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Geoyo Posted 13 years ago
Vocabulary
Is 'ignorant' a derogative word?
In my language (German), the word 'ignorance' has an exclusively negative connotation. If you call someone ignorant, it's regarded as an insult, similar to calling someone stupid. Is it the same in English? I've read some definitions of the word in english dictionaries, and there, it seems to be more neutral, it can describe a person who is not knowledgeable about a topic, but it is not necessarily meaning to insult him. Can you please tell me more about it?
Top answer
It can be used in both ways. I would say it is chiefly a negative word, but it can also be used to excuse someone who made a mistake because they didn't know all the information. It was only ignorance, for example, implies the party was innocent of malevolent intent.
- It can be used in both ways.
- I would say it is chiefly a negative word, but it can also be used to excuse someone who made a mistake because they didn't know all the information.
- It was only ignorance, for example, implies the party was innocent of malevolent intent.
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8 Answers
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It can be used in both ways. I would say it is chiefly a negative word, but it can also be used to excuse someone who made a mistake because they didn't know all the information. It was only ignorance, for example, implies the party was innocent of malevolent intent.
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"You are ignorant" is an insult. "You seem to be ignorant of the reasons for my conduct" is not.
The word is especially negative in common parlance, where I would say it has no neutral use. The man in the street makes a distinction between "ignorant" and "stupid", by the way. If you're stupid, you can't think very well. If you're ignorant, you don't know anything.
The word is especially negative in common parlance, where I would say it has no neutral use. The man in the street makes a distinction between "ignorant" and "stupid", by the way. If you're stupid, you can't think very well. If you're ignorant, you don't know anything.
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Are the two following sentences equivalent?
"He doesn't know much about computers"
"He's ignorant of computers"
Or is there any difference in meaning or politeness?
"He doesn't know much about computers"
"He's ignorant of computers"
Or is there any difference in meaning or politeness?
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"Ignorant of" is idiomatic. It doesn't mean you don't know anything about them, it means you've never heard of them. You could say that he's ignorant about computers, but that would come off at least somewhat insulting, as I tried to say before. I think the word is worsened by its superficial similarity to the racial slur it sounds a bit like.
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enoonI think the word is worsened by its superficial similarity to the racial slur it sounds a bit like.I'm trying to think which slur you mean, but nothing is coming to mind. Could you elaborate?
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GPY enoonI think the word is worsened by its superficial similarity to the racial slur it sounds a bit like.I'm trying to think which slur you mean, but nothing is coming to mind. Could you elaborate?"Ignorant" is sometimes ironically spelled and pronounced "iggerant". Does that help?
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GPYOh, that one. I've never made that association...Me, neither. I think it's subliminal.
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