Is "denigrate" a racist word?

Question

A few years ago I was told not to use that word because, in addition to its negative meaning, it comes from Latin denigratus, past participle of denigrare, which means to blacken. Therefore, "to denigrate someone" would be "to blacken that person". Considering its current definition (see below) and the wish to be politically correct, I wonder whether the word has come to acquire any racist overtone.

The reason why I'm asking is because I was reading "Language Myths" a book by Laurie Bauer recently, and came across this passage which contained that word "...certain educational institutions denigrate the way certain ethnic minorities and lower-working-class children talk." Then I remembered I was once told not to use "denigrate" as it might be misinterpreted by some people.

denigrate - from Merriam-Webster
1. to say very critical and often unfair things about (someone)
2. to attack the reputation of, to deny the importance or validity of, belittle

EDIT (on Dec 17th, 2017) - This article, Dark Words Of Disapproval which Mari-Lou A mentions in one of the comments, shows very clearly the writer's feelings about this word, with very good arguments to bear him out.

Then again, there are those who think otherwise. For one, Melvin B. Tolson, the character played by Denzel Washington in the 2007 feature film "The Great Debaters", says the word has racist undertones. - Edit (on May 6th, 2020)

Answer 1

I don't see why this question has received such negative responses. I think it's a good question.

"Blacken" indeed has a trans-historical meaning associated with vilification or corruption, but this has nothing to do with the inherent qualities of black people, animals, or the vast majority of black things. Would you consider the term "blacklist" racist? If not, then you shouldn't see "denigrate" as racist. Anyone who does is being a little silly.

If you're worried, you could always replace it with "disparage."

EDIT: Another example is use of the term "sinister" to mean "wicked." This word comes from Latin "sinister," meaning "left" or "on the left side." Over time, the mythologized connection of the left hand to the false or unfavorable came to give "sinister" an association with the unsavory. This does not mean that we cannot use "sinister" to mean "wicked," or that doing so would impugn left-handed people.

Answer 2

That is certainly interesting reasoning, far more erudite than the mindless kerfuffle over niggardly.

Do you consider any negative reference to blackness or darkness ("blacken my name", "darken my doorway", "darkest hour", "a black mark", "throw shade", etc.) as, ahem, denigrating negritude as a ethnicity?

If you don't, there is your answer: denigrate is no worse than black hat.

If you do, well, you have a long road ahead of you.

Answer 3

No. It isn't. It makes no reference to race in any conceivable way.

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Main Entry: den.i.grate
Pronunciation: \ˈdenə̇ˌgrāt,-nēˌ- sometimes ˈdēn-; also də̇ˈnīˌg- or dēˈ- sometimes -ˈniˌg-; usu -ād.+V\
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form: -ed/-ing/-s
Etymology: Latin denigratus, past participle of denigrare, from de- + nigrare to blacken, from nigr-, niger black
1 : to cast aspersion on the character or reputation of : belittle maliciously: DEFAME, SULLY
denigrating his efforts and subjecting him to scorn— Manfred Nathan
denigrate the values of living— Stephen Spender
2 : to make black: DARKEN
fog denigrated with factory smoke

^{[plausible]Russian source: Useful English dictionary}

Answer 4

This is an example of the kind of silly fuss whose only practical consequence is the possibility that it will stir up ill feeling or resentment where none existed before.

If nobody is complaining about the sometimes-derogatory use of 'whitewash', or avoiding its use on the grounds that it could be perceived as being a racial slur, then you should feel free to use 'denigrate'. The same argument applies to both terms.

Answer 5

The word "denigrate" is no more racist than the words "niggling" or "niggardly", but there are many semi-literate people who will disagree. The use of the latter terms has led to astoundingly stupid accusations of racism and has caused at least one political aide to actually resign his position. See http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/daily/jan99/district27.htm - an oldie but a goodie.

Answer 6

Are we racist when we say Jesus was the light of the world? If so, the predominant religion of African-Americans is hopelessly racist.

I think there is a real difference between the association of ambient light and darkness with positive and negative emotions found in people throughout the world and the fact that some people have different coloration.

For centuries before the English noticed Africa again after the Romans had left, we had the Black Irish and the occasional Black Swede, both exceptionally light-skinned peoples that the English just happened not to trust. In fact, initially we referred to the Moors not as Black but as "Painted", perhaps to avoid just this knee-jerk aspersion.

Sure it was easier to extend this habit of speech to Black Africans and see them as less humane, more like those despised Irish by accident of vocabulary. But it surely didn't start there. So although some of these commonalities may have assisted the implementation of racism, they do not derive from it or make all of the resulting vocabulary racist.

Answer 7

In my humble opinion, questions like this get complex.

As others have pointed out, the historical origins of a word do not necessarily determine how the word is understood in modern English.

Also, people routinely use words like "black" and "white" and "dark" and "light" without any intention to reference race. If I say, "I have a night light because I don't like to walk around in a room that is totally black", I am almost certainly not expressing a racist sentiment. I may be describing the perfectly rational position that if the room is too dark I may bump into thing or trip on things and hurt myself. Or maybe I am afraid of the dark, which is not entirely irrational either, as walking around in the dark you are more vulnerable to dangerous animals, enemies and thieves.

Likewise, if a business owner says, "Hooray! Our budget is finally in the black!" he is probably not expressing a pro-African American sentiment, but is strictly talking about money.

All that said, to some extent, if people say they are offended by a word, I avoid using it whether I think the offense is rational or not. Let's face it, there's no easy formula for what makes some words offensive and others completely acceptable. Like if I am discussing my medical problem with my doctor, I'll say that I "defecated" or "passed solids", rather than saying I "sh*t", because the former is considered polite and the latter vulgar. But what makes the difference? They just are.

Personally, at some point I conclude that people are just trying to find things to be offended about and I cease to listen to their complaints. I'm not going to stop using all words that begin with an "n" because someone complains that it reminds him of a racial slur. But that gets into social issues and politics rather than language, so I'll stop there.

Answer 8

I think it would be helpful to ask: what is the primary referent of the word 'black'? That is, what is it that most people are referring to in most contexts when they say the word 'black'? Is it a particular group of people whom we have qualified with that term, or is it the very colour itself, such as the black colour of the night sky?

I would suggest it is the second of these, and that the first is derived from the second. Therefore, most other words which relate to 'blackness' are first and foremost referencing the literal colour 'black', and only secondarily the group of people called 'black'.

Answer 9

The word "denigrate" is not racist.

Furthermore, you are misusing the word "racist". The word "racist" means "someone who believes that one race is superior to another". The word "denigrate" simply means "to demean" with no implication as to who is being demeaned or why.

People often mean "prejudiced" when they use the word "racist".

Your question would probably better be phrased "Does the word 'denigrate' have racial implications." The answer to this question is also "no".

Answer 10

For starters the Origins of English language culture and borrowed words come from Europe. A place and culture of white people, of different shades.

Therefore there would always be such words. Compare some analogous phrases like to go tot he dark side, its a dark day, or black Friday. All with connotations of something bad displeasing or terrible.

So it ain't racist.