Can People Stop Using the Racist Term, "Jap"?
03-13-2007, 11:56 AM
#21
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Using Jap about a Japanese item seems harmless to me since it's just abbreviating. I personally usually put it in all caps if I do use it.
Calling a person a Jap is derogatory. But I don't think people are using this term towards people here. At least I've never seen it.
Calling a person a Jap is derogatory. But I don't think people are using this term towards people here. At least I've never seen it.
Last edited by ANXIOUZ; 03-13-2007 at 11:59 AM.
03-13-2007, 12:23 PM
#22
"Calling a person a Jap is derogatory. But I don't think people are using this term towards people here. At least I've never seen it."
Anxiouz is probably right.
But "jap" is a derogatory term. I think older folks (those who recall WW II) are more sensitive to it than the predominately younger crowd that populate this site.
Best that folks use another term but I've seen worse stuff on the site.
Anxiouz is probably right.
But "jap" is a derogatory term. I think older folks (those who recall WW II) are more sensitive to it than the predominately younger crowd that populate this site.
Best that folks use another term but I've seen worse stuff on the site.
03-13-2007, 12:27 PM
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I agree it is the intent of the person using the word. I see nothing wrong with the way people use it on this forum.
It is no different to me calling Americans Yanks and me being called a Limey or Pomm as the Aussies call us. People need to lighten up.
It is no different to me calling Americans Yanks and me being called a Limey or Pomm as the Aussies call us. People need to lighten up.
03-13-2007, 12:32 PM
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you know what i have realized from listening to people, if you're of a certain race then you tend to make fun of your race and no one cares. its like i see some younger african american people tend to always call each other the n word, and they are always laughing about it, but if any other race says it then all hell breaks loose and its total disrespect, i don't get it, if u don't want a term to be used, then don't promote it yourself.
03-13-2007, 12:38 PM
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Is it really so hard to respectful of another person? If someone is offended by a term don't use it in public.
Yeah the country has become overly pc, but worse is the punk *** attitudes.
Yeah the country has become overly pc, but worse is the punk *** attitudes.
03-13-2007, 12:38 PM
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Originally Posted by sean1967
wth is Pomm ?
The term Pommy for a British person is commonly used by Australian English, New Zealand English, South African English and Afrikaans speakers, and is often shortened to Pom. The origin of this term is not confirmed and there are several persistent false etymologies, most being acronyms.
One theory is that, as the majority of early immigrants to Australia were British, it is rhyming slang for "immigrant" from a contraction of the word "pomegranate", or possibly more directly related to the appearance of the fruit, as it bears a more than passing resemblance to the typical pale complexioned Briton's skin after his or her first few days living under the hot Australian sun.
The Oxford English Dictionary has recently come out strongly in support of the word being a contraction, listing "pom" and "pommy" under its entry for "pomegranate". A supporting quotation from the Bulletin (Sydney) 14 November 1912: "The other day a Pummy Grant (assisted immigrant) was handed a bridle and told to catch a horse."[1]
A commonly-heard alternative theory is that POM is a shortened acronym of Prisoner of His/Her Majesty (POHM) or Prisoner Of Mother England (POME). As many of Australia's first settlers were convicts, sentenced to transportation, this theory holds that upon arrival in the country they would be given a uniform with POHM emblazoned on the back, and that convicts with an extended stay on Australian soil would no longer have to wear the shirt and would often refer to newer entrants into the country as "Pohmmys". Other suggestions hold that POM is a different acronym, such as "Prisoner of Mother England" or "Port of Melbourne". These etymologies are believed to be false, as the term "pommy" was coined long before acronyms were used in common parlance. Moreover, there is no record of prisoners in Australia ever wearing such uniforms.
