The Human Race-image source: www.nih.gov
When I was in grammar school, at least a hundred and fifty years ago, I learned that the Taxonomy of Homo Sapiens Sapiens had three sub-classifications. Yes, Homo Sapiens Sapiens. No, my word-processing program does not stutter. Those three basic groups were identified as Caucasian, Oriental (or Mongoloid), and Negroid.
And what do you know? Once again my good ole’ California education has let me down. In fact, there is no such thing as race! At least, not based on modern scientific knowledge. (I suppose I should cut the old school system some slack.)
RACE
Origin Of The Word
● The word “race was first recorded (in the English language) in this form around 1490–1500. English borrowed race from the French word, which derives in turn from the Italian razza, meaning “kind, breed, lineage.” The deeper roots of razza are obscure. dictionary.com/race-vs-ethnicity/
Originally, the term functioned in English much like the word ethnicity and simply referred to groups of people connected by a common descent or origin. The earliest example defines the meaning as a "group of people belonging to the same family and descended from a common ancestor".
● “Until the 18th century it (race) had a generalized meaning similar to other classifying terms such as type, sort, or kind. Occasional literature from Shakespeare’s time referred to a “race of saints” or “a race of bishops.” britannica.com/topic/race-human
● After that time, as European colonization spread, the term was widely used for sorting and ranking the peoples in the English colonies, including: “Europeans who saw themselves as free people, Amerindians who had been conquered, and Africans who were being brought in as slave labor—and this usage continues today….white Europeans used race to sort humans by place of origin as well as skin color, creating the social hierarchy which served as the foundation of slavery.” britannica.com/topic/race-human
What Does The Word Really Mean?
According to Merriam-Webster, race means: “1a. Any one of the groups that humans are often divided into based on physical traits regarded as common among people of shared ancestry.” (This dictionary also contains other definitions which are either redundant or don’t apply in this discussion.)
The above, out-of-date definition from the 18th century, was applied, in times past, in scientific fields such as physical anthropology referring to physical traits regarded as common among people of a shared ancestry such as skin color, hair form, head shape, and particular sets of cranial dimensions.
By the end of the 20th century, the science of genetics proved definitively that all humans alive today share 99% of their genetic material. For this reason, the concept of distinct sub-sets of the human race has no scientific basis. Thus, race is human construct used primarily as a sociological designation to identify a group sharing some outward physical characteristics and some commonalities of culture.
RACE
Origin Of The Word
● The word “race was first recorded (in the English language) in this form around 1490–1500. English borrowed race from the French word, which derives in turn from the Italian razza, meaning “kind, breed, lineage.” The deeper roots of razza are obscure. dictionary.com/race-vs-ethnicity/
Originally, the term functioned in English much like the word ethnicity and simply referred to groups of people connected by a common descent or origin. The earliest example defines the meaning as a "group of people belonging to the same family and descended from a common ancestor".
● “Until the 18th century it (race) had a generalized meaning similar to other classifying terms such as type, sort, or kind. Occasional literature from Shakespeare’s time referred to a “race of saints” or “a race of bishops.” britannica.com/topic/race-human
● After that time, as European colonization spread, the term was widely used for sorting and ranking the peoples in the English colonies, including: “Europeans who saw themselves as free people, Amerindians who had been conquered, and Africans who were being brought in as slave labor—and this usage continues today….white Europeans used race to sort humans by place of origin as well as skin color, creating the social hierarchy which served as the foundation of slavery.” britannica.com/topic/race-human
What Does The Word Really Mean?
According to Merriam-Webster, race means: “1a. Any one of the groups that humans are often divided into based on physical traits regarded as common among people of shared ancestry.” (This dictionary also contains other definitions which are either redundant or don’t apply in this discussion.)
The above, out-of-date definition from the 18th century, was applied, in times past, in scientific fields such as physical anthropology referring to physical traits regarded as common among people of a shared ancestry such as skin color, hair form, head shape, and particular sets of cranial dimensions.
By the end of the 20th century, the science of genetics proved definitively that all humans alive today share 99% of their genetic material. For this reason, the concept of distinct sub-sets of the human race has no scientific basis. Thus, race is human construct used primarily as a sociological designation to identify a group sharing some outward physical characteristics and some commonalities of culture.
Residents of different parts of Africa
Image Source: www.pinterest.com
Image Source: www.pinterest.com
Wait a minute! Do these people look like they share physical characteristics and commonalities of culture?
Not to me. This photo illustrates that there is no generic "African" race. In Africa, there are groups who speak Kikuyu, Zulu, Ashanti, Fulani, and so on. The differences are more related to where people are from and the language they speak.
