in hip-hop and rap music. Some rap artists use vulgar language in their lyrics that are easily adoptable by teens (Holden). Not only have certain lyrics influenced the way teens speak but also their actions. An article on Headliners.org stated that “lyrics in the music are too violent and are to blame for many problems.” The problems range anywhere from suicide and aggression towards women to underage drinking and drug use. Lyrics are not only to blame, but also what people see in artists’ music videos can affect what they do (Doaks). The urge to emulate these rap musicians has escalated quickly causing a spike in rebellious tendencies among teens.

Language plays an important role in communication by bringing people together and enriching their relationships. Language can also alienate those who do not speak it properly, or at all, from those who do. The essays, Mother Tongue, by Amy Tan, best known for her book, The Joy Luck Club, and Se Habla Espanol, by Tanya Barrientos, delve into the many powers that language holds. These essays reflect how by not speaking a language in proper form and by not speaking a language at all, affects the lives of the subjects of the stories.

    If we are not aware of the words that come out of our mouths due to lack of thought or attention, we all suffer and we are all at fault: “When language dies, out of carelessness, disuse, indifference, and absence of esteem, or killed by fiat, . . . all users and makers are accountable for its demise” (Morrison 14-15).  The standards of society are changing and with them the