Menace to Society: Language and what it says about you.

Posted on 01. Feb, 2010 by Marion O in Life and Style, Real Talk

Language is more than just communicating thoughts, ideas or feelings. It’s also another form of identity, another way to express what you see yourself as. Language is used to divide or unite, strengthen or weaken. We have all heard of the expression, ‘sticks and stones may break my bones but your words will never hurt me’ but we all know this expression is not true at all. In fact, words affect us more than we think. They are verbal expressions of how see ourselves and others. Our inner psyche.

Colloquial language (slang) is usually meant to be used in a more relaxed social environment, for example a conversation with friends at home. Colloquial language can also reveal a lot about the values and ideas, you hold to be acceptable in to a more intimate area of your life.

Slang is meant to be contemporary to its historical period but more and more often, the terms used are pushing the envelope, whether it is the obscenity or negative attitudes that can be attained from it. Here are a few examples:

‘What’s the motive?’
Generally meant to mean, ‘what’s the plan?’, ‘what’s going to happen?’ However, in Criminal Law, ‘motive’ is the required state of mind to commit an illegal offence.

‘co-d’
A label assigned to a close friend. Again in the legal system, ‘co-d’ is an abbreviation of co-defendant; an accomplice to a crime.

‘Hater’
A reference to someone who is envious of you. This may not say much but by referring to someone as a hater, you have already reached the conclusion that who you are and what you have is an ideal that someone else lacks and wants. (Get over yourself)

‘Boss bitch’
The title of a boss bitch generally holds the connotation of an aggressive, driven, over ambitious lady who is in control. The term ‘bitch’ however, originally referring to a female dog, in today’s context, is a derogatory reference to women. Thus the word bitch acts as a paradox to the term ‘boss bitch’. To make it simpler, add an apostrophe to the word boss and you see the real meaning. (boss’ bitch)

‘Gash’
Reference to female genitals but can be used to refer to a female in a derogatory way or if used on a daily basis, a general reference to women. By highlighting the female genitals as a mark of identification, the user is inferring that the only valuable asset the woman possesses is her genitals.

‘O.G.’
Derives from Ice-T’s fourth album, ‘O.G Original Gangster’. A male or female who refers to themselves or others as an ‘o.g.’ is attempting to acquire the title of exclusivity. In simpler terms, the person who uses this term is deeming themselves to be the first of their kind; the blueprint that others are sure to copy. Furthermore, the user of this term believes that they have a certain quality that makes them exclusive. Is this just another way to boost their ego?

‘Dagger’
In its original Vulgar Latin context, the noun ‘dagger’ is a specific type of knife used for violent purposes.
The verb ‘to dagger’, in today’s social context, derives from a dance, in the ‘Jamaican bashment’ musical genre, in which the male sexually gyrates on to the woman’s genital area.

This mixture of sex and violence is another form in which the male aggressively attains power and by being able to control the female in question, the female submissiveness to the male is restored in society.

Buck,
‘Buck’ is used as a verb meaning to meet up with someone.
This term may not be as popular as the other words listed but an interesting fact is that it was once a derogatory term used to refer to the African American male circa the 19th century era.

So what do you think? Is this just another over-analysis of society?
More importantly, what words do you use to reflect yourself?

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