According to Nina Jablonski, an anthropologist and paleobiologist at Pennsylvania State University who is known for her research into the evolution of human skin color, "'Race' and 'ethnicity' have been and continue to be used as ways to describe human diversity…Race is understood by most people as a mixture of physical, behavioral and cultural attributes. Ethnicity recognizes differences between people mostly on the basis of language and shared culture. But just as soon as we've outlined these definitions, we're going to dismantle the very foundations on which they're built. That's because the question of race versus ethnicity actually exposes major and persistent flaws in how we define these two traits, flaws that — especially when it comes to race — have given them an outsized social impact on human history.”
Even in a politically correct world, people continue to identify others as being Black, White, or Asian, plus all the other classifications that have come into the language, based on visual cues. These are identifiers humans have ascribed to each other or themselves.
The terms are used but they do not express scientific truth. Nothing in our genomes can be used to separate human beings along such clear lines.
Not to me. This photo illustrates that there is no generic "African" race. In Africa, there are groups who speak Kikuyu, Zulu, Ashanti, Fulani, and so on. The differences are more related to where people are from and the language they speak.
According to Nina Jablonski, an anthropologist and paleobiologist at Pennsylvania State University who is known for her research into the evolution of human skin color, "'Race' and 'ethnicity' have been and continue to be used as ways to describe human diversity…Race is understood by most people as a mixture of physical, behavioral and cultural attributes. Ethnicity recognizes differences between people mostly on the basis of language and shared culture. But just as soon as we've outlined these definitions, we're going to dismantle the very foundations on which they're built. That's because the question of race versus ethnicity actually exposes major and persistent flaws in how we define these two traits, flaws that — especially when it comes to race — have given them an outsized social impact on human history.”
Even in a politically correct world, people continue to identify others as being Black, White, or Asian, plus all the other classifications that have come into the language, based on visual cues. These are identifiers humans have ascribed to each other or themselves.
The terms are used but they do not express scientific truth. Nothing in our genomes can be used to separate human beings along such clear lines.
ETHNICITY
Ethnic is defined as:
1a. Of or relating to large groups of people classed according to common racial, national, religious, tribal, linguistic, cultural origin, or background. Image Source: www.whyy.org
1b.Being a member of a specified ethnic group.
1c. Of, relating to, or characteristic of a minority ethnic group
2. Of or relating to the Gentiles or to nations not converted to Christianity: i.e. pagan.
Don't you hate it when dictionaries used the same word to define itself?
Ethnicity is drawn from a Latin word derived from the Greek term éthnos meaning “nation” or “people.” The English word ethnic was first used in the mid-1700s as a noun for a heathen or pagan, and was also used to refer to anyone who originated from nations that were not Christian or Jewish.
Actually, the word pagan, from the Latin word paganus, originally lacked any religious significance. It meant villager, rustic, or civilian, and is derived from a “pāgus” which refers to a small unit of land in a rural district. It was a demeaning Latin term (like the word hick). thoughtco.com/pagan
Ethnic is defined as:
1a. Of or relating to large groups of people classed according to common racial, national, religious, tribal, linguistic, cultural origin, or background. Image Source: www.whyy.org
1b.Being a member of a specified ethnic group.
1c. Of, relating to, or characteristic of a minority ethnic group
2. Of or relating to the Gentiles or to nations not converted to Christianity: i.e. pagan.
Don't you hate it when dictionaries used the same word to define itself?
Ethnicity is drawn from a Latin word derived from the Greek term éthnos meaning “nation” or “people.” The English word ethnic was first used in the mid-1700s as a noun for a heathen or pagan, and was also used to refer to anyone who originated from nations that were not Christian or Jewish.
Actually, the word pagan, from the Latin word paganus, originally lacked any religious significance. It meant villager, rustic, or civilian, and is derived from a “pāgus” which refers to a small unit of land in a rural district. It was a demeaning Latin term (like the word hick). thoughtco.com/pagan
HUMAN DIVERSITY: RACE and ETHNICITY
Race and Ethnicity are irrevocably intertwined — not only because some-one's ascribed race can be part of their chosen ethnicity but also because of other social factors. Today most people use these terms almost interchangeably, either because they are ignorant or just sloppy in their use of the language.
These words are used to describe human diversity, but in fact, race and ethnicity are not the same thing. Still, it’s a complicated distinction because the words overlap, and because of the historical and often personal interpretations.
“Race is often perceived as something that's inherent in our biology, and therefore inherited across generations. Ethnicity, on the other hand, is typically understood as something we acquire, or self-ascribe, based on factors like where we live or the culture we share with others.” livescience.com/difference-race-ethnicity
AN AUTHOR’S DILEMMA
Whether or not an author’s view of writing diversity is a dilemma, bringing diversity into your writing not only makes it more realistic but definitely enriches the content and the impact on the reader. It is only a dilemma because most white writers do not wish to offend others. There are many mistakes to be made. The operative word is Research.
