I canвЂ™t go for that, and neither should you.Д¬an these words and phrases ever shed their racist origins? Language changes constantly, and we should account for the possibility that what was offensive could in time grow innocuous. This innocent-seeming phrase is derived from pidgin English in the 19th century, when Americans said it to mock Chinese immigrants. This list is far from comprehensive, but will hopefully serve as a starting point for you to examine your own language.ДЄpologies to Hall and Oates. As long as weвЂ™re reevaluating racist American foundations, our language shouldnвЂ™t escape direct scrutiny. Plenty of other everyday words and phrases have had their racist origins obscured by time. This column has previously examined the deeply racist connotation of the word thug, and yet Donald Trump wasnвЂ™t the least bit bashful in his all-caps proclamation that Minneapolis protesters were вЂњTHUGSвЂќ (in a tweet that Twitter soon hid because it violated the companyвЂ™s rules against glorifying violence).Д«ut thatвЂ™s just the beginning. As people march and protest across the country, including in Philadelphia, racism in all forms, including language, is the subject of a long-overdue conversation.

The killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police has raised our national consciousness about the racist systems that our country was built upon. The good news? WeвЂ™re all paying more attention to this, including the Angry Grammarian. LetвЂ™s start with the bad news: Racism is embedded in almost every institution in America, and language is no exception.

EditorвЂ™s note: Please be aware offensive terms are repeated here solely for the purpose of identifying and unpacking them honestly.

Eenie meenie miney moe spanish version