The word "ignorant"

[Invisible Rainbows]

This annoys me to no end. Someone will walk by and say, "He's so ignorant." GAHH! My ears bleed.

The word ignorant, and I quote from Merriam-Webster Online, means:

Quote:

1 a: destitute of knowledge or education ; also : lacking knowledge or comprehension of the thing specified b: resulting from or showing lack of knowledge or intelligence
2: unaware, uninformed
— ig·no·rant·ly adverb

In other words, not knowing or not knowledgeable.

They seem to be confusing the word with "arrogant" which means to be full of one's self, pompous, or vain.  

[Doppelgaanger]

Well, is there a possibility that they're using it like that? I mean, if I call someone ignorant, it could be taken like they're annoying because they don't know anything... I'unno...  

[MyOwnBestCritic]

They may have meant "ignorant." Are you sure that was not the intended meaning?  

[Woodnut]

MyOwnBestCritic

They may have meant "ignorant." Are you sure that was not the intended meaning?

"Ignorant" is misused all the time (and it does really get under my skin). Young people, especially, tend to use it as a synonym for "rude" or "inconsiderate." scream  

[Patron with a Mission]

I had never seriously thought of that. I don't know if the way I use it is right.

I use the word ignorant to mean someone who's either uncultured or simply doesn't know about the subject at hand, i.e.: "He's ignorant when it comes to computers." To me, it sounds right. But if it's not, well, that's why I'm here: to learn and be able to teach others correctly. 3nodding  

[Zen Bassist]

Dameon_Patron_of_Healing

I had never seriously thought of that. I don't know if the way I use it is right.

I use the word ignorant to mean someone who's either uncultured or simply doesn't know about the subject at hand, i.e.: "He's ignorant when it comes to computers." To me, it sounds right. But if it's not, well, that's why I'm here: to learn and be able to teach others correctly. 3nodding

Actually, I think you are correct.

Ignorant could be compared to stupid, no? That is how I've always used it.  

[Patron with a Mission]

A Hardcore Goldfish

Dameon_Patron_of_Healing

I had never seriously thought of that. I don't know if the way I use it is right.

I use the word ignorant to mean someone who's either uncultured or simply doesn't know about the subject at hand, i.e.: "He's ignorant when it comes to computers." To me, it sounds right. But if it's not, well, that's why I'm here: to learn and be able to teach others correctly. 3nodding

Actually, I think you are correct.

Ignorant could be compared to stupid, no? That is how I've always used it.

Actually, I took it to be a nice way of calling someone stupid. -shrugs-  

[Invisible Rainbows]

It drives me crazy. People use it incorrectly all the time here.

@Dameon- That is the correct usage.

I don't know why. It seriously bugs me though. I've told people the real meaning, one girl actually said, "You must be joking. I think I'd know the meaning of the words I use everyday." Apparently not.

That's what I get for living in a farming community though. Middle of nowhere. Some people really are intelligent around here, but the majority of my class just has no work ethic, and really wants to drop out after their sophomore year. 50% of last years sophomores failed, and the reason so many are in still is because they went to summer school.  

[OmG NoMoR3]

Oh, it simply drives me up the wall to hear people misusing that word! Their ignorance keeps them from knowing what I mean when I say it. O_o

I remember a child in the band with me in high school actually going tohis parents because the band instructor called him ignorant in the proper sense. He thought it meant stupid, and so did his ignorant parents.

And @ Woodnut... I know what you mean by the "rude and inconsiderate synonym" thing. I dated a moron once, and he and his friends believed this to be that word's true meaning... It really burned me up. stressed

I'm just so glad the guy I'm with now has a brain! ^_^  

[dj_axelangel]

It's nice to see people using it properly, though. Ignorance shouldn't mean stupid, rude or inconsiderate, but I think the reason people use it is because ignorance usually may be the root of inconsideration, rudeness, or arrogance, and most assumptions for using the term ignorance are based on that reason alone.

I really always use it for the "not knowledgeable" definition though. But just because a person doesn't know something shouldn't mean he's stupid.

But I was considering... if a person was well informed of the knowledge at a recent time but continues his "not knowledgeable"-like behavior, would that be the right use for the word ignorant? I get confused easily... sweatdrop  

[Invisible Rainbows]

@dj - No, I think it's when you actually don't know something. Not acting like it. It is a very good word though, but it does have negative connotations, so you want to be careful when using it. Also, because so many people use it incorrectly, you have to be careful when using it around people that are ignorant to the correct definition.

 

[FantasyHearts]

Woodnut

MyOwnBestCritic

They may have meant "ignorant." Are you sure that was not the intended meaning?

"Ignorant" is misused all the time (and it does really get under my skin). Young people, especially, tend to use it as a synonym for "rude" or "inconsiderate." scream

I am completely on your side. Ignorant is too often misused.  

[Emilem]

Real eyes | Realize | Real lies

Everything I had to say has already been said.
All except for this:
The people who misuse "Ignorant" are often the ones that pronouce it "Ignint".
Which (I am NOT trying to start a racial thing, here. Honest.) is normally black people, since a majority of the time they have that thick "Black accent".
Althought I like to refer to it as "Brain Cell Lackage".

Though I've been through much and heard many a tale,
My tale will still never be as much.