why words do not belong to everyone

In the seminar, Ta-Nehisi Coates talks about why words do not belong to everyone. He expresses the idea that in a different context, words can be valued differently. For instance, he made an example of his wife calls him honey, but if they are walking on the street some strange woman calls him honey that would be a problem. Same as the N-word, under different conditions it delivers different emotions and attitudes. As Ta-Nehisi says in his talk the N-word represents the black culture and the black spirit in the rap songs. Therefore, it then becomes a word to echo the beliefs among the fans. Under other condition, people should not use that word, not only because it does not belong to them but also it is not fit in the context.

This statement also applies to the culture hybridity we been talking in class. As mentioned previously, to understand these words under different circumstances is to understand the spirit the words deliver about different cultures. It is a step further to understanding and embracing the culture values through the language and words.

Languages, the same as culture, are always mixed together to present new ideas and brought in new combinations. Both have pros and cons on both ends. While forming new types of societies, culture hybridity also gradually swallows part of human identities. Language, if being used properly, can be an efficient way to set up the link among different cultures and values.

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i know some of these words

 

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