Language is tricky. Some words and phrases people use every day might seem harmless, but they actually have racist roots. These sayings have existed for so long that many folks don’t even realize they’re offensive. It’s easy to accidentally use them without knowing their true meaning.
This article looks at 19 everyday phrases that are surprisingly racist.
1. Sold Down the River
This phrase comes from the slave trade in America. Slave owners would sell enslaved people down the Mississippi River, often breaking up families. Today, it’s used to mean betrayal, but its origin is deeply racist. Using this phrase ignores the painful history behind it.
2. Gypped
Many people use this word to mean cheated or swindled. It’s actually a slur against Romani people, also known as Gypsies. The word suggests that Romani people are dishonest or likely to cheat others. Using this term spreads harmful stereotypes about an entire ethnic group.
3. Long Time No See
This phrase mocks the way Native Americans were thought to speak English. It’s meant to imitate “broken” English. The expression has become so common that many don’t realize its offensive origin. Using it perpetuates stereotypes about Native American speech patterns.
4. Peanut Gallery
In the days of vaudeville, the peanut gallery was the cheapest section, often occupied by Black patrons. The term suggests that opinions from this group were worthless. Today, it’s used to describe unhelpful comments, but its racist history is often forgotten.
5. Hip Hip Hooray
Surprisingly, this celebratory cheer has anti-Semitic roots. It was used as a rallying cry during pogroms against Jewish people in Germany. The phrase “hep hep” was initially used to round up sheep, but became associated with attacks on Jews. Many people use this cheer without knowing its dark past.
6. Grandfather Clause
This term comes from laws designed to prevent Black people from voting after the Civil War. These laws said you could only vote if your grandfather could vote, effectively excluding most Black citizens. Today, it’s used in business, but its origin in racist voting laws is often overlooked.
7. Uppity
This word was often used by white people to describe Black people who “didn’t know their place”. It was a way to criticize Black people for acting as equals to white people. Today, it’s still used to describe people seen as acting above their station, carrying its racist undertones.
8. Call a Spade a Spade
While this phrase seems to refer to playing cards, it has racist connections. In the 1920s, “spade” became a slur for Black people. Using this phrase can unintentionally invoke that racial slur. Many people don’t realize the potential offence in this common saying.
9. No Can Do
This phrase mocks Chinese immigrants’ attempts to speak English. It’s meant to imitate “pidgin” English often attributed to Chinese speakers. The expression has become commonplace, but its origin is in making fun of non-native English speakers. Using it perpetuates stereotypes about Asian speech patterns.
10. Paddy Wagon
This term for a police van comes from a derogatory nickname for Irish people. “Paddy” is short for Patrick, a common Irish name. The phrase implies that Irish people were frequently arrested. It’s still used today, often without awareness of its offensive origin.
11. Ghetto
While this word originally referred to areas where Jewish people were forced to live, it’s now often used to describe poor, urban areas. This usage stereotypes these areas as inhabited mainly by racial minorities. The term oversimplifies complex social issues and reinforces negative stereotypes.
12. Eskimo
This term for Inuit and Yupik peoples is considered offensive by many. It’s thought to come from a word meaning “eater of raw meat”. The term was imposed by non-native people and isn’t how these groups refer to themselves. Using “Eskimo” ignores the preferred names of these indigenous peoples.
13. Off the Reservation
This phrase comes from the forced relocation of Native Americans to reservations. It was used literally to describe Native Americans who left without permission. Now, it’s used to mean someone who’s strayed from expectations, but it trivializes the painful history of Native American oppression.
14. Mumbo Jumbo
This phrase, meaning nonsense or gibberish, comes from a Mandinka word. European colonizers used it to mock African religious practices they didn’t understand. Today, using this term dismisses African languages and cultures as meaningless or primitive.
15. Skull Session
This term for a meeting or discussion comes from the pseudoscience of phrenology. Phrenology was used to justify racist ideas about intelligence and character based on skull shape. While the phrase is common in sports, its origin in racist pseudoscience is often forgotten.
16. Peanut Gallery
This term has been mentioned before, but it’s worth noting its double appearance in common speech. It’s often used in phrases like “comments from the peanut gallery,” reinforcing its problematic history. The casual use of this term shows how deeply some racist language has embedded itself in everyday speech.
17. Blackballed
This term, meaning to exclude or ostracize, comes from a voting method using black and white balls. However, it reinforces the idea of black as negative and white as positive. This color association has roots in racist thinking and perpetuates harmful stereotypes
18. Sold Down the River
This phrase has been mentioned earlier, but its widespread use warrants a second look. It’s often used in business or politics to describe betrayal. The casual use of this phrase shows how language rooted in the brutal history of slavery has become normalized.
19. Thug
While not originally a racial term, “thug” has become heavily associated with negative stereotypes about Black men. It’s often used to describe criminals or violent people, but is disproportionately applied to Black individuals. The term’s usage often reveals underlying racial biases.
Maximum OAS Allowance Benefits Increased to $1,364.17 Monthly
Maximum OAS Allowance Benefits Increased to $1,364.17 Monthly
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