racially derogatory verbs

[Keller]

So I was talking with a good friend of mine online the other day and he asked me if I saw the Tigers pitcher got "jewed" out of a perfect game.

I asked if he meant "screwed" out of the perfect game instead. He said he didn't mean that, but he did if it made me happy.

I explained that using jewed as a synonym for "cheated" was like using "niggered" to mean stole (as in, "the dude just niggered my bike!"

Since then, we've disagreed on whether the two are similar or whether one is more offensive.

So here is the poll.

[Anebriated]

one is more offensive because one group takes more offense to the word used.

[BriarFox]

I'm going to go with "Jewed," because I've never heard "niggered" used as a verb.

[Keller]

one is more offensive because one group takes more offense to the word used.

That's what my friend thinks, too.

I'm just curious whether I'm in the minority here.

I definitely think that the word "nigger" is more offensive than "jew", but when used as verbs I find them equally offensive.

Maybe it's because I am white and protestant, so I'm not implicated in the use of either.

[Anebriated]

That's what my friend thinks, too.

I'm just curious whether I'm in the minority here.

I definitely think that the word "nigger" is more offensive than "jew", but when used as verbs I find them equally offensive.

Maybe it's because I am white and protestant, so I'm not implicated in the use of either.

I have the same stance as you and probably for the same reasons(white and protestant). I just think that for the poll question there is a clear winner and its because of how the group as a whole takes it.

[Anebriated]

can I petition to have Zimzum'd added to the list?

[TheEschaton]

Only when used as a verb, I think jewed is pretty harsh at that point.

[Asha]

The word nigger can really fuck your life up over here. Socially and professionally.
There is no problem with Jewed as far as I've seen.

It doesn't have the shock value to the sound of the word Nigger does.

[Nieninque]

I'm with the indecisive one.
Using the word Jew is pretty frowned upon if used negatively, using the word Nigger is pretty much social suicide.

I use the term pikey quite frequently though. People frown at me a lot...

[4a6c1]

I dont hear people use "niggered" as a verb despite my racially ominous locale. I hear "jewed" alot though and even my jewish friends, before they moved to Israel, used to throw it in a joke now and then to amuse me and other dinner guests.

I would guess this is because "niggered" is more likely to offend an American than "jewed" considering the implications based on all of our common histories.

Yes, definately. I am more comfortable hearing "jewed" than the other one.

[radamanthys]

What about gypped?

[Keller]

What about gypped?

Equally offensive, but they are in Europe, so who cares?

[Bobmuhthol]

<<I definitely think that the word "nigger" is more offensive than "jew">>

That's good, because Jew is not inherently offensive.

[thefarmer]

I use the term pikey quite frequently though. People frown at me a lot...

Were the "pikey" characters in lock, stock and two smoking barrels pretty accurate? If they were, I'm guessing this is the english version of redneck/trailer trash?

[Bobmuhthol]

btw they are both offensive but niggered seems more offensive, even if only marginally, just to qualify my vote.

[Asha]

I'm with the indecisive one.
Using the word Jew is pretty frowned upon if used negatively, using the word Nigger is pretty much social suicide.

I use the term pikey quite frequently though. People frown at me a lot...

I've never, ever been frowned upon for Pikey. Especially while I lived down your side of the country.

[Nieninque]

I've never, ever been frowned upon for Pikey. Especially while I lived down your side of the country.

You're not a social worker

[Asha]

Yeah that would be one just behind cop and politician on the scale of things not to be when you belt out that word.

[Mighty Nikkisaurus]

I'm glad that most people I talk to online don't get butthurt about much of anything, including slurs.

[Stanley Burrell]

chink  /tʃɪŋk/

–noun
1. a crack, cleft, or fissure: a chink in a wall.
2. a narrow opening: a chink between two buildings.

–verb (used with object)
3. to fill up chinks in.

Origin:
1350–1400; ME; perh. chine + -k suffix (see -ock)

—Synonyms
1. breach, rent, cut.

[phantasm]

http://media.nowpublic.net/images//1d/b/1db69a65f16b6ac100cf84f6a051e313.jpg

[Tisket]

"Nigger" is a totally hateful and distasteful word to me. It's sole purpose is to dehumanize and demean. Which I suppose is the purpose of most invective, but that particular word just seems so much more ugly to me. And although I'm sure "jewed" is as equally offensive to some people, personally I don't think it holds a candle.

