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Apporpriation of Language
Oct. 15th, 2010 03:15 pmThere's a much larger and different discussion going on in Alasdair's journal on the correction and discussion of elements of language and use of such in dealing with elements such as ableist/sexist/any-ist language.
The part that I'm currently wrestling with is the process of appropriating a word, and the fact that in appropriation, the actual meaning and/or multiple meanings of the word are collapsed into a single definition.
Now, I've known for a while that refering to something as 'lame' as a prejorative in the context of being 'uncool, unpopular' is considered to be prejudical, but I was unaware that using the word lame at all is now considered to be a prejudiced action.
I suppose the question is at what point is the cultural value of words in and of themselves, and in multiple context, acceptable for appropriation by a minority as offensive? This is not a retortical 'oh where will the political correctness stop!' question by any means. Is there a guideline or is it really a sense of linguistic mob rule, in which the process boils down to the weight of cultural opinion word by the word on which are acceptable or not?
The part that I'm currently wrestling with is the process of appropriating a word, and the fact that in appropriation, the actual meaning and/or multiple meanings of the word are collapsed into a single definition.
Now, I've known for a while that refering to something as 'lame' as a prejorative in the context of being 'uncool, unpopular' is considered to be prejudical, but I was unaware that using the word lame at all is now considered to be a prejudiced action.
I suppose the question is at what point is the cultural value of words in and of themselves, and in multiple context, acceptable for appropriation by a minority as offensive? This is not a retortical 'oh where will the political correctness stop!' question by any means. Is there a guideline or is it really a sense of linguistic mob rule, in which the process boils down to the weight of cultural opinion word by the word on which are acceptable or not?
