The importance of words
(Since I finished this post and it was mentioned in my last one, I figure I would crosspost it here. Also, if you couldn't tell, my tumblr is turning into the place where I dump a lot of my thinky thoughts now.)
This is kind of a complicated idea for me because on the one hand it is prescriptive, but it is also has a descriptive base. However, what I want to say is that I believe that words that we use are important and worth considering. What brings this on? Why the persistence of the use of certain words such "gay," "retarded," and "lame" as synonyms to "stupid," of course.
Now, one might ask, "What's so bad about these words?" Well, remember that post I wrote on privilege? Yeah, the fact that one might ask that question is actually a demonstration of the privilege that individual has. That person is blinded to the consequences that their words might have. I know that personally I recoil inwardly every time I hear this use of "gay" because it reminds me that I'm not "normal." It causes me a certain amount of pain. Sure, it may be a small amount of pain since I've actually managed to avoid any intense homophobia or discrimination. However, for someone else, it may call forth memories of bullying, trauma, or other experiences with homophobia.
"Okay," they might say, "that may be how you feel, but I didn't intend it to hurt you, and you knew what I meant!" Ah, I have a post about this as well. While I do agree that illocutionary force is important, intent is not fucking magic. It does not immediately erase the hurt that those words have caused or cause them to be absolutely harmless in the first place. And you know what? The statement at the beginning of this paragraph is another example of privilege, and it's a shucking of responsibility for the words that we use. There is this really pervasive idea that we should be able to say whatever we feel like without fear of consequences (or that we are already afforded this ability by the First Amendment in the US -- this patently ignores the "Congress shall make no laws..." part). Well, as we all know, actions have consequences, and speaking is an action. Therefore, speaking has consequences. So please do not whine at me when I call you out because your words hurt me. It makes me think of you as a privileged asshole.
"Well, I guess that might be true, but Brad, you're a linguist! And a descriptive one at that! You must know that language naturally evolves!" they might proclaim to me in response. And here is where I have to negotiate with both my descriptivism and the prescriptivism of this argument. However, I think the answer lies in the fact that no word can ever truly be completely divorced of its history. This is why "nigger/nigga" is not a word that a white person should ever utter unless talking about the word itself. There is just too much history of racism in that word for it to be okay for a white person to call a black person -- or anyone else for that matter -- that word. This may eventually change in the future, but that is highly unlikely as it is still used in its discriminatory form by white people; it is not a thing of the past. Now I am not arguing that "gay" is an equivalent to "nigger/nigga" ("fag/faggot" however is in my mind), but that there is a history of oppression behind the use of "gay" as a synonym for "stupid." Just as there is for "retarded" and "lame" as well.
But you know what? I'm not perfect at this either. There are still many, many times that I will use "retarded." ("Lame" is a word that I've mostly phased out of my vocabulary.) I fail at this, too. However, an important thing to remember is that if you or someone else catches you saying it, don't defend it. Realize your mistake, apologize to any people present who were hurt by your words (and not the bullshit "I'm sorry you were offended" apology, please), and try to work on getting rid of that word from your vocabulary.
Crossposted from my tumblr
This is kind of a complicated idea for me because on the one hand it is prescriptive, but it is also has a descriptive base. However, what I want to say is that I believe that words that we use are important and worth considering. What brings this on? Why the persistence of the use of certain words such "gay," "retarded," and "lame" as synonyms to "stupid," of course.
Now, one might ask, "What's so bad about these words?" Well, remember that post I wrote on privilege? Yeah, the fact that one might ask that question is actually a demonstration of the privilege that individual has. That person is blinded to the consequences that their words might have. I know that personally I recoil inwardly every time I hear this use of "gay" because it reminds me that I'm not "normal." It causes me a certain amount of pain. Sure, it may be a small amount of pain since I've actually managed to avoid any intense homophobia or discrimination. However, for someone else, it may call forth memories of bullying, trauma, or other experiences with homophobia.
"Okay," they might say, "that may be how you feel, but I didn't intend it to hurt you, and you knew what I meant!" Ah, I have a post about this as well. While I do agree that illocutionary force is important, intent is not fucking magic. It does not immediately erase the hurt that those words have caused or cause them to be absolutely harmless in the first place. And you know what? The statement at the beginning of this paragraph is another example of privilege, and it's a shucking of responsibility for the words that we use. There is this really pervasive idea that we should be able to say whatever we feel like without fear of consequences (or that we are already afforded this ability by the First Amendment in the US -- this patently ignores the "Congress shall make no laws..." part). Well, as we all know, actions have consequences, and speaking is an action. Therefore, speaking has consequences. So please do not whine at me when I call you out because your words hurt me. It makes me think of you as a privileged asshole.
"Well, I guess that might be true, but Brad, you're a linguist! And a descriptive one at that! You must know that language naturally evolves!" they might proclaim to me in response. And here is where I have to negotiate with both my descriptivism and the prescriptivism of this argument. However, I think the answer lies in the fact that no word can ever truly be completely divorced of its history. This is why "nigger/nigga" is not a word that a white person should ever utter unless talking about the word itself. There is just too much history of racism in that word for it to be okay for a white person to call a black person -- or anyone else for that matter -- that word. This may eventually change in the future, but that is highly unlikely as it is still used in its discriminatory form by white people; it is not a thing of the past. Now I am not arguing that "gay" is an equivalent to "nigger/nigga" ("fag/faggot" however is in my mind), but that there is a history of oppression behind the use of "gay" as a synonym for "stupid." Just as there is for "retarded" and "lame" as well.
But you know what? I'm not perfect at this either. There are still many, many times that I will use "retarded." ("Lame" is a word that I've mostly phased out of my vocabulary.) I fail at this, too. However, an important thing to remember is that if you or someone else catches you saying it, don't defend it. Realize your mistake, apologize to any people present who were hurt by your words (and not the bullshit "I'm sorry you were offended" apology, please), and try to work on getting rid of that word from your vocabulary.
Crossposted from my tumblr