[LMingrone]

Just call everyone a fucking bitch. Problem solved. Give me my Nobel Peace Prize...

[Stanley Burrell]

I was just perusing the dictionary and found a decent replacement word for "Jewed" that isn't listed as racially derogatory:








































Wait for it...









































Niggardly (nig·gard·ly) /ˈnɪgərdli/ [nig-erd-lee]

–adjective
1. reluctant to give or spend; stingy; miserly.
2. meanly or ungenerously small or scanty: a niggardly tip to a waiter.

–adverb
3. in the manner of a niggard.

Origin:
1520–30; niggard + -ly

—Related forms
nig·gard·li·ness, (n.)


—Synonyms
1. penurious, miserly, mean, tight, avaricious, mercenary, illiberal, close. 2. poor.


—Antonyms
1. generous.

[Gnomad]

I was just perusing the dictionary and found a decent replacement word for "Jewed" that isn't listed as racially derogatory:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/daily/jan99/district27.htm


Williams Aide Resigns in Language Dispute
Wednesday, January 27, 1999

The director of D.C. Mayor Anthony A. Williams's constituent services office resigned after being accused of using a racial slur, the mayor's office said yesterday.

David Howard, head of the Office of Public Advocate, said he used the word "niggardly" in a Jan. 15 conversation about funding with two employees.

"I used the word 'niggardly' in reference to my administration of a fund," Howard said in a written statement yesterday. "Although the word, which is defined as miserly, does not have any racial connotations, I realize that staff members present were offended by the word.

[TheEschaton]

yeah, I remember that, resigning over niggardly, lol.

[Sean of the Thread]

Growing up people used both a lot as well as "fag" mostly in sporting activities.

I really didn't realize how offensive it was until I was older because it was so common place.

I don't use nigger or fag like I did as a child but I still drop the jew bomb.

[Tisket]

This seems to be on topic for this thread (or not but I'm going to share anyway):

My kid was pretending to be a Storm Trooper this morning. He was running around pointing a pretend laser gun at everyone while making futuristic sound effect noises that sounded exactly like: JEW JEW JEW!

My husband and I had to casually demonstrate that PEW PEW PEW made a much better laser sound.

I got cut in half a few times by a pretend light saber in the process but the sacrifice was worth it. He now clearly says PEW.

I now have to find a gentle way to explain to him that, even though he was super excited that his regular school bus driver was back from vacation, it wasn't okay to shout: YAY MOMMY, THE BROWN BUS DRIVER IS BACK!!". The driver just laughed and hugged him hello but still. Momentarily awkward.

[Asha]

That's a sweet little story. In a situation like that where a child is concerned with clearly innocent descriptive language, NO malicious intent, then there's no harm and no foul in my opinion.
If someone was to get bent out of shape over that they'd have to be militant.

I nearly got fired from a job for saying 'black dude'. Totally innocently.
But then again I'm not under 7 yrs old.
I was so surprised by how badly that went down.

[TheEschaton]

My friend's little brother who was 4 at the time once asked his mom, in front of me, why I was so dirty. She was pretty mortified. ;)

[Asha]

Why are you?

[Tisket]

That's a sweet little story. In a situation like that where a child is concerned with clearly innocent descriptive language, NO malicious intent, then there's no harm and no foul in my opinion.

I agree. But we still want to teach the little man what's socially acceptable behavior. It's like the time he kept pointing at a little girls malformed right arm and asking loudly "what's WRONG with her?". He's a really curious kid and it was just an attempt to identify something, not to hurt her but he has to realize that sometimes there is a more subtle, gentler way.

[Gan]

I hear 'jewed' all the time and I never see anyone take offense to it.

The only place I hear or see 'niggardly' used is/was when I was reading literature of some sort. Its really not something I hear - even in Texas.

[Bobmuhthol]

That's likely due to niggardly not being in any way offensive.

[Tea & Strumpets]

So I was talking with a good friend of mine online the other day and he asked me if I saw the Tigers pitcher got "jewed" out of a perfect game.

I asked if he meant "screwed" out of the perfect game instead. He said he didn't mean that, but he did if it made me happy.

I explained that using jewed as a synonym for "cheated" was like using "niggered" to mean stole (as in, "the dude just niggered my bike!"

Since then, we've disagreed on whether the two are similar or whether one is more offensive.

So here is the poll.

You raise a good point. Are Jews white, or are they Arabs? Or is Jew another race? This whole conversation is very confusing.

