Why do people take offense at the word "ignorant"?

[ChilenoAlemanCanada]

Hey everyone,

I was just wondering why so many people think of being called ignorant as an insult. I mean, we're all ignorant. No one knows everything. I searched on Google to find some opinions, and the one I agreed with most is the explanation that most people mistakenly confuse ignorance with stupidity. That, and the tone of voice can affect how it's taken. I bring all this up because of someone's overreaction when I implied that they were ignorant. And in this particular case, I'm pretty darn sure there was nothing insulting about my tone of voice.

So what are your thoughts? Do you think it insulting? Why do you think many people do?

Hola a todos,

Hoy me preguntaba ¿por qué creen tantos que ser llamado ignorante es insulto? Nadie sabe todo, y todos nosotros tenemos algo que aprender. Busqué en Google y encontré una opinión con la que estoy de acuerdo. Es que muchos confunden la ignorancia con la estúpidez. Además de eso, el tono de la voz puede implicar algo ofensivo. La razón por la que me preguntaba todo esto es que durante una conversación, impliqué que alguien estaba ignorante, y la persona con la que conversaba no lo tomó bien. Y cuando lo dije, no creo que el tono de la voz sonara ofensivo para nada.

Entonces, ¿qué creen ustedes? ¿Que es ofensivo? ¿Por qué lo creen tantos así?

[chileno]

Because en Spanish "ser" (to be) ignorant is an insult when stated "you are ignorant", however, if you were to say something like "are you ignoring the fact/this or that etc.", the situation changes.

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by ChilenoAlemanCanada

So what are your thoughts? Do you think it insulting? Why do you think many people do?

Are you asking about English? If so, it is not really a question of opinion. Like so many words, it has various meanings. If you call somebody ignorant, then it depends on the context. If somebody is ignorant of something in particular, there not necessarily any insult meant. But if it is unqualified and general, it is most certainly an insult because it means "lacking anything learned or cultured".

[CrOtALiTo]

In my own view point the word is a little offensive depending of kind to person tells you the word, I mean that depend likes to your commentary before is of kind to voice that has said the ignorant word and also it can depend of the expression that the person gives to demonstrative in the moment.

For example if you have the intention to insult to someone with that word, then you will have for your face or your kind to voice tone the word can became an insult instead of a help for the person in the moment.

Therefore is the same form that you told us before all it depend of the expression that you give it in the moment.

Sincerely yours.

[ChilenoAlemanCanada]

Originally Posted by Perikles

Are you asking about English? If so, it is not really a question of opinion. Like so many words, it has various meanings. If you call somebody ignorant, then it depends on the context. If somebody is ignorant of something in particular, there not necessarily any insult meant. But if it is unqualified and general, it is most certainly an insult because it means "lacking anything learned or cultured".

I guess I was ignorant to the fact that it had that meaning, then...

Thanks everyone for the responses!

[pinosilano]

Es mejor decir 'tú ignoras'.

[Luna Azul]

Originally Posted by ChilenoAlemanCanada

La razón por la que me preguntaba todo esto es que durante una conversación, impliqué que alguien estaba era ignorante, y la persona con la que conversaba no lo tomó bien.

Llamar a alguien "ignorante" es un insulto en español. Una cosa es "ser ignorante" y otra "ignorar" algo. (nunca se dice "estar ignorante)

Así pues, la expresión debe ser "(tú) ignoras .."

[ChilenoAlemanCanada]

Muchas gracias, pinosilano y Luna

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

El tema me mandó a recordar el viejo precepto: "la ignorancia es altanera".

[Luna Azul]

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

El tema me mandó a recordar el viejo precepto: "la ignorancia es altanera".

Yo lo conocía como "la ignorancia es atrevida"..

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

...y "alzada"... creo que depende de la región y de quién la cite.

[Jefre]

Tengo un amigo que nunca sacaba buenas notas en sus clases. No es porque el es ignorante o tonto, sino es perezoso y a él no le gusta la autoridad. Tengo otro amigo que valoraba las buenas notas como tesoro y para él, representaban la inteligencia de una persona. Así el segundo amigo martirizaba el primer, y a este amigo no le gusta muchísimo este insulto.

Ahora no somos en el colegio, pero todavía este primer amigo tiene problemas si alguién a él le dice estupido o ignorante. Para él, la palabra se refiere a una injuria en cualquira situación.