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ethnocentrically

ethnocentrically

9.9
In a way that judges other cultures by the rules of your own culture
  • adverb
  • /ˌɛθnoʊˈsɛntrɪkli/
  • Offensive
translation icon : etnocéntricamente
  • Many stereotypes arise when people view other cultures ethnocentrically, failing to appreciate their unique values.

Examples

  • She approached the discussion ethnocentrically, assuming her cultural norms were superior to those of her peers.

  • Judging other customs ethnocentrically can hinder meaningful dialogue and understanding between different cultures.

  • Instead, the West ethnocentrically imposes on them its own categories, such as "individual," "religion," or "work of art," when in actuality these concepts have no place in the cultural landscape of the Other.

    Academic text (1995)
  • The current dominant version of the history of Indians in the United States narrates something like this: Europeans ethnocentrically did not believe that Indians used their land properly and therefore felt justified in taking it; but they sincerely wanted to help Indians become civilized, after which (they promised) Indians could become citizens.

    Academic text (2008)

Synonyms

narrow-mindedly
vsethnocentrically
7.3

In a way that refuses to accept different ideas or people

judges other cultures by own standards rather than simply rejecting them
chauvinistically
vsethnocentrically
  • Offensive
8.6

In a way that shows too much pride and unfair dislike of other groups

judges other cultures by own standards rather than claiming clear superiority

How Ethnocentric

chauvinistically
  • Offensive
8.6
ethnocentrically
  • Offensive
9.9
impartially
6 4.8
neutrally
2 3.6

Surface Forms

ethnocentrically positive

Morphology

ethnocentrically = ethnocentric (semi-transparent) = ethno + centric + ly

The adverb is formed by regular suffixation (-ly) from 'ethnocentric', but the adjective itself is built from the Greek combining forms 'ethno-' and '-centric', which are somewhat technical and may be unfamiliar to many learners.

Etymology

Ethnocentrically combines the parts ethno- meaning 'people' and -centric meaning 'center', like in ethnic and the word 'center'. So to act ethnocentrically is to put your own people at the center and judge other cultures by your own standards.