Inadvertent racial idioms

[Vinayaka]

Suppose someone doesn't know that a common phrase has it's origins as a racist slur. When you hear it, what do you do? Do you inform the other person, just ignore it, or laugh about it. What happens if someone of that race is nearby and gets offended?

 

[sun rise]

It depends on how well I know the person. If it's a dear friend, I might say something.

 

[Vinayaka]

The same way I would a child who did not know a word was a slur. Understand their ignorance, and do what was needed to correct their language.

Been there, done that. I taught. Curse words or sexual innuendo too.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Suppose someone doesn't know that a common phrase has it's origins as a racist slur. When you hear it, what do you do? Do you inform the other person, just ignore it, or laugh about it. What happens if someone of that race is nearby and gets offended?

Suppose someone reads a phrase, has no idea of its origins, and cherry-picks a link from Google that states a racial slur before he does any real investigation. What do you do? Do you inform the person who cherry-picked the link of their fallacy? What happens if someone needlessly is offended by that person's error in reasoning?

 

[Audie]

What to do?

Not be one of the so sensitive
so easily hurt and offended!

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I would tell them.

 

[Axe Elf]

I kind of had the reverse happen to me once at work. I used a perfectly innocent word that kind of sounds like a racial slur, and someone within earshot got all offended and reported me to my boss. Upon telling my side of the story, the boss agreed that I had used a legitimate word, but cautioned me to be more sensitive to people around me when I spoke anyway. I thought he should caution people to be more literate and not take offense at something just because they are ignorant.

What was the word?

Do you know what someone is called when they renege on a promise?

That's right; a reneger.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Suppose someone doesn't know that a common phrase has it's origins as a racist slur. When you hear it, what do you do? Do you inform the other person, just ignore it, or laugh about it. What happens if someone of that race is nearby and gets offended?

Well, I had that issue online and offline. Offline, I was talking to a neighbor. She's from West Virginia; so, the slurs there, so far I know, are still racial oriented. She uses the N* word just in everyday conversation. One day she was telling me about this N* that came to visit her and had an opinion. She saw my face and said something like, "thats how we call say in my family. Sorry. didnt know..."

I let it go when I know the context. Other times I just let them know point blank. Online, unless its intended to be off, I figure its the culture. Im sure many of us can tell the difference given the nature of online environments.