Usage of 'Anti-semite'

[Wilson Gray]

Yes, I've heard of many such cases myself. But, AFAIK, the fact of the
matter is that, historically, "anti-Semitic" originated specifically
in reference to the Jewish people, they being, for all practical
purposes, the only Semitic people in Europe at the relevant time
period. Other living Semitic peoples came of interest to Europe only
after it was discovered that their caliphates and sheikhdoms floated
on a sea of petroleum.

-Wilson
–––
All say, "How hard it is that we have to die"---a strange complaint to
come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
-----
-Mark Twain



On Sun, Jan 11, 2009 at 3:06 PM, Mark Mandel <thnidu at gmail.com> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Mark Mandel <thnidu at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: Usage of 'Anti-semite'
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Although I've heard an Arab Muslim, speaking against Israel, saying that he
> couldn't be accused of being an antisemite because Arabs are Semites. BS.
>
> Mark Mandel
>
>
> On Sun, Jan 11, 2009 at 2:55 AM, Wilson Gray <hwgray at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> As far as I'm aware, "anti-Semitism" applies specifically to Jews and
>> to no other people or peoples who speak or once spoke a Semitic
>> language.
>>
>> -Wilson
>> =E2=80=93=E2=80=93=E2=80=93
>> All say, "How hard it is that we have to die"---a strange complaint to
>> come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
>> -----
>> -Mark Twain
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Jan 11, 2009 at 1:45 AM, Arun K Raman <arunkr.shivers at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>> > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
>> -----------------------
>> > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> > Poster:       Arun K Raman <arunkr.shivers at GMAIL.COM>
>> > Subject:      Usage of 'Anti-semite'
>> >
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------=
> ------
>> >
>> > I've been looking at Semitic culture recently. Anti-semite/anti-semitis=
> m
>> or
>> > whatever other combination that can be thought of is interesting as it
>> deals
>> > only with a very specific issue in relation to the semites. Well, the
>> > popular usage is to denote something negative about Jews. My question i=
> s
>> > whether the word combination seems to be used for the other semitic
>> groups
>> > as well even if it is in lesser amounts.
>> > -
>> > Arun K Raman
>> >
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>> >
>>
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