The saying is an idiom that is still sometimes used, and is racist and makes references to slavery. Whether the announcer meant any of this or not, it is a hurtful saying that shouldn’t be used in any context (other than to show its roots and that it shouldn’t be used).

This phrase reminds me of other expressions that I’ve routinely heard over the course of my personal and professional life. Whether in higher education, government, business, the workplace, or other settings, these phrases evoke references to or images of violence or discrimination. Regrettably, upon reflection, I’ve used several of these phrases myself (and I’ve probably used them more often than my memory recalls). Here is a short list of example expressions, their origin, why we should refrain from using the phrase, and a couple suggestions about what to say instead:

Phrase	Origin/Etymology	Why should we refrain from using this phrase?	Instead, use…
“Silver bullet”	This figurative use derives from the use of actual silver bullets and the widespread folk belief that they were the only way of killing werewolves or other supernatural beings.1	This phrase makes references to weapons and killing (even though it was meant for supernatural beings)	“A solution that works regardless of situation”   “A direct and effortless solution”   “An easy solution”
“I’ll take the first stab/crack/cut at that”	Uncertain	This phrase is a reference to violence (e.g. stabbing)	“I’ll make the first attempt”   “I’ll do the first draft”
“Deadline”	May be influenced by the “do not cross” line in Civil War prisons, where it referred to a physical line or boundary beyond which prisoners were shot.2	There is connection to violence/killing/death	“Due date”
“Don’t kill yourself over…”	Uncertain	This phrase makes a passing reference to suicide. We never know if someone may have suicidal tendencies.	“Don’t worry too much about…”
“There are multiple ways to skin a cat”	The earliest origin was a debate about how to literally skin a cat – the debate was whether the skinning occurred when the cat was alive or dead.3	This phrase refers to animal cruelty, and can be a gruesome image.	“There are multiple ways to approach..”   “There are multiple ways to solve…”
“Last-ditch effort”	Originates from the US Civil War – referred to Confederates fighting Union soldiers to the last ditch or trench.	This phrase makes reference to war	“One last try”   “A final effort”

 

In addition, there are many phrases that reference guns and/or shooting, including (but not limited to) “shot in the dark,” “bite the bullet,” “shoot from the hip,” and “shoot yourself in the foot.”

These colloquial phrases don’t add much meaning to a conversation. In addition, the expressions above, as well as others, continue legacies of phrases that have troublesome meanings or evoke violent or traumatic imagery. Using these phrases, or others like these, can unintentionally harm those around you.

Most of the suggested alternatives to the phrases above use direct language and convey the message without using imagery. If the basketball broadcaster had been more direct (e.g., “That was an incredible play by Russell Westbrook!”), it would have been clear what he was saying, and there would have been no hurtful references made.

As I mentioned earlier, I’ve been reflecting on my own use of language. The way I do this is by writing down phrases and idioms that I hear that utilize imagery or sound colloquial, as opposed to direct. Then, I look up what the meaning and origin of the phrase is. After that, I try to avoid using these phrases – this means pausing and thinking about what I say before I say it, to check that I am not using these phrases. I have decreased my use of these phrases, though I probably still use phrases I do not want to on occasion.

I encourage you to take some time to reflect. Please share your comments, I’d love to see what troublesome phrases others encounter in their personal and professional lives, as well as suggestions for alternative phrases.

(Note: I apologize for using a sports example to begin this blog post, which can be exclusionary—however, the reference was to an event as opposed to the sport itself.) 

▲▼▲