Jap

[Mullins, Bill]

The Brits who have come here to work on our test range have used the
word "Brit" to refer to themselves, without any indication that it was
offensive.



> -----Original Message-----
> From: American Dialect Society
> [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of Jonathan Lighter
> Sent: Wednesday, May 25, 2005 5:30 PM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Re: Jap
>
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at YAHOO.COM>
> Subject:      Re: Jap
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> -----------------
>
> "Brit," however, has never been a recognized slur in this country.
>
> In parts of Ireland, it undoubtedly is.
>
> Q. Why does the sun never set on the British Empire?  A.
> Because God doesn't trust the Brits in the dark.  [Irish
> musician in Knoxville, ca.1982].
>
> JL
>
> "Mullins, Bill" <Bill.Mullins at US.ARMY.MIL> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender: American Dialect Society
> Poster: "Mullins, Bill"
> Subject: Re: Jap
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> -----------------
>
> The OED definition: "Colloquial abbreviation of Japanese"
> with a statement that the word has strong derogatory
> connotations. Like you, I don't find an explicit slur in the
> cites below. However, I was in the process of searching for
> information on Japanese magicians of the era, and many
> descriptions of the Japanese are paternalistic, if not
> insulting, and there is no doubt that it was acceptable to be
> racist in print. Slurs abound explicitly. My definition,
> using "slur", was a quick-and-dirty attempt to make clear the
> word I was antedating, and was also meant to encode the fact
> that I am aware this is now a taboo word.
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: American Dialect Society
> > [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of Mark A. Mandel
> > Sent: Wednesday, May 25, 2005 4:04 PM
> > To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> > Subject: Re: Jap
> >
> > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> > -----------------------
> > Sender: American Dialect Society
> > Poster: "Mark A. Mandel"
> > Subject: Re: Jap
> > --------------------------------------------------------------
> > -----------------
> >
> > "Mullins, Bill" sez:
> > >>>
> > Jap -- slur for Japanese -- OED has ca. 1880
> >
> > (used in article title only) "The Japanese Embassy. From
> the Japanese
> > on their way home. News of the Niagra. What the Japs think of their
> > visit to America." New York Times; Aug 20, 1860; pg. 1 col 1.
> >
> >
> > "Little "All Right" " New York Times; Aug 12, 1867; pg. 8 col 2.
> >
> > "It was the second troupe that arrived in Jersey City on
> Saturday, and
> > with them the two much coveted Japs."
> > <<<
> >
> > Was it intended as a slur in these cites? It isn't evident
> (to me at
> > least).
> >
> >
> > mark by hand
> >
>
>
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