Don't try to nigger me out of replying to my post, either.

[Latrinsorm]

I hear 'jewed' all the time and I never see anyone take offense to it.:/

[Gnomad]

You raise a good point. Are Jews white, or are they Arabs? Or is Jew another race? This whole conversation is very confusing.There's no good answer. Most people I know would say that not all Jews are adherents to Judaism, and not people of the Judaic faith are of Jewish descent. The word means more than one thing.

Despite the fact that antisemitism is almost overwhelmingly used only to refer to Jewish people, Semites come from all over Northern Africa and the Arab peninsula.

[Back]

I am not a jew but as I understand it judaism is more of a tradition than anything else. People who follow the jewish traditions live in all the corners of the globe amongst the general population.

[SHAFT]

the word nigger to me is just an awful word. i grew up in a racist family and I've always hated people saying it. jewed isn't as bad to me but i'd still never use it

[Tea & Strumpets]

There's no good answer. Most people I know would say that not all Jews are adherents to Judaism, and not people of the Judaic faith are of Jewish descent. The word means more than one thing.

Despite the fact that antisemitism is almost overwhelmingly used only to refer to Jewish people, Semites come from all over Northern Africa and the Arab peninsula.

It seems over the top racist if people start ignoring skin color when grouping people for derogatory comments. Although, I guess there are a few precedents for basing hatred on nationality, so this might require some more thought.

I have to say though, if I was talking to one of my friends in casual conversation, and said "Jewed" or "niggered", and then that friend felt the need to explain to me why those terms were socially unacceptable... Well, I'd probably have a hard time bothering to justify my comment as well.

Did you think the guy was going to have some epiphany after your insightful correction, Keller? Maybe he'd say "I'd never say someone 'niggered' my bike, what was I thinking!?" You might as well take the moral high ground and correct people for using profanity.

P.S. -- My sister's husband is black, so according to what I've been told, it's impossible for me to be racist.

[Methais]

the word nigger to me is just an awful word. i grew up in a racist family and I've always hated people saying it. jewed isn't as bad to me but i'd still never use it

What are your thoughts on "nigga"?

[Methais]

What I find particularly offensive are black people being called "African American" regardless of what country they're in.

[peam]

You raise a good point. Are Jews white, or are they Arabs? Or is Jew another race? This whole conversation is very confusing.

Don't try to nigger me out of replying to my post, either.

If you're referring to Jews as people of Semitic descent they, like those of Arabic descent, are considered Caucasian.

[Tea & Strumpets]

If you're referring to Jews as people of Semitic descent they, like those of Arabic descent, are considered Caucasian.

By who?

[Bobmuhthol]

By pretty much everyone since that's what they are.

[Tea & Strumpets]

By pretty much everyone since that's what they are.

So Keller's friend was actually making a racist comment about me!? Well, that changes the whole discussion and I rescind all my previous comments..

I appreciate the clarification on the term Caucasian, because that made me completely rethink things after checking dictionary.com.

[Back]

Not true actually. Ethiopian jews are definitely not caucasian. Neither are Korean jews.

[Bobmuhthol]

Korean Jews are not of semitic descent. What the fuck are you talking about?

[peam]

Not true actually. Ethiopian jews are definitely not caucasian. Neither are Korean jews.

That's where Semitic descent comes into play, my questionably scarfed friend.

[Liagala]

Korean Jews are not of semitic descent. What the fuck are you talking about?

So if I'm Japanese, but follow the Jewish religion, I'm not a Jew? For once, I agree with Back. People are perfectly capable of being Jewish without their ancestors having come from Jerusalem.

[Bobmuhthol]

You should probably read over what was said one more time. You're arguing against something that never happened.

[Methais]

Sometimes I'm a jew when I get bad service at a restaurant.

I'm white so it's ok for me to say I jewed someone. Blacks, hispanics, and asians can't say it though without being racist.

[Back]

That's where Semitic descent comes into play, my questionably scarfed friend.

Actually, I never thought of it that way until now. It makes sense though.

The Korean thing I threw in there just to see who was paying attention.

[Keller]

You might as well take the moral high ground and correct people for using profanity.

Don't cracker up this thread.

[peam]

So if I'm Japanese, but follow the Jewish religion, I'm not a Jew? For once, I agree with Back. People are perfectly capable of being Jewish without their ancestors having come from Jerusalem.


