Ethnic-based terms of contempt

[Matthew Gordon]

The BBC article cited earlier today on the "oldest English words" uses
"Chinese whispers" which I take to be the equivalent of the game that I've
always known as telephone.


On 2/26/09 2:42 PM, "Bill Palmer" <w_a_palmer at BELLSOUTH.NET> wrote:

> The recent discussion of "shade-tree mechanic", which conveys, in some usages,
> contempt for the referent, naturally leads to the subject of other such
> expressions.
>
>  In US English many are ethnic -based, such as "Indian giver", "Dutch
> courage", "Chinese fire-drill", "French leave", "Irish pennant" (this one may
> be unique to the US Navy).
>
> How many others are there?  I'm wondering if this is uniquely American.
> Probably not, but are we more predisposed to it?
>
> Bill Palmer
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org