What's the difference between "I am a racist" and "I am racist"?
I often hear a lot of people say "he is a racist", but at the same time a lot of people say "he is racist" so what's the difference between the two?
Solution 1:
Basically, "He is a racist" implies that many of his actions and attitudes carry a racist flavor, while "He is racist" implies that in some cases he can have a racist attitude.
More generally, saying "What he did was racist" suggests only that the specific action referenced was of a racist nature.
But the distinctions can be subtle, and highly dependent on context. Consider that virtually all of us have racist reactions to some situations, even though not nearly so many of us would be considered to be "a racist".
I will add that if an individual considers himself to be "a racist" that means that racism is a part of his identity, while if someone recognizes that some of his thoughts or behaviors are racist, that suggests that he may be seeking to rectify that condition.
Solution 2:
"She is sage" and "She is a sage"
the meanings are very similar, until someone points out that the former can also refer to an aromatic herb. Context is King, as they say.
A sage (noun) is a wise person, and a sage person (adjective) is someone who is wise.
- She is sage / she is racist
We are describing the person's personality
- She is a sage / she is a racist
We are defining that person.