#etymology nerd

[tripleennui]

I think what's super frustrating to me about this etymology nerd situation is that it demonstrates how out of touch academia is. People seem to forget that we go to school to learn the way things work so we can change/fix/learn how to do things better. Even if his analysis of the r-slur's usage is accurate (and based on what I've read from other linguists, it isn't) what is the point of studying and recognizing a linguistic pattern with potential to cause real harm if not to try and stop it?

And this is the fundamental problem with academia. When you spend all your time thinking about concepts and not actually seeing how those concepts function in the real world, you lose sight of the real people affected by the phenomena you're studying. As someone who knows very little about linguistics I probably would have taken him at his word had he said "hey, guys, here's this linguistic/concept theory that explains how the r-slur is coming back, it's important to understand this so you can recognize why these things happen and continue to discourage it in your own speech." But apparently instead we're supposed to throw up our hands in defeat and say "Oh gosh shucks darn it you guys, I guess the r-slur is back and there's nothing we can do about it!" Like what is the point of even studying anything if you're not going to apply what you've learned to anything beyond the abstract?

[theharlotofferelden]

Etymology Nerd did a video about the r-word coming back into popular use, and from the jump he’s like “We have to accept the fact that the r-word is permanently coming back”

Like, okay, a number of things:

- he’s saying we need to “get used to the fact” that it’s here to stay and that it’s meaning is changing

- uses words like “moron” and “imbecile” as examples (bc of how historically these words were used as slurs, but are now almost entirely divorced from their original context) but clarifies he personally takes issue with the words (in current day usage) on the front of them being used primarily in an unproductive manner (edit: that is, the words “moron” and “imbecile”; not the r-word)

- that he doesnt agree with the idea of using the r-word, but maintains that this is going to be a trend moving forward

- he agrees that although the word is changing meaning, it is in fact still being used as a slur against disabled people

- all of which needs to be clarified because his comments section (on IG at least) are dismissing the critique by slanting it as “Idiots who didnt watch the video”

All that being said: while i agree with the bare facts of what he’s saying (in that the popularization over the last few years is leading certain people to use it as shorthand for “stupid” and are not necessarily using it against disabled ppl) you will not catch my ass playing defense for him on the fronts of how this video was structured.

Like, i’m sorry but if you’re talking about slurs that are actively being used against a disenfranchised part of the population, then you better come correct on how you approach the subject in your video. Bc i am like 99% sure the reason the video has close to 100k likes on IG is because all the people who are misappropriating the word (or are otherwise using the word against ND and disabled folks) see this less on the fronts of nuance around how the term is being used, and more as rhetoric to support their position on using the word (which is p obvious when you actually get into the comments section and see who’s replying btw).

Coming into the conversation with “We have to accept that this slur is coming back” reads like ragebait, and makes it extremely clear you are not having conversations with disabled folks on the subject, and have zero qualms about throwing them under the bus purely to boost your engagement. Miss me with this shit.

[butterfrogsaysxd]

someone should introduce will wood and that etymology guy i think they could create a new species

[idkwidatp]

"Etymology nerd wasn't saying it's okay to say the r slur, hes just saying that we need to accept that its being used more often, and that its being used in a different way now!" Okay first of all, we do NOT have to accept the fact that people are using it more often now, because its unacceptable, but two, it isn't being used in a way that isn't derogatory, even when people arent using it to describe or refer to disabled people, disabled people are still the butt of the joke, when someone uses that word to refer to anything or anyone they're comparing that thing to intellectually disabled people, in way that poses intellectually disabled people as lesser than, it is still a slur even if you arent using it to refer directly to disabled people, and if he doesn't understand that, he shouldn't call himself a linguist because he clearly doesn't understand the historical context behind how hurtful that word is and how it's still being used in hurtful ways that are disparaging to disabled people.

[shamebats]

[bernie-buddy]

The thing about *that word* is people could've just gone "don't say it because it's a dick thing to do" but naaah everyone had to spread a half-baked idea based on a complete misunderstanding on how etymology works.

They're the ones linking it to mental disability and then getting mad that people are linking it to mental disability.

If you don't want people to say it, that's fine, but don't make up shit to make your point seem so grandiose and infallible. It's just stupid/moronic/dumb.

[mintaikkcorpse]

Giving pokemon characters' last names in my headcanon sheets bcuz I'm an etymology nerd and surnames bring me so much joy

[ellascreams]

I love Etymology Nerd’s videos and I am so freaking disappointed in him. He’s had a couple bad takes before, but never any as bad as “the r word is returning and that’s ok and it’s totally not ableist anymore.” Anyone who works with language so closely should be able to understand the weight of slurs. I grew up hearing certain people call everything and anything they didn’t like autistic and the r word, and I’m a teenager for reference. “Returning” implies it ever went away. It didn’t. And it’s always been ableist.