Can Derogatory Words Have Positive Meanings?

In class this week, we had a short discussion on how certain words should belong to certain groups of individuals. In Song of Solomon, even Guitar, the character who is most protective of the African American race, used the n-word when saying how “every [white person] is a potential nigger-killer”(Morrison 155). It had always been something I knew subconsciously, how the n-word is only used when African Americans tease one another, or how the b-word is only used among good friends. However, I had never liked the idea of any derogatory words being used at all. I considered the n-word one of the greatest taboo words in our culture, and yet its frequent uses by the black community make the word impossible to ignore even in present days. The same goes for the b-word, even though some women do not get offended being called with the b-word or c-word.

After doing some research, however, my perspectives began changing. While the n-word originated from slave owners, the ones who looked down on African Americans, the n-word also slowly became part of the African American culture as a symbol of unity when they survived through the tough times of the past. With this aspect, the n-word actually holds different meanings for African Americans and for other races, especially whites. I had always viewed calling each other with the n-word within black communities as a way of denouncing their own race, but the word was actually used in the opposite way. The n-word only viewed as appropriate when used by African Americans is probably due to how its positive meaning can only be apparent when spoken by the descendants of the ones who actually endured all the unfair treatments in this nation.

With the b-word, another word I was concerned about, a similar concept applies as well. While the actual word “bitch” actually just means “a female dog” literally, its derogatory uses on women made it into a curse word, causing me to refer to it as “the b-word.” In our culture, however, the word had started becoming a positive one, with songs like “You Call Me ‘Bitch’ Like It’s a Bad Thing” and people making it into abbreviations for different phrases such as “Beautiful Intelligent Talented Creative Honest.” Indeed, the word’s meaning has subverted from one denoting disrespect to one showing empowerment of the female sex.