“White” Is The Readers Default Setting
Colette Aburime, author and founder of WritingWithColor, a writing advice blog focused on diversity, writes, “One key to strong representation is making the race of your characters undisputedly clear….Society ensures we view white people as the default. That default human is probably also straight, cis, able-bodied, etc. until proven otherwise. This way of thinking won’t dissolve overnight.”
Aburime suggests authors be clear about their character’s race as soon as they are introduced and drop in a few discreet reminders throughout the novel. Physical description is one of the most straightforward ways to do that, particularly at the point a character comes on stage, but writing that a character has black hair and dark skin could be a description of many different ethnicities. Besides, just reciting a person’s physical attributes can be really dull reading. Avoid socially-constructed race terms like African-American, Asian-American, etc. to describe only the characters who aren't “white.”
Character Descriptions
Also, everything about the character doesn’t come out in the introductory depiction. Throughout the novel, the author can combine the physical attributes with other observations about the character, ethnicity, and actions, depending on the circumstances of the story, including:
● Culture: Such as family names, clothing, holidays, traditions, language, accents, food, heirlooms, values, religion, etc. One rite of adolescence in North American culture is to identify one's own ethnicity.
● Social issues: Throughout the story, what social issues does the character react to? Do they have about friends and/or relatives in other countries?
● Activities - PoC-specific organizations, activism, local businesses, social media, professional groups, religious connections.
● Focus: The character’s internal thoughts and the kind of things the character notices can also be used to establish any ethnicity. Our brains filter all input based on what is important to us.
There is nothing new about this. It’s what authors should do with all the primary and secondary characters in a novel. 1) The first point is to be aware that all these facts about this character should express their ethnicity. Make every word count; 2) The second point is to use specific and avoid generic descriptions; and 3) The third point is to do your research. Don’t think you know already. Don’t wing it.
However, Nanditha Narendran, a medical student whose spare time is spent writing short stories, has a slightly different take on how to make the character’s ethnicity clear. She writes, “State the character’s race along with any combination of all the other traits already discussed. Be it Black, White, African, Asian, or any race, depending on how important it is for your story that the reader does not misread your character’s race, explicitly stating it works perfectly well, too. It’s just a matter of avoiding overuse. This can work well for all primary and minor characters."
These words are used to describe human diversity, but in fact, race and ethnicity are not the same thing. Still, it’s a complicated distinction because the words overlap, and because of the historical and often personal interpretations.
“Race is often perceived as something that's inherent in our biology, and therefore inherited across generations. Ethnicity, on the other hand, is typically understood as something we acquire, or self-ascribe, based on factors like where we live or the culture we share with others.” livescience.com/difference-race-ethnicity
AN AUTHOR’S DILEMMA
Whether or not an author’s view of writing diversity is a dilemma, bringing diversity into your writing not only makes it more realistic but definitely enriches the content and the impact on the reader. It is only a dilemma because most white writers do not wish to offend others. There are many mistakes to be made. The operative word is Research.
“White” Is The Readers Default Setting
Colette Aburime, author and founder of WritingWithColor, a writing advice blog focused on diversity, writes, “One key to strong representation is making the race of your characters undisputedly clear….Society ensures we view white people as the default. That default human is probably also straight, cis, able-bodied, etc. until proven otherwise. This way of thinking won’t dissolve overnight.”
Aburime suggests authors be clear about their character’s race as soon as they are introduced and drop in a few discreet reminders throughout the novel. Physical description is one of the most straightforward ways to do that, particularly at the point a character comes on stage, but writing that a character has black hair and dark skin could be a description of many different ethnicities. Besides, just reciting a person’s physical attributes can be really dull reading. Avoid socially-constructed race terms like African-American, Asian-American, etc. to describe only the characters who aren't “white.”
Character Descriptions
Also, everything about the character doesn’t come out in the introductory depiction. Throughout the novel, the author can combine the physical attributes with other observations about the character, ethnicity, and actions, depending on the circumstances of the story, including:
● Culture: Such as family names, clothing, holidays, traditions, language, accents, food, heirlooms, values, religion, etc. One rite of adolescence in North American culture is to identify one's own ethnicity.
● Social issues: Throughout the story, what social issues does the character react to? Do they have about friends and/or relatives in other countries?
● Activities - PoC-specific organizations, activism, local businesses, social media, professional groups, religious connections.
