The word denigrate comes from the Latin "denigrare" and means "to tarnish someone's reputation".

It is observed in the Latin "denigrare" built from the prefix, which assigns a position of superiority, while "niger" refers to black or dark and the suffix -ar, linked to the Latin -āris, to indicate relationship, meaning the action of defiling or staining a person's honor. And the reference is documented since the 16th century.

It is part of a set of words around a historical racial discrimination, from which the idea of black is in association with negative themes, observing the contrast of white. And the family dictionary projects a virtuous, pure and enlightened image.

Definition of denigrating

To denigrate is something that denigrates. The etymological origin of denigrate takes us back to the Latin denigrāre , which means "to blacken" or "to stain". Denigrating, therefore, consists of forming a (symbolic) stain on someone's fame, reputation, or opinion.

What denigrates is something that tarnishes, insults, saddens, offends or outrages. It can be an effect produced by someone outside or the consequence of a wrong or unfortunate action of the person himself.

For example:

• "the image of the drunk young man in the street humiliates the city";
• "the owner of the company had a demeaning attitude toward his employees";
• "it's degrading that some people have to rummage through garbage looking for food."

Examples

Defamation is often associated with humiliation. If an employer accuses an employee of theft and forces him to undress in front of everyone to show his innocence, he can be said to have given the employee degrading treatment.

In the same way, if someone is drunk and intoxicated. He is likely to engage in degrading behavior that, if he were sober, he would never develop. Urinating in public and insulting those who approach him are acts that denigrate his condition. And that he himself practices without realizing it due to the unconsciousness that alcohol has produced in him.

The post has a lot of information, so read on to learn more about the history of this word.

Attitudes that throughout history have been present

We must expose that throughout history there have been denigrating attitudes or terms that one collective or group has held against another.

A good example of this is that the Jews for centuries were outraged by all kinds of insults and were even targeted by the Nazis, who killed them, locked them up, and performed many human experiments on them in the extermination camps.

We can see that women, homosexuals, or black men and women are among the population groups that have found themselves the center of degrading actions and opinions. Although progress has been made in many respects, even today they still face situations in which they are the object of repulsion. In addition they are ridiculed and suffer contempt.

Denigrated Advertising

In addition to all this, we must emphasize that it also had what is known as denigrating advertising. This is a term used to designate any advertisement that, by the images or slogans it uses, offends or aggravates certain social groups.

Thus, for example, on more than one occasion society has risen up against advertising that denigrated women for their macho attitudes. Such attitudes saw them as a human being incapable of doing more than housework. Moreover, that they needed a man to protect them or that they had questionable intellectual capacity.

It is possible to link denigration to discrimination. Imagine a city where people who do not profess the majority religion are forced to wear a yellow hat. In order for everyone to recognize them, they will be confronted with a denigrating attitude.

Racist language

We often hear racist expressions that are part of a language so colloquial and internalized that they are seldom questioned.

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Words like denigrating or expressions like charging in black, black money, having the black, being the black sheep of the family or playing Indian reveal racist language. And this uses the term black as a synonym for unlucky or illegal, or Indian as a synonym for uncivilized.

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Language is the tool we use to communicate

Language designates realities, names them, makes them visible and sometimes covers them up. Just as reality (which is not one, but many) is constantly changing, so is language. As a living element, it keeps adapting itself to the contexts and historical moments of which we speak.

The problem arises when we observe that the social structure that makes up our realities is racist, sexist and classist. It is unquestionable then that the language that accounts for this structure is also so.

To build a more just and inclusive society, we have the task of dismantling these oppressions and inequalities. Starting, in this case, from the analysis of language and the consequent change in the use of a certain vocabulary.

Racism from the word denigrate

"To have the black cat" means to have bad luck. Likewise, "to cross with a black cat" is, in many cultures, a symbol of bad luck. "To be the black sheep" of a family is to be the different one, the underdog. Behind the continuous and common use of these expressions is the desire to inferiorize black people or radicalize them, giving them a symbolism shrouded in negative connotations.

This leads one to believe that black is associated with something dark, unclear, illegal, dirty and, therefore, undesirable. Being mere human constructions that start from racist assumptions (yes, with strong historical charges), they are dismountable.

A first step is to question what expressions and terms we use when we speak (language is a reflection of thought). And after analyzing that these and other expressions are racist and oppressive, to stop using them.

Final Thoughts on Denigrating

If you "denigrate" someone, you try to denigrate their reputation. It makes sense, therefore, that "denigrate" can be traced back to the Latin verb denigrare, which means "to denigrate." When "denigrate" first came into use in the 16th century, it meant to cast slander on someone's character or reputation.

In time, it developed a second sense of "to make black" ("factory smoke denigrated the sky.") But that sense is somewhat rare in modern usage. Nowadays, of course, "denigrate" can also refer to belittling the worth or importance of someone or something.

I hope you enjoyed knowing the real meaning of the word "denigrate". I invite you to enroll in our online clinical psychoanalysis course to improve your knowledge. Become a professional with vast knowledge!

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