When you look at the history of language you realize that words are what people have made of them. Words change meaning all the time. You could change a word's meaning or create a new word right now if you wanted to! It's fun! (I recently created the word wildspace to refer to an open space in an urbanized area that has a naturally diverse range of wildlife living in it, as compared to a monocultured lawn. Now that word is in Wikipedia. Who knows, it might catch on...) Now that we are living in the "information age" it's even easier to affect change in our language. In ten years the two words "a lot" may become one word if the trend in smooshing the letters together continues (though I wish that wouldn't happen).
As for me, I'm a geek. And I'm fat. These are not negative words when I use them, they simply represent reality. And who am I to argue with reality? To me, I could be all offended and feel bad about myself when people call me fat or geeky, or I could say, "Yes, I am! You are absolutely correct! I'm so proud of you!" and feel perfectly happy about the world. I've realized that it's my choice.
I do agree about context being all. I am white and find the word "nigger" too terribly loaded to consider using; I'm queer and am clear that "queer" is a good term to describe those of us who are not "straight" (in terms of sexual orientation or gender identity), but that it would be offensive if someone used it in a derogatory manner. The Vagina Monologues have done a great servive in the reclaimation of words like "cunt", and I use it in specific contexts, though I refrain from using any bodypart as an insult (including "dick") - though I have to admit I have just realised that I do use the word "asshat" as an insult, even though I believe that the use of bodyparts as insults is deeply unhealthy, so I'm going to have to be more aware of that!
Yes, that's exactly what the above definition says :)
No, it doesn't have a nice origin, but most of us are happy to embrace it. My husband's a big geek; I'm very happy to geek out on sci-fi; the linguistic shift is such that it's been effectively reclaimed. Nigger is not a word that has been effectively reclaimed - there's too much recent baggage, and my understanding is that many Black people find it too deeply offensive under any circumstance for it to be reclaimed any time soon (if ever). The use and reclaimation of derogatory terms is both fascinating and deeply uncomfortable.
As for me, I'm a geek. And I'm fat. These are not negative words when I use them, they simply represent reality. And who am I to argue with reality? To me, I could be all offended and feel bad about myself when people call me fat or geeky, or I could say, "Yes, I am! You are absolutely correct! I'm so proud of you!" and feel perfectly happy about the world. I've realized that it's my choice.
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gook /guk/ Pronunciation[gook]
-noun Slang (disparaging and offensive).
1. a native of Southeast Asia or the South Pacific, esp. when a member of an enemy military force.
2. any dark-skinned foreigner, esp. one from the Middle East.
3. anyone who is offensive to others because of stupidity, coarseness, etc.
[Origin: 1930-35; of uncert. orig; cf. earlier googoo, gugu, as opprobrious term for a Filipino, and perh. comparable relationship of kook to cuckoo]
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
geek /gik/ Prounciation[geek]
-noun Slang.
1. a carnival performer who performs sensationally morbid or disgusting acts, as biting off the head of a live chicken.
2. a peculiar or offensive person, esp. one who is perceived to be overly intellectual.
3. an expert in computers (a term of pride as self-reference, but often considered offensive when used by outsiders.)
[Origin: 1915-20; prob. var. of geck (mainly Scots) fool < D or LG gek]
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
I do agree about context being all. I am white and find the word "nigger" too terribly loaded to consider using; I'm queer and am clear that "queer" is a good term to describe those of us who are not "straight" (in terms of sexual orientation or gender identity), but that it would be offensive if someone used it in a derogatory manner. The Vagina Monologues have done a great servive in the reclaimation of words like "cunt", and I use it in specific contexts, though I refrain from using any bodypart as an insult (including "dick") - though I have to admit I have just realised that I do use the word "asshat" as an insult, even though I believe that the use of bodyparts as insults is deeply unhealthy, so I'm going to have to be more aware of that!
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
No, it doesn't have a nice origin, but most of us are happy to embrace it. My husband's a big geek; I'm very happy to geek out on sci-fi; the linguistic shift is such that it's been effectively reclaimed. Nigger is not a word that has been effectively reclaimed - there's too much recent baggage, and my understanding is that many Black people find it too deeply offensive under any circumstance for it to be reclaimed any time soon (if ever). The use and reclaimation of derogatory terms is both fascinating and deeply uncomfortable.
Reply
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