Assignment 1.7: Glossary Entry- Crazy
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Why is it that some words are “acceptable” to some groups but not to everyone? I found my answer to this conundrum when I came across “The Meanings of a Word” by Gloria Naylor during my English class at Emory. In her anecdote that explores the different meanings associated with the use of the term “niggar”, Naylor states that “Words themselves are innocuous; it is the consensus that gives them true power (Naylor 2013).”
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This statement summarizes her argument about how the word “niggar” could be used to mean so many things depending on the context it is used. I think this idea applies to the word “crazy” as well because it also has multitude of meanings depending on the way it is used. Thus I consider the word itself to be neutral and similar to a tool like a knife in which its yielder determines its purpose.