Ethnic-based terms of contempt

[Joel S. Berson]

At 2/27/2009 10:07 AM, George Thompson wrote:
>As to whether this is "uniquely American", if you can find a library
>with a file of Reinhold Aman's Maladicta: the Journal of Verbal
>Aggression, you will find plenty of examples from various languages.
>
>I dare say it's not widely held.  The first issues of this were
>lambasted in TLS, and on the basis of that review, GAT ordered a
>subscription for the Bobst Library, NYU.

And at Harvard, of course, through vol. 13 (2004).

Joel


>GAT
>
>George A. Thompson
>Author of A Documentary History of "The African Theatre",
>Northwestern Univ. Pr., 1998, but nothing much lately.
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Bill Palmer <w_a_palmer at BELLSOUTH.NET>
>Date: Thursday, February 26, 2009 3:45 pm
>Subject: Ethnic-based terms of contempt
>To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>
> > 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
>
>------------------------------------------------------------
>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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