Meaning Behind The Word Thug

In this transcript for the commentary, “The Racially Charged Meaning Behind The Word 'Thug’” (2015), the host Melissa Block ask questions while the guest speaker John McWhorter claims that the word ‘thug’ has a different meaning when used by different races and no longer follows the original definition. McWhorter give the listener facts, explanations, and examples about the word thug and the weight of internal prejudice incorporated when particularly the white or non-African American use the word. McWhorter categorizes the word into two meaning in order to educate the listener about the influence that racism and discrimination has on everything including language in our society. The intended audience are discriminatory people who throw the word ‘thug’ around when generally talking about young black males.

I always cringed when white people or non-black used to word thug to describe someone because more often than not, it is used, like the N-word, as a biased insult to describe someone as unintelligent, menacing, and a vagabond. Moreover, when people like that do use or think of that word, they usually envision someone black, young, and a male. I agree with McWhorter that the word ‘thug’ is in fact the new version of the N-word and I also feel like it is rude and unacceptable for white people to lightly use the word ‘thug’. In addition, I support the speaker’s claim that black people do not think of the word the same way that white people do. Also, McWhorter was able to clearly clarify his message to the listener and it was a strong