"Bougie"

[synthesis]

I've been meaning to make a thread like this for awhile and always forgot.

I notice that a number of people here use "bougie" as a synonym for "bourgeois," most likely because it sounds less "academic" and because it's seen as "cool" or whatever owing to the fact that it's slang.

"Bougie" doesn't mean "someone who controls the means of production" or really anything significantly close to that. It refers to someone who has lost touch with their neighborhood roots, who sees themselves as better than the people they grew up with because of cultural and financial factors, and to things and places associated with people who would be labelled as such. "Bougie" is also always an adjective, not a noun.

It is derived from "bourgeois," but they're not the same, and I think most of the people who use it not knowing what "bourgeois" means would be completely confused if you used it to mean "bourgeois" in a political context, so you'd wind up having to explain the concept and use the original term anyway, defeating the purpose.

I agree that it would be nice to have a solid substitute for it in more casual conversation or when discussing politics with people who might not be well-versed in Marxist theory; "working class" is a good substitute for "proletarian," but in my opinion "ruling class" isn't the best substitute for "bourgeois" because it can also refer to the aristocracy if you're a Marxist or the Illuminati if you're a nutjob or you listen to rap music. "Owning class" also leaves something to be desired, in my opinion. Suggestions are welcome.

That is all.

[The Feral Underclass]

I've never actually seen this word written before or heard it spoken, so it's a new one for me.

[synthesis]

It's really, really commonly used in a non-political context among most people I know. If you do a "quick search" for "bougie" and to a lesser extent "bourgie" on this forum you'll get a better idea of how it's used here.

Actually, "bourgie" gets about twice as many results here - almost 300 threads - which is really weird to me. I'd never seen it spelled that way except here, and I guess it is sometimes spelled that way in the term's original context, but for context "bourgie" gets about 900,000 hits on Google, whereas "bougie" gets over 11 million. (Yes, I realize I'm overthinking this, but I kind of enjoy this sort of etymology.)

[reb]

Ok, Mr Dictionary.

[Comrade Samuel]

I'm half inclined to start using the phrase now that you've introduced it to me...

That's the beautiful thing about the English language: people can just decide in which context to use certain words regardless of what is actually correct.

[bcbm]

its definitely 'bourgie' and i will continue to use it as i see fit

[Quail]

I've heard people use the word "bourgie" but pretty much only when talking politics in a very informal setting (when we were drinking at the pub). I think "ruling class" is an okay substitute for bourgeoisie when I'm talking to people who aren't well read in leftist politics because saying "bourgeois" or "bourgeoisie" in normal conversation with people who aren't communists is kind of weird and jargon-y.

[synthesis]

its definitely 'bourgie' and i will continue to use it as i see fit

Do you actually pronounce it with the "r" or do you still say it "boo-jee"?


I'm half inclined to start using the phrase now that you've introduced it to me...

That's the beautiful thing about the English language: people can just decide in which context to use certain words regardless of what is actually correct.

All I ask is that you don't use it as a noun.

[Trap Queen Voxxy]

its definitely 'bourgie' and i will continue to use it as i see fit

Man, you bourgy, boogie bourg.

[bcbm]

Do you actually pronounce it with the "r" or do you still say it "boo-jee"?

why would you pronounce the r?


All I ask is that you don't use it as a noun.

yeah, its an adjective.

[Lily Briscoe]

I agree that it would be nice to have a solid substitute for it in more casual conversation or when discussing politics with people who might not be well-versed in Marxist theory; "working class" is a good substitute for "proletarian," but in my opinion "ruling class" isn't the best substitute for "bourgeois" because it can also refer to the aristocracy if you're a Marxist or the Illuminati if you're a nutjob or you listen to rap music. "Owning class" also leaves something to be desired, in my opinion. Suggestions are welcome.


I just use 'bosses' in casual conversation.

[synthesis]

why would you pronounce the r?

Because then what's the point of spelling it that way? I mean, I think it's a pretty fair assumption, not just backed up by Google search results, that less than 1% of all people who use it spell it "bourgie," because it's slang and slang is almost always spelled phonetically.

[bcbm]

Because then what's the point of spelling it that way? I mean, I think it's a pretty fair assumption, not just backed up by Google search results, that less than 1% of all people who use it spell it "bourgie," because it's slang and slang is almost always spelled phonetically.

cuz it comes from 'bourgeois' which also lacks an 'r' pronunciation.

google search result isn't a great indicator because 'bougie' can be used in other contexts.

[Taters]

I agree that it would be nice to have a solid substitute for it in more casual conversation or when discussing politics with people who might not be well-versed in Marxist theory; "working class" is a good substitute for "proletarian," but in my opinion "ruling class" isn't the best substitute for "bourgeois" because it can also refer to the aristocracy if you're a Marxist or the Illuminati if you're a nutjob or you listen to rap music. "Owning class" also leaves something to be desired, in my opinion. Suggestions are welcome.

how bout just "capitalists"?