, Research Paper

Allen Huggins

The Power of the Spoken Word

& # 8220 ; Words themselves are innocuous ; it is the consensus that gives them true power & # 8221 ; ( Naylor, 344 ) .

The consensus governs our society because of the power it holds. The apprehension of the spoken word, particularly derogative footings, shapes our universe because of the power these vile words hold in equilibrating or leaning race dealingss. The American Heritage College Dictionary defines power as political, societal, or economic control ( 1072 ) . White America has societal control over the consensus, but in & # 8220 ; Mommy What Does & # 8216 ; Nigger & # 8217 ; Mean? & # 8221 ; Gloria Naylor shows that Afro-american minorities can repossess the power of the consensus and give new, equal significances to words that have plagued African Americans for ages.

Gloria Naylor uses a immature male child in her third-grade category as an illustration of white America & # 8217 ; s societal control over the consensus. In her third-grade category she recalls the immature white male child acquiring a lower mark on a math trial and her rubbing it in. Upon hearing her jeer, he & # 8220 ; spit out that word & # 8221 ; ( 344 ) . He had learned the word & # 8220 ; nigger & # 8221 ; as a manner of humiliation, likely from his parents, demoing how white America views the significance of the word & # 8220 ; nigger. & # 8221 ; As our state & # 8217 ; s bulk, white America has the most

influence on such hateful footings that drastically tilt the racial balance. Such influence over the consensus exemplifies the statement & # 8220 ; linguistic communication is power & # 8221 ; because of the malicious mode in which the word & # 8220 ; nigger & # 8221 ; is used. One little word gave a third-grade male child a sense of power over Naylor that she had ne’er experienced. The impact of such words occurs daily because America regards the derogatory usage of the word & # 8220 ; nigger & # 8221 ; as a remarkable definition of the word, discontinuing to admit a positive significance. As an

illustration of a more positive significance of the word & # 8220 ; nigger, & # 8221 ; Naylor introduces her southern, black household and its usage of such controversial words.

Naylor & # 8217 ; s household is an illustration of a minority group recapturing the power of the

consensus. Alternatively of utilizing “nigger” as a term of humiliation, her household uses the word as a term of differentiation. Naylor vividly recalls one household member stating, “I’m stating you, that nigga pulled in $ 6,000 of overtime last year” mentioning to a adult male who had “distinguished himself in some state of affairs that brought [ her household ‘s ] blessing for his strength, intelligence, or drive” ( 345 ) . These work forces and adult females have reduced such a powerful term in white America to a infinitesimal look of congratulations in their vocabulary. Naylor explains how “the people in [ her ] grandmother’s life room took a word that whites used to mean ineptitude or debasement and rendered it impotent” ( 346 ) . This powerlessness besides illustrates the “language is power” motive. The household has gained a certain power because they have used a word that has slandered African Americans for old ages and left it powerless in their positions. Degrading words can hold a profound impact if they are allowed to infect a individual, but the true power comes from a individual that can defy such comments and render them worthless.

Although Naylor is able to demo a minority recapturing the power of the consensus, the fact remains that racial dealingss in our society are immensely separated because of the bulk & # 8217 ; s consensus and the power it allows the bulk to claim. Naylor provinces, & # 8220 ; If the word [ nigga ] was to wholly vanish from the oral cavities of even the most broad of white society, no 1 in that room was na? ve plenty to believe it would vanish from white heads & # 8221 ; ( 346 ) . White America needs to recognize that harmful words can merely ache our state and detract from its possible. Equality would make eternal avenues our state could go, yet without it, our state will merely be able to travel so far.

Bibliography

Costello, Robert B. erectile dysfunction. The American Heritage College Dictionary. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1997. 1072.

Naylor, Gloria. & # 8220 ; Mommy, What Does & # 8216 ; Nigger & # 8217 ; Mean? & # 8221 ; New Worlds of Literature. Eds. Jerome Beaty and J. Paul Hunter. New York: W. W. Norton & A ; Co. , 1994. 344-47.