A Point of View: Language Matters: Everyday Words and Sayings Rooted in Racism

One of the most fascinating aspects of language and linguistics is its propensity to vary, shift, and evolve over time. Our words have meaning, and this meaning is shaped by generation, context, and history. The etymology of words is often complex. Examining the origins of common words can teach us a great deal about our own history. 

The last several weeks have looked like none other I have seen in the past decade. The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting healthcare and economic crises gave rise to increased dialogue on long-standing systemic health, wealth, and social inequities. Many organizations have made statements both internally and externally on their stances against racism and other social injustice. Household brands such as Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben are reexamining their historical relationship with minstrel shows and stereotypes, and sports teams that have used racist mascots and names for years are finally making long-overdue name changes. For the first time that I can recall in recent years, I have seen widespread and bold stands against racism, bigotry, and intolerance. The shift in the atmosphere is nearly palpable. 

With this shift has also come an opportunity to think more critically about the language we use, including common, everyday words that seem innocuous but have painful histories. Today, it seems that we are at a turning point in our society where many of these words have been questioned, and even in some cases dropped within our lexicon for more inclusive language. 

Below, find five “everyday” words and sayings that have racially charged origins: 

1.) Master Bedroom 

I am currently in the process of buying a home, and noticed something peculiar as I reviewed floorplans and blueprints for different areas. Nearly twenty years ago, when my parents bought their first home, the largest bedroom in the house was almost always referred to on the floorplan and by the realtor as the “Master Bedroom” or “Master’s Suite.” In fact, it seems that some real estate agents and sellers are no longer using the term “Master Bedroom” in their listings due to the connotative connection to slavery and the denotative sexism inherent in the word “master,” speeding up a trend that began in 2013. Interestingly enough, most of the houses that I have looked at in 2020 in my home state of Virginia are now using the term “Owner’s Bedroom” or “Owner’s Suite” for these rooms. 

2.) Peanut Gallery 

Growing up, I participated in a great deal of theatre arts and shows, both as an actress onstage and behind the scenes as a stage manager. One saying that I consistently remember hearing from teachers was that they didn’t want to hear chatter from “the peanut gallery.” It turns out, however, that the “peanut gallery” actually has its origins from the vaudeville era in the late 19th century, referring to the cheapest, and arguably worst, seats in the theatre – where poor show goers were permitted to sit. Peanuts were also the cheapest snacks that show goers could purchase, and were usually the snack of choice for the “cheap-seat” patrons. The “peanut gallery” has now come to be associated with rowdiness, loud chatter and speaking – and its origins emerged from classist, and potentially racist, categorizations. 

3.) “Eeny, meeny, miny, moe” 

Catch a tiger by the toe. If he hollers let him go, eeny, meeny, miny moe. 

Like many children, I grew up singing this nursery rhyme with my parents, and they sang it with their parents. It was usually in the form of a counting or tickling game, in which I would squeal happily when my parents “caught” me. But did you know that in the early 20th century, this rhyme actually contained an offensive racial slur? That’s right, instead of “tiger,” early renditions of this song contained that worst of all racial slurs. (Even an alternate version of the popular children’s rhyme goes like this: Catch a negro by his toe/ If he hollers make him pay/Twenty dollars every day.) 

4.) “Grandfathered In” 

I can remember hearing this saying for as long as I can remember – usually, it refers to clauses or privileges that are granted to create an exemption based on previous circumstances, legislation, or policies. But did you know that the idioms “grandfather clause” and “grandfathered in” date back to 19th century laws that prohibited Black Americans from voting? In the late 19th century, many states enacted Jim Crow laws that placed racial restrictions on voting in many Southern states. Essentially, the laws tied the right to vote to generation – individuals whose grandfathers had been able to vote would be allowed to continue to vote, while those who did not have the privilege in doing so (i.e., Blacks and most poor Whites) could remain disenfranchised. 

5.) “Long time no see” 

Since learning the origins of this phrase, I have tried to remove it from my speech. Linguists debate on the exact origins of this idiom, but it is said to mock the speech patterns of Native Americans and the Mandarin Chinese learning English in the early 1900s. This so-called “broken English” has now evolved into a popular greeting, but its origins are likely rooted in xenophobia and racism. 

As the meanings of words continue to change and evolve, our use of them should also adapt. We may not always know the history or etymology of the language that we use – but we should always be  striving to learn, grow, and understand.