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The word “nigga” is not racist.
A look at semantics, coreferentialism, nonperjorative correlates, and pragmatics.
![[thread]The word “nigga” is not racist.A look at semantics, coreferentialism, nonperjorative correlates, and pragmatics.](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EjkmIFaUwAYiKw6.jpg "[thread]The word “nigga” is not racist.A look at semantics, coreferentialism, nonperjorative correlates, and pragmatics.")
The word “nigga” is not racist.
A look at semantics, coreferentialism, nonperjorative correlates, and pragmatics.
To begin, let us look at what a slur is.
Whether it be nigga, kike, cracker, slut, faggot etc...slurs are used and known for their derogation of groups based on superficial, sexual, cultural, or racial descriptors.
Whether it be nigga, kike, cracker, slut, faggot etc...slurs are used and known for their derogation of groups based on superficial, sexual, cultural, or racial descriptors.
It is important to also define racism.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary racism is “Prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against a person or people on the basis of their membership in a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority.”
According to the Oxford English Dictionary racism is “Prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against a person or people on the basis of their membership in a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority.”
So deducing from this, the common attribution of racist slur to the word nigga arises from the referent [nigga] = referent [African-American] and vice versa.
This is known as a ‘coreferential expression’ which is the assumption that a word and descriptor have the same extension
This is known as a ‘coreferential expression’ which is the assumption that a word and descriptor have the same extension
Why is this false?
A simple example to look at is the rise of endearment attached to the use of the word ‘nigga’ by the African-American community as well as others despite it being ‘taboo’ to all except the former. This rise is explained well by the concept of NPC.
A simple example to look at is the rise of endearment attached to the use of the word ‘nigga’ by the African-American community as well as others despite it being ‘taboo’ to all except the former. This rise is explained well by the concept of NPC.
In ‘The Semantics of Racial Epithets,’ Christopher Hom writes:
“For any racial slur, [we can] call its nonpejorative correlate (NPC) the expression that picks out the supposed extension of the epithet but without expressing derogation towards members of that extension.”
“For any racial slur, [we can] call its nonpejorative correlate (NPC) the expression that picks out the supposed extension of the epithet but without expressing derogation towards members of that extension.”
Furthermore, the reasoning for the trivialization of the widely-considered ‘racist’ term can also be tied to the thought that words deemed ‘derogatory’ are free of their derogation unless otherwise contextualized by their utterance.
To illustrate NPC and pragmatic minimalism in application we can look at the following statements:
1. Rob is a nigga
2. Rob is black
3. Rob is black and inferior because of it
So here, (1) being derogatory is reliant on the implication of (3), and as (2) is not always...
1. Rob is a nigga
2. Rob is black
3. Rob is black and inferior because of it
So here, (1) being derogatory is reliant on the implication of (3), and as (2) is not always...
...true of (1), it can be detached from the derogation.
This fails to recognize the latter, so it instead holds an actual inherently racist thought which proposes all blacks referents of the word ‘nigga’ in its derogative sense.
This fails to recognize the latter, so it instead holds an actual inherently racist thought which proposes all blacks referents of the word ‘nigga’ in its derogative sense.
This mistake stems from the misunderstanding of natural language and linguistic expressions being bound to a rigid meaning that is impervious to change, when in fact, through the example of the appropriation of “nigger” to “nigga” we see the very opposite.
Moreover, to directly address the importance of identifying the perlocutionary use of the word ‘nigga,’ let us look at its origin.
The Latin word ‘niger’ (meaning black, dark, unlucky) is the root of ‘nigger’ which was used synonymously with ‘negro’ till the 18th century...
The Latin word ‘niger’ (meaning black, dark, unlucky) is the root of ‘nigger’ which was used synonymously with ‘negro’ till the 18th century...
...and till the mid-20th century was used to encourage disparagement of the Blacks. It is undoubtedly true the African-Americans have faced major mistreatment(even today) and negative stereotypes, but this all depicts how the n-word itself is innocent, rather the context is at...
...fault. Philosopher of language, François Recanati, states:
‘words […] are associated with are not abstract conditions of application, but rather particular applications. Sentences by themselves do not carry (even minimal) truth-evaluable contents...
‘words […] are associated with are not abstract conditions of application, but rather particular applications. Sentences by themselves do not carry (even minimal) truth-evaluable contents...
...They carry schematic meanings which only determine truth-evaluable contents in the context of a speech act.’
So in essence, the input of pragmatism is an absolute necessity to determine connotation of the use of a word, and in itself a mere word holds to no ideology at all.
So in essence, the input of pragmatism is an absolute necessity to determine connotation of the use of a word, and in itself a mere word holds to no ideology at all.
And to end off, I just want to say Alhamdulillah for Islam, cause everyone who brings imaan are my ikhwan and akhwat, no matter what the color of their skin.
