Jap

[Mark A. Mandel]

Bill Mullins gave a couple of citations (1860, 1867) from the New York Times
for "Jap" under the heading "Jap -- slur for Japanese -- OED has ca. 1880".
I asked:

> Was it intended as a slur in these cites? It isn't evident (to me at
> least).

Wilson then asked:
   >>>>>
 Does a word have to be intended as a slur in order for it to be felt
as a slur?
 <<<<<
 illustrating the issue with a couple of personal anecdotes, from both
sides.

To your question, Wilson, my answer is "Of course not." But Bill gave the
citations as examples of the word *used as a slur*, and that is what I was
questioning. Either that, or he was using the whole phrase "slur for
Japanese" as a gloss on the word to distinguish it from some other meaning
or homograph of whose existence I am unaware. ... (time out to check OED
Online... extracts are below; the reference numbers are mine)...

OK, we're talking about the OED's #1 here. #2 is derived from it, and #3 is
entirely unrelated. Bill was talking about the citations for #1. I had never
heard of #2 or #3, or of any other meaning, so I took his implied meaning as
"the word means 'Japanese', and I'm talking about citations for its
pejorative use." I was wrong.


1. Jap, n.
    Colloquial abbreviation of JAPANESE. Also as adj.; spec. Jap silk =
HABUTAI.
  As n. and adj. the word Jap has strong derogatory connotations and is now
falling into disuse.


2. jap, v.
U.S. slang.
[f. JAP n.]
    trans. To make a sneak attack on; also, to queer the pitch of (a
person).
  In restricted use.


3. jap
   dial. form of JAUP.

s.v. "jaup, jawp":
 Sc. and north. dial.
    1. intr. To dash and rebound like water with splashing of the vicinity;
to move with splashing; to splash; to make a light splashing sound.
    2. trans.    a. To cause (water or liquid) to splash or move with
splashing.    b. To splash or bespatter (a person or thing) with water, wet
mud, or the like, rebounding from a breaking wave, wet or muddy ground, etc.



-- Mark
[This text prepared with Dragon NaturallySpeaking.]