The Truth Behind Slang Words
What They Really Mean
One of the most recent sayings that I have heard is "That's so gay." This is a very popular saying now with the teenage population. They don't realize what they are saying. They are using the term gay as a way of describing that something is bad. First of all the term gay doesn't mean anything similar to this. Gay is defined as merry or carefree by Encarta. When the term first originated it was known as happy, gleeful. It was not used to describe a homosexual person or something bad. As times have went on the dictionaries have now added homosexual to the definition of this word.
The next word I find very offensive. The word nigger was not intended to be used to describe a particular race of people. The term was actually used to describe a "member of a socially disadvantaged class of persons", as defined by the Merriam Webster Online Dictionary. This means that it was not used to describe a particular race. It meant someone disadvantaged. This has become a very offensive slang term over the years. If people were well educated they would have not changed this term into a racial epithet! By definition anyone of any race can be a nigger.
Queer is another word that has changed meaning over the years. The term queer actually means something unusual, or abnormal as defined by the Encarta dictionary. But now, the term is also used to describe someone homosexual. This is an offensive term that again has become stereotypical.
Another offensive term is bitch. A bitch is not supposed to be derogatory, it actual means a female dog as defined by Encarta. It has been turned into a slang term as the other words I have written about have changed with the years. Each of these words is highly offensive. I think that it is important for everyone to be educated in the true definitions of these words. Teens absorb these terms and turn them into something derogatory. It is a parent's responsibility to teach their children what the terms truly mean. If everyone learned the truth, these words would eventually disappear from the language.
Encarta, "Gay Definition". MSN
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, "Nigger". Merriam-Webster Online
Encarta, "Queer Definition". MSN
Encarta, "Bitch Definition". MSN
Published by Tara Cellars
I am currently starting my own home based business, so there should be some interesting articles to come in the near future. I am married to a wonderful man, James. I am currently a homemaker and also a care... View profile
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1 Comments
Post a CommentVery good article. It is important for kids to know the true meanings of the words they use. It takes some of the "power" of the words away to know that they are words with real definitions that have been applied in derogatory ways. When the words have no power they will not be used except in their original context, if at all.