by Kia Chenelle

 
 
We are all guilty of it. We all use it and we all say that it’s normal. It has poured over into our regular vocabulary. Words have been added to the dictionary to reflect the times and new words are being created every day. Slang can be creative and it can be harsh, but it’s all fun right? Some words with backgrounds that hold a negative connotation for some cultures have now become the “it” words, the words we use to greet our friends and shun our enemies, the words that shouldn’t be used as slang  

 

Nigger

Nigga, my nig, however it is said or spelled, it’s not slang.  Webster defines nigger as a black person, a member of any dark skinned people or someone regarded as inferior, ignorant or contemptible. I would never refer to my friends as inferior, ignorant or contemptible. Why? Because I have respect for them and they portray none of the characteristics stated above. Nigger is not slang because it was a term to belittle a group of people who at one point was unable to control their destiny. The argument always leads to “we took what they considered degrading and made it work for us”. But what was degrading then is still degrading now. The definition didn’t change. Some views of the black culture and experience didn’t change and the effects that it had on the people before us didn’t change. It’s still a harsh word with a harsh background that leaves a deep scar among the older community.  If this word is “slang”, why is there uproar if someone other than a black person uses it?

Guey

The Spanish culture has always been rich of slang and wordplay. Today the word guey has replaced the word dude in a friendly manner. Once known as the word for “ox” or “ill witted” aka stupid, it is now the “it” term.  If you travel anywhere in Mexico City, you can find the young taking a harsh term and turning it into cool for men and women alike. Word to the wise: never call me a guey. I’m not stupid.  The older generation takes offense to the use of slang words like guey. They claim that the younger generation lacks tact and respect for themselves by allowing others to call them something so derogative. Over time, like many other cultures the terms became highly used and “lost” its negative vibe (see: nigger)

Dyke

The origins of this word is unknown but can be found in a various plays and slang dictionaries dating as far back as 1930. Most likely deriving from the word bulldyker , bull meaning masculine and dyke meaning ditch (which was also slang for vulva), this word soon became the word used to describe lesbians. Is it offensive? Yes.  It was originated as a disparaging label for masculine females. It’s very inappropriate to refer to a homosexual woman as a dyke or any other derogative term that describes her sexual preference.  She is a woman. That’s it.

Chink

This term was widely used in my community growing up. It wasn’t until I started reading and meeting people within the Asian community that I learned this word was NOT ok.  Chink is a racial term used when referring to a person of the Chinese origin or of the Asian culture. The word chink really means a small crevice which then transferred over to a racial slur describing the slanted eyes of Asians. Ignorant right? The immigration of the Chinese around the beginning of the 20th century caused hysteria among white people in the North of America. Laws were passed to keep the Chinese from entering America and soon the dehumanization of this race begin. Words such as chink were used to hurt, and justify the racial intentions of this country. Chink has made its way up the rachial chart next to nigger.