Derogatory Language In Being A Chink

Naylor’s essay “The Meanings of Words” and Leong’s essay “Being A Chink” deal with the use of ethnically derogatory language within and outside of their own ethnic groups. In their essays they argue that by using racist language within their own ethnic groups lessen the negativity attached to these words. In addition to lessening negativity surrounding racist language these ethnic groups are able to use these words to their advantage. As Naylor and Leong have stated in their essays, I agree with their position that utilizing this language can be used in a positive or neutral manner. I believe that through continuous use racially charged language can be stripped of its negativity and can be transformed by ethnic groups to signify something complete …show more content…
In her case she explores the use of a derogatory word like, chink and how that affected her perceptions of self and ethnicity. She refers back to the time where she where the word was written on a bank statement in her father’s restaurant and had a profound impact on her. She explains how she had felt, “pain and outrage” the first time she had seen the word written out (483). Leong continues to explain that within her group of friends the word had “never been used to belittle or degrade, but rather as a term of endearment, a loving insult between friends”(484). Similar to Naylor’s situation, Leong was able to use a term that was meant to cause pain and outrage and make it into a word that is used between friends. Furthermore, Leong believes that the use of the word chink within her group of friends and within her community was a way of “overcoming the stereotypes that American society [had] imposed upon [her and her community]”(484). The original intent of the word had been “to harm, ridicule and humiliate” rather by continuously using the word and giving it their own meaning Leong’s community found “a certain comfort in each other”; “a strange union born from the word chink that was used against us, and a shared goal of perseverance”(485). Once again, the true power of the word lies in its context. The word chink had served to unify Leong’s community instead of separating them, by playfully using this word within their own community in a non-serious context they were belt to get rid off the negativity surrounding the language. In these situations Naylor and Leong showed examples of how two communities were able to re-contextualize derogatory language within their own