● Focus: The character’s internal thoughts and the kind of things the character notices can also be used to establish any ethnicity. Our brains filter all input based on what is important to us.
There is nothing new about this. It’s what authors should do with all the primary and secondary characters in a novel. 1) The first point is to be aware that all these facts about this character should express their ethnicity. Make every word count; 2) The second point is to use specific and avoid generic descriptions; and 3) The third point is to do your research. Don’t think you know already. Don’t wing it.
However, Nanditha Narendran, a medical student whose spare time is spent writing short stories, has a slightly different take on how to make the character’s ethnicity clear. She writes, “State the character’s race along with any combination of all the other traits already discussed. Be it Black, White, African, Asian, or any race, depending on how important it is for your story that the reader does not misread your character’s race, explicitly stating it works perfectly well, too. It’s just a matter of avoiding overuse. This can work well for all primary and minor characters."
Minor and Walk-on Characters
One potential stumbling block can be what to do with characters who are very minor or walk-ons like a waiter in a restaurant or a bag-lady on the bus; those who have no real role in the story.
One potential stumbling block can be what to do with characters who are very minor or walk-ons like a waiter in a restaurant or a bag-lady on the bus; those who have no real role in the story.
 |  A rule of thumb is that the more description you give of the character, the more the reader will expect to see the person again in the story. Description means that the character warrants some attention, and that translates into doing something (important or not). |
If the waiter comes to the table, serves the food, and leaves, a description isn’t necessary or can be very generic, such as “a bald waiter with a white towel over his arm.”
If the character is background and takes no action affecting the story, should their ethnicity be called out by the author? How much description does that person get?
If The Story Is Not About Ethnicity
If the story is not particularly about ethnicity, why describe the ethnicity of the characters? You should know your reason. It could be that the setting for the novel is diverse, or because the protagonist knows how to do something that is usually restricted to a particular ethnic group, or even set on a sci-fi solar system. The story and characters should determine whether or not you provide ethnic cues in description.
Also, today’s readers are usually exposed to diversity, either by where they live, their interest and activities. or through entertainment and the media. They probably expect diversity as simply being realistic, at least in a contemporary setting.
When writing a historical, and perhaps believe there wouldn’t have been people of other ethnicities around at that location and time, do your research. There probably were, and those people probably had specific kinds of jobs. Your minor characters should be appropriate for the time and place, but try not to stereotype. It is okay to have someone break out of the ordinary.
Verbals And Non-Verbals
There are many non-verbal cues that can define ethnicity, whether the author intends to or not. When your character pales, blushes, or tosses back a long blond ponytail, she is most likely of European descent. Again, research! I know from personal experience that cues also can be misread, in life and in writing. I had a Chinese friend and co-worker who had rather dark skin. I assumed his coloring protected his skin, but when we spent a workday surveying a campground, he got one heck of a sunburn.
If you use verbal cues such as jargon, diction, or accent to establish or reinforce ethnicity, do your homework. Language, if done accurately, can be a powerful tool. Author Mitali Perkins writes, “The storyteller who crafts dialogue with jargon, diction, and accented English must be diligent in study as well as creative -- listening, learning, and communicating linguistic differences in the right way at the right time for the right reasons.”
Be thoughtful when using jargon and accents. Writing the entire dialogue in either can become very difficult for the reader. Once the language or ethnicity is established, I select certain words and phrases that identify the particular character’s voice and use only those.
BE RESPECTFUL AND THOUGHTFUL
All of this is about be respectful and thoughtful with others.
Sources:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/race
https://www.merriam-webster.com/grammar/difference-between-race-and-ethnicity
https://scientificorigin.com/whats-the-difference-between-ethnicity-and-race
https://scientificorigin.com/whats-the-difference-between-ethnicity-and-race
https://www.dictionary.com/e/race-vs-ethnicity/
https://www.livescience.com/difference-between-race-ethnicity.html
https://blog.prepscholar.com/race-vs-ethnicity-vs-nationality#google_vignette
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/race-and-ethnicity
https://www.britannica.com/topic/race-human/The-history-of-the-idea-of-race
https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-pagan-120163
https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/95-FE-Write-Race-Ethnicity-in-Fiction.html
https://writingtheother.com/writing-characters-of-different-races/
https://www.mitaliperkins.com/2008/10/ten-tips-about-writing-race-in-novels.html
https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2017/01/contemporary-writers-represent-race-new-ways-literary-scholar-finds
https://blog.nanowrimo.org/post/188519134840/the-dos-of-writing-people-of-color-describe-your
https://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/2016/03/native-people-respond-to-rowling.html
https://www.essence.com/news/5-code-words-media-needs-stop-using-describe-black-people/?ps_theme=essence25
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