Ghettoisms

Tenolian Bell · May 14, 2004

"especially when considering the people who primarily live in the ghetto's of where this term come's from."

huh?

The term ghetto is used as an adjective to describe not only a place but a state of mind and a state of being.

People from the ghetto (noun) began using ghetto (adjective) to describe actual experiences to qualify certain ways of being as ghetto (adjective). This comes from personal experience and rarely would they call anything ghetto outside of this context.

In many ways it is self deprecating humor. But it is understanding an unfortunate and sad situation, those who have never had to experience would not fully appreciate.

And now popular music has made using ghetto as an adjective popular among people who have never lived in, been around, or know anything about the actual experience.

In popular culture ghetto is used to describe anything as lesser than or second class. And this is used by people who have never been there, so they are not describing themselves. Who are they describing? They would have to be describing the people who do live there.

Jason Maeda · May 15, 2004

i've never been to war either but i know it sucks.

no one group of people own the usage rights to our language.

jk :ph34r:

Tenolian Bell · May 17, 2004

Sure any of us can say anything we want to say. But we don't.

Because most of us have the maturity, understanding, and wisdom to know what to say and what not to say. What is appropriate and what is not.

Phil Rhodes · May 17, 2004

Hi,

I'd agree with T.B. in some ways, since the origin of this particular piece of language isn't entirely savoury. But on the other hand, the deep, dark origins of lots of traditional phrases and customs aren't that pleasant - there's a children's nursery rhyme which is basically about the bubonic plague - and I feel that at some point language like this rises above its origins. I've heard the word "ghetto" used in all kinds of circumstances, and I don't think that many of those people were trying to make any kind of comment on the subject that the word was originally intended for.

Phil

Tenolian Bell · May 17, 2004

I agree language changes over time. I?m sure ghetto means something different in Europe than it does in the U.S. In fact the etymology is a bit different considering what it meant in 1940?s Europe.

But in contemporary America today when anyone says the word ghetto the first definition that comes to mind for anyone is poor urban area. Maybe 20, 30, 50 years from now it will mean something different, but today that is what it means, when the word is mentioned that?s what it refers to.

Words are not merely symbols on a page, we use them all the time to assign positive and negative attributes to everything around us. Words affect our attitudes and actions, often unconsciously.

For instance the suburbs would pretty much be considered the polar opposite of the ghetto, and is generally where people go to live away from poor urban centers. The suburbs are generally regarded as places of peace and prosperity. If suburb were used as an adjective that is exactly what it would mean.

The point of self deprecating humor is the ability to laugh at your own pain and misfortune. And is generally considered bad form for other people to join in.

So it?s rather rude for people who may live in the suburbs (peaceful, prosperous) to join with people who live in the ghetto (poor urban area) in the self deprecating practice of using ghetto (adjective) to define anything as being less than or second class. Because people who may live in the suburbs (peaceful, prosperous) are defining people who live in the ghetto (poor urban center) as the adjective ghetto (less than, second class). And will think of people who live in the ghetto in this way and treat them this way.

Phil Rhodes · May 17, 2004

Hi,

> Because people who may live in the suburbs (peaceful, prosperous) are defining

> people who live in the ghetto (poor urban center) as the adjective ghetto (less

> than, second class).

I just don't think that's necessarily true. People use the term without implied slight on anyone. Anyway. Point of philosophy.

Phil

Marty Hamrick · May 20, 2004

I agree language changes over time. I?m sure ghetto means something different in Europe than it does in the U.S. In fact the etymology is a bit different considering what it meant in 1940?s Europe.

I didn't think it was just Europe at that time.I thought "ghetto"just meant a nieghborhood where the majority of the residents were of one particular ethnic origin.For example "Italian ghetto","Irish ghetto","Polish ghetto."

I just thought it was one of those words where the meaning metamorphosed over the years like "gay".I remember when "gay" meant happy.

Marty

smirkbyfire · July 6, 2004

I think he was referring to the definition of ghetto used to describe neighborhoods in which jewish and irregular (communist, homosexual...) people where forced to live by Nazis.

Josh Bass · July 9, 2004

My friend, and now I, use(s) "ghetto" to denote a low budget, cobbled-together approach to something. "Look at my ghetto softbox, it's made of aluminum wire and paper towels and tinfoil."

Am I evil? Will I go to hell? Is this wrong?