Is it time to stop saying ‘aloha’ and other culturally sensitive words out of context?

In today’s society, we use many words and phrases regularly that we have used for a long time – decades or even centuries. For most of us, we don’t even actually understand or know the origins of many of them. Despite this, we use them every single day. Perhaps it’s time we start thinking a bit more about what we are saying, how we are saying them, and in what context.

As it turns out, many words and phrases we’ve regularly used in the English language could actually be quite offensive to people of other cultures. Even something as simple as using the word aloha out of context could potentially be demeaning to an entire group of people.

Culturally Sensitive Words And Phrases: Think Before You Speak

Just because you can say popular phrases in certain social scenarios, or because you’ve used them for a long time doesn’t mean you should. Words like “aloha,” ” hola,” and “Shalom” could be considered harmful to people of other cultures if used in the wrong way or context. David Oliver, a wellness reporter, entertainment and lifestyle author, and journalist, went as far as to say that people who use foreign language words in their daily speech are often seen as ignorant hayseeds. He wrote that “it is essential for people to understand the meaning behind these words before using them in order to help foster diversity and inclusion.” (1)

Oliver argues that using foreign language words out of context can come off as offensive and disrespectful. People need to take the time to understand the culture behind these terms before using them, especially in entertainment or lifestyle settings. He believes it is important for people to be aware of the implications of incorporating foreign language words into their daily speech without considering its origins or true meanings.

Language Is Power 

Words require education, and knowledge brings foresight. To update your vocabulary, you first need to consider the history and origins of the words you use. For many English-speaking white people, the fact that some words and phrases we’ve used for a long time could be offensive seems surprising. Perhaps even we might be inclined to think that other people are just too sensitive. It is important for us to understand why certain words should not be used out of context and the consequences of doing so. 

Taking the speaker into account is also essential; a grad student studying Asian Pacific Studies may know more about this subject than someone who has only heard some popular phrases used in movies or on television. Aka, just because we’ve been using these words and phrases for a long time, or we hear them used in popular culture, doesn’t mean we get a free pass to use them. First of all, older films, TV shows, and music use many words and phrases that are no longer socially acceptable to use today. (2)

Using Words From Other Languages 

Saying hola, bonjour, or other non-English greetings might seem like an innocent thing to say. The truth is, most of the time they are fine to say. Whether you’re saying hello to your friends who do or don’t speak those languages, using them as they were intended (a greeting) without putting on some weird, grotesque version of their “accent” is okay. Before you use a word from another language, make sure you understand its full meaning.

Also, make sure that you know that a person is of that culture. Greeting someone with “ni hao” because they are Asian could backfire quite quickly if that person is not Chinese. Likewise, “Aloha” should not be thrown around as a leftist buzzword.

Before using it, make sure you know what it means and how to use it properly. While we may ignorantly think that it simply means hello or goodbye, its meaning goes much deeper. “It’s a greeting or a farewell, but the meaning goes deeper,” says Maile Arvin, director of Pacific Islands Studies at the University of Utah. “One of my Hawaiian language teachers taught me that ‘Aloha is recognizing yourself in everything and everyone you meet.’” (3)

Some Phrases To Reconsider

There are phrases, as well, that maybe we should consider removing from our current vernacular. For example, using the word “powwow” in reference to a quick team meeting at work, should probably be avoided. A powwow is a celebration of Native American heritage, not a quick brainstorming session for what you want to be featured in next month’s company newsletter. (4)

For many of us who have grown up in North America, we’ve grown up with the phrase Indian Summer as a way to denote a sudden flash of summer-like weather after fall was already well underway. Have you actually stopped to think about why we call it that? The actual origins of that phrase were invented in a derogatory way by white colonists to infer that indigenous people were always late.

The bottom line is that if you are using a non-English word or a phrase that makes you stop and think “wait, why do we say that, anyway?” you should probably keep it out of your vocabulary. At the very least, until you’ve done your research to know if it could be taken offensively or not and how to use it properly, if at all.

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