Listen, dummy. There is a difference between being a convert to Judaism and being a member of The Tribe.

[Celephais]

Damnit Stan, I read the first post and I think "Sweet, I'm going to bring up niggardly", then I scroll down... I wait for it (as you instructed)... and BAM, you jew me right out of my post.

[Stanley Burrell]

::revels in his niggardliness::

[Amber]

What I find particularly offensive are black people being called "African American" regardless of what country they're in.

I know several black people who are from Africa, but are not Americans. They think it's pretty funny to have to be identified as African American. Then, on the flip side, there's Paolo Serodio, an African-born, naturalized American medical student who was expelled from medical school for identifying himself as an African American.


http://www.discriminations.us/2009/05/nj_med_student_expelled_for_ca.html ABC News reported yesterday that University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey medical student Paolo Serodio was called into the dean’s office several times, forced to undergo a psychiatric exam, and finally expelled for responding to a question by “identifying himself during a class cultural exercise as a ‘white African-American.’”

He has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court that traces a series of events that Serodio maintains led to his 2007 suspension, starting with a March 2006 cultural exercise in a clinical skills course taught by Dr. Kathy Ann Duncan, where each student was asked to define themselves for a discussion on culture and medicine.

After Serodio labeled himself as a white African-American, another student said she was offended by his comments and that, because of his white skin, [he] was not an African-American.

According to the lawsuit, Serodio was summoned to Duncan’s office where he was instructed “never to define himself as an African-American because it was offensive to others and to people of color for him to do so.”

Serodio describes himself as a third-generation African of Portuguese descent whose great-grandfather moved to Mozambique. He came to the U.S. in 1984 to attend NYU, married, and became a naturalized citizen in the early 1990s.

[Gnomad]

What I find particularly offensive are black people being called "African American" regardless of what country they're in.

call a black cuban american "african american" some day and see what happens

(hint: it's usually p. funny)

[Mighty Nikkisaurus]

call a black cuban american "african american" some day and see what happens

(hint: it's usually p. funny)

Same goes for Haitians, heh.

[Delias]

How about gypped? I would find it offensive if I didn't find it funny... but honestly I am hard pressed to find any word offensive. I feel it is the intent in which it is used that is more important than the word itself. There aren't any bad words... just bad people, like me. I understand that other people tend to find certain words offensive and try not to upset them if I can manage it, but honestly, my friend calls me a filthy thieving gypsy and I call him a dirty hebe all the time... like everything, the offensive properties of a word depend entirely on who you are saying it to and your intent behind it at the time. Just my (completely uneducated) opinion.

[AnticorRifling]

We've killed more jews so it should be more offensive. Plus they were the original slaves, go go pyramids.

[Bobmuhthol]

We? I haven't killed any Jews.

[AnticorRifling]

Denial.

[Delias]

We have suffered right alongside jews, but mostly for our thieving and trickery and probably our awesome human version of free range grazing... Hm. Maybe we did have it coming. I'm far from being an expert but so far as I understand it, the jews killed christ, we only stole from him. In case it is not completely obvious, I am just 100% talking out my ass right now. I am a certified jew-lover. Honestly, I have a certificate from this baptist college I attended... they gave it to me at graduation. Well, it was a sort of graduation. They told me I was finished, anyway.

[Suppa Hobbit Mage]

Is the phrase "Call a spade a spade" derogatory? I've always thought it was. I wonder what the origins are. Google time.

[Celephais]

We have suffered right alongside jews, but mostly for our thieving and trickery and probably our awesome human version of free range grazing... Hm. Maybe we did have it coming. I'm far from being an expert but so far as I understand it, the jews killed christ, we only stole from him. In case it is not completely obvious, I am just 100% talking out my ass right now. I am a certified jew-lover. Honestly, I have a certificate from this baptist college I attended... they gave it to me at graduation. Well, it was a sort of graduation. They told me I was finished, anyway.

You probably just stole that certificate.

[Celephais]

Is the phrase "Call a spade a spade" derogatory? I've always thought it was. I wonder what the origins are. Google time.

What? So your first guess was the racist version? Not the version having to do with the tool?

[RichardCranium]

Is the phrase "Call a spade a spade" derogatory? I've always thought it was. I wonder what the origins are. Google time.

It's not racist; everyone knows black people are better at that card game.

[Celephais]

It's not racist; everyone knows black people are better at that card game.

And Indians (peace pipe), that's why the suits are black and red.