When Racism Slips Into Everyday Speech

[Igel]

22. That's certainly it's origin, "sold down the river."

But it's long since stopped meaning that and people have to be educated as to what the "real meaning" of the word means.

Rather like "educating" that the "real meaning" of starve just means "to die," because that's what it used to mean long before any of us were born.

Or that the word "lord" is actually the person who's in charge of making sure that the work crews are fed. Because the word started out as "loaf warden," in charge of assigning tasks and feeding the serfs on the crew.

"The loaf warden's prayer" doesn't have the same ring. Then again, it stopped meaning that before Chaucer's day. Still, if we want to swallow the "etymological fallacy", far be it from me from dictating another's stomach contents.

As some I know say, avoiding fallacies is a tough row to hoe.

Or, as my kids understand it, "a tough road to ho." Whatever that means.

But hey--authentic feelings, how dare we question what they know when they see it. Uh ...