# Words that aren't negative in themselves but have taken on negative connotations **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 30, 2013, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-arent-negative-in-themselves-but-have-taken-on-negative-connotations/659727 "2013-05-30T17:06:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Renifer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71c47a/32.png) [@Renifer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renifer)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-arent-negative-in-themselves-but-have-taken-on-negative-connotations/659727/1 "2013-05-30T17:06:10Z")
Title explains it. Some examples: Naive – Though there are many cases of willful ignorance, genuinely not knowing something isn’t necessarily bad. Nobody can be expected to know everything, and often those naive people have not had the opportunity to acquire that information (ex. children, uneducated people). Yet, being described as naive comes off as suggesting a person as childish or stupid. Propaganda – Propaganda can have positive influences (ex. encouraging people to quit smoking.) But people usually use the word “propaganda” when they refer to messages meant to manipulate people for nefarious purposes. Others? ---
**Author:** ![Weeping\_Wyvern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@Weeping\_Wyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weeping_Wyvern)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-arent-negative-in-themselves-but-have-taken-on-negative-connotations/659727/2 "2013-05-30T17:16:20Z")
I think “discrimination” would be a good example of this. Maybe “bastard”, too. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-arent-negative-in-themselves-but-have-taken-on-negative-connotations/659727/3 "2013-05-30T17:20:55Z")
Activist. Liberal. Niggardly. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-arent-negative-in-themselves-but-have-taken-on-negative-connotations/659727/4 "2013-05-30T17:22:20Z")
Hmmm. How about: Juvenile. I think this should literally mean simply young or undeveloped, but often used as a slur to indicate inappropriately immature behaviour. Also regularly found coupled with “delinquent”. ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-arent-negative-in-themselves-but-have-taken-on-negative-connotations/659727/5 "2013-05-30T17:22:39Z")
Docile, according to the dictionary means easy to teach, a quick learner. In the vernacular it means spineless and/or weak willed. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-arent-negative-in-themselves-but-have-taken-on-negative-connotations/659727/6 "2013-05-30T17:44:27Z")
The problem w/niggardly IMO is that it sounds too much like a unacceptable word, not that it’s connotation has changed. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-arent-negative-in-themselves-but-have-taken-on-negative-connotations/659727/7 "2013-05-30T18:41:50Z")
Healthy, as applied to a woman’s body type, has come to mean heavy. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-arent-negative-in-themselves-but-have-taken-on-negative-connotations/659727/8 "2013-05-30T18:46:20Z")
> [@Weeping\_Wyvern](#): > > I think “discrimination” would be a good example of this. Good one! There are many very legitimate reasons to discriminate against various people and things. If you receive two job offers, for example, you need to be discriminating to decide which one you should accept. You certainly need to discriminate when deciding if you should go out on a date with someone. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-arent-negative-in-themselves-but-have-taken-on-negative-connotations/659727/9 "2013-05-30T19:10:06Z")
Fine. Especially vocally, it’s the epitome of damning with faint praise. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-arent-negative-in-themselves-but-have-taken-on-negative-connotations/659727/10 "2013-05-30T19:11:43Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > Good one! There are many very legitimate reasons to discriminate against various people and things. If you receive two job offers, for example, you need to be discriminating to decide which one you should accept. You certainly need to discriminate when deciding if you should go out on a date with someone. _Segregation_ also has neutral uses if you leave out the “racial” prelude. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-arent-negative-in-themselves-but-have-taken-on-negative-connotations/659727/11 "2013-05-30T19:17:27Z")
I could nominate a bunch, but I don’t wanna get banned! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-arent-negative-in-themselves-but-have-taken-on-negative-connotations/659727/12 "2013-05-30T19:19:18Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Liberal. > > Niggardly. Beat me to both. Niggardly is kind of an odd word we can do without, but I furiously resent “liberal” being turned into a cartoon swear word. ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-arent-negative-in-themselves-but-have-taken-on-negative-connotations/659727/13 "2013-05-30T19:27:32Z")
For many, “ignorant” has come to mean stupid, mean and/or evil. ---
**Author:** ![as\_u\_wish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@as\_u\_wish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/as_u_wish)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-arent-negative-in-themselves-but-have-taken-on-negative-connotations/659727/14 "2013-05-30T19:38:45Z")
“Adult.” Which meant mature, fully grown and now means pornographic in some contexts. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-arent-negative-in-themselves-but-have-taken-on-negative-connotations/659727/15 "2013-05-30T19:40:13Z")
“Curvy” - at least in my experience, when you describe a female as curvy, the assumption is overweight - up to you if that’s negative I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-arent-negative-in-themselves-but-have-taken-on-negative-connotations/659727/16 "2013-05-30T20:14:15Z")
Similar to “niggardly” is “snigger.” Bitch has been totally corrupted. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-arent-negative-in-themselves-but-have-taken-on-negative-connotations/659727/17 "2013-05-30T20:21:04Z")
Historically, **tyrant** meant head of state who was not seen as the embodiment of that peoples’ principal god - i.e., a secular executive. Apparently, some of these folks misused their executive power so the word took on a negative connotation. I swear, you fuck _one_ goat… 😉 **Bureaucracy** is simply the administrative structure required to run a government at scale. I was reminded of this as I was helping my son with his history homework - bureaucracy, and it’s effectiveness or level of corruption, was consistently referenced as a key criteria to a successful empire over the long term… ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-arent-negative-in-themselves-but-have-taken-on-negative-connotations/659727/18 "2013-05-30T20:26:11Z")
Politics, or political. Tea party. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-arent-negative-in-themselves-but-have-taken-on-negative-connotations/659727/19 "2013-05-31T06:51:55Z")
_Situation_ (in certain contexts). “We’ve got a definite type of situation” – Broadway Danny Rose (by which he meant “we’re screwed”). Also,\* issues,\* as in “he has issues.” ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-arent-negative-in-themselves-but-have-taken-on-negative-connotations/659727/20 "2013-05-31T07:53:49Z")
“You need help”. It has come to mean: “Go away and leave me alone, you’re crazy”" [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-arent-negative-in-themselves-but-have-taken-on-negative-connotations/659727.md?page=2)