The Adoption of “Human Being” Into the English Vocabulary

Use of the term being (ME. fr.14c.) or beings implies that one has supernatural abilities, a certain sense of mysticism and enchantment to a person’s nature. While it is seen as an Old English adage, the term beings, too, may have its roots in Africa. Being refers to the nature or essence of a person which, again, implies a person has supernatural abilities and it also implies that an individual has a kind nature, is spiritual, good willed, and wholesome. Africans, who thought of themselves as having an enchanted benevolence, frequently referenced themselves as a race of beings and not humans. It is believed that Europeans adopted its meaning from Africans and later added beings to its genus type human, beings referring to the species. When translated from the genus species Hu[e]-man beings, it refers to the enlightened male mystics. Thus all terms White, man, human, and beings have connotations that would invoke feelings of inferiority in Africans and Blacks who are seen as less than human, a primate of lower intelligence. These words of pain and sorrow would eventually lead to feelings of shame and humility for an entire race of people.