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All your examples are false equivalences. The word "kowtow" is a perfect description of a relatively complicated ritual that didn't already have an English word
by michaelscott 7y ago
All your examples are false equivalences. The word "kowtow" is a perfect description of a relatively complicated ritual that didn't already have an English word for it (you could maybe substitute "placate" or "show deference" but these can have other meanings in different contexts). Words from other languages like "karaoke", "restaurant" and "prima donna" have always been incorporated into English when no specific substitute works well enough (of course this isn't specific to English, but it is a very English habit).
Your Mexican example would be using (I assume?) the Spanish of whatever word would work just as well in English, and I've personally used and seen people use words like "bruh" and "yo" with lots of different people. In fact, where I'm from "bruh" is a very typical "white" thing to say.
- BoorishBears 7y agoAll your of your comment is intentionally stripping things of context in a pathetic attempt disarm a fair argument without addressing the actual substance of it. Saying “kowtow”, “bruh”, “what’s good”. Not a problem. Someone who never says “bruh” or “what’s good” suddenly talking like they’re extras in a Migos music video to their black coworker is not cool. Saying kowtow, but only in reference to Asians and always using “appease” in other contexts, is not cool. Yeah I know HN is mostly white guys who squirm at the idea of race and think “I don’t see color” is an ok thing to say, but if you’re not going to at least try and take someone's arguments for full value, even if you don’t agree, don’t even respond, it’s insulting otherwise.
- Chris_Chambers 7y agoWho says “I don’t see color”? Sounds like something a white woman would say in 1996. It’s 2019, everyone has been radicalized by their propaganda outlet of choice, including you. White people on HN either lean far to the left and wholeheartedly support your language policing and anti-white sentiment, or they’re former libertarians who are now barely closeted neo-Nazis who would be happy to see you deported or killed.
- michaelscott 7y agoI don't have an issue with the base argument, I agree with it. I'm saying the examples are false equivalences because in the context of the original comment, they are. There's nothing in the original comment that indicates the use of the word "only in reference to Asians" because you have a sample size of 1 (again, I've personally heard it used in non-Asian contexts too). Making an assumption about the intent of someone's comment doesn't fit my definition of a "valuable argument" outside of more context, but as I said I agree with the general issue with individuals using certain words only in certain racial contexts.
- BoorishBears 7y agoPoint out which part of my comment is saying I’m talking about a single comment and not a general trend in the US. This kind of useless deflection is insulting to basic intelligence.
- michaelscott 7y agoI'm not sure if you've picked up the main point of what I'm saying or are just performing some deflection of your own, but it stands nevertheless: you've got a reasonable argument that I get behind, just make your argument without using misleading examples.