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Otherness: meaning, definitions and examples

๐ŸŒ
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otherness

 

[ หˆสŒรฐษ™rnษ™s ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

philosophy, identity

Otherness refers to the concept of perceiving someone or something as different or distinct from oneself. It represents the qualities or characteristics that define someone as 'the other,' often leading to divisions in society based on race, culture, or ideology. Otherness plays a significant role in discussions about identity, belonging, and how societies define membership. It is also used in literary and cultural studies to explore how marginalized groups are portrayed in relation to dominant groups.

Synonyms

alterity, difference, distinctiveness, separation.

Examples of usage

  • The theme of otherness is prevalent in post-colonial literature.
  • She discussed the otherness of immigrant experiences in her essay.
  • The film explores the otherness of different cultures.
  • In sociology, understanding otherness helps analyze social dynamics.

Translations

Translations of the word "otherness" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น outros

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เค…เคจเฅเคฏเคคเฅเคต

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Andersartigkeit

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ keterasingan

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ั–ะฝัˆั–ัั‚ัŒ

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ innoล›ฤ‡

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ไป–่€…ๆ€ง

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท altรฉritรฉ

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ otredad

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท baลŸkalฤฑk

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ํƒ€์ž์„ฑ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ุบูŠุฑูŠุฉ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ jinakost

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ odliลกnosลฅ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ไป–่€…ๆ€ง

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ drugost

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ annars konar

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ะฑะฐัา›ะฐะปั‹า›

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒกแƒฎแƒ•แƒ แƒ‘แƒฃแƒœแƒ”แƒ‘แƒ

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ baลŸqalฤฑq

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ otredad

Etymology

The term 'otherness' emerged in philosophical discourse during the 19th century, often linked to discussions of identity and sociology. It is derived from the root word 'other,' which comes from Old English 'ลther,' meaning 'the second of two.' The suffix '-ness' indicates a quality or state of being. The concept developed significantly with existentialist thought, particularly in the works of philosophers such as Martin Heidegger and Emmanuel Levinas, who examined how individuals relate to others and the implications of defining oneself against an 'other.' In modern contexts, otherness is frequently analyzed in social sciences, anthropology, and cultural studies, focusing on power dynamics and the representation of marginalized groups.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #20,349, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.