The use of the word "Pom" is contentious. Some British people living in Australasia find the term offensive and demeaning, others find it harmless and amusing. Attitudes to the use of the word have varied over the years, from the 1960s when slogans such as 'bash a pom a day' were heard on New Zealand radio, to today, when the word has become so entrenched that few Australians and New Zealanders see any reason to avoid using the word, some even justifying the use of the word as being "endearing". In December 2006 the Advertising Standards Board of Australia unanimously ruled that the word "Pom" was a part of the Australian vernacular and was largely used in "playful or affectionate" terms. As a consequence, the board ruled that the word did not constitute a racial slur and could be freely used in advertising. The Board was responding to a complaint filed by a community group called British People Against Racial Discrimination
03-13-2007, 12:40 PM
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Limey
Limey is an old American and Canadian slang nickname for the British, originally referring to British sailors. The term is believed to derive from lime-juicer, referring to the Royal Navy and Merchant Navy practice of supplying lime juice to British sailors to prevent scurvy in the 19th century. The term is derogatory in the sense that the British would be allegedly more preoccupied with the savings of limes over lemons which were traditionally used to prevent scurvy. The term is thought to have originated in the Caribbean in the 1880s. A false etymology is that it is a derivative of "Gor-blimey" ("god blind me!").
The term Limey evolved into a verb "to lime" which means to hang out. The British sailors "Limeys" would hang out in the urban areas when off-duty and patronise the local prostitutes. This has been immortalized in the old calypso "Jean and Dinah" by the Mighty Sparrow in 1956.
Sorry did not mean to hijack the Jap thread.
Limey is an old American and Canadian slang nickname for the British, originally referring to British sailors. The term is believed to derive from lime-juicer, referring to the Royal Navy and Merchant Navy practice of supplying lime juice to British sailors to prevent scurvy in the 19th century. The term is derogatory in the sense that the British would be allegedly more preoccupied with the savings of limes over lemons which were traditionally used to prevent scurvy. The term is thought to have originated in the Caribbean in the 1880s. A false etymology is that it is a derivative of "Gor-blimey" ("god blind me!").
The term Limey evolved into a verb "to lime" which means to hang out. The British sailors "Limeys" would hang out in the urban areas when off-duty and patronise the local prostitutes. This has been immortalized in the old calypso "Jean and Dinah" by the Mighty Sparrow in 1956.
Sorry did not mean to hijack the Jap thread.
Last edited by Black Duck; 03-13-2007 at 12:44 PM.
03-13-2007, 12:44 PM
#29
I think the word "JAP" is a little different than other racist terms because it's the first 3 letters of of the nationality. The N-word and the other words obviously aren't. People that have no proper education on history would easily think "JAP" is the abbreviation. I remember back in highschool (I lived in a really bad area in Baltimore, MD), some kids called me "*****" and they actually thought it's the abbreviation for Chinese.... I don't blame those people. I blame the society.
03-13-2007, 12:49 PM
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Originally Posted by bb1314
I think the word "JAP" is a little different than other racist terms because it's the first 3 letters of of the nationality. The N-word and the other words obviously aren't. People that have no proper education on history would easily think "JAP" is the abbreviation. I remember back in highschool (I lived in a really bad area in Baltimore, MD), some kids called me "*****" and they actually thought it's the abbreviation for Chinese.... I don't blame those people. I blame the society.
People call me Brit. Its the first four letters of the nationality. Should I be offended?
I think the point is that people here are not using it in the same way older people used it during WWII.
03-13-2007, 01:21 PM
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I like JAP for Jewish American Princess...like "that girl is so JAP-py" - I went to a college that had a ton of JAP-py chics. I agree, the word Jap referring to japanese things is racist and you shouldn't use it to refer to anything Japanese even if it's not meant to be used in a racist manner. Just like you wouldn't use the N word at all even if you weren't meaning to be racist. The words themselves have racial implications. It's also true that most people didn't know that about the word "jap" - history lessons are always good.
03-13-2007, 01:32 PM
#33
Originally Posted by chimmike
1) unbunch panties in ur bum
2) Don't get so easily offended
2) Don't get so easily offended
03-13-2007, 01:33 PM
#34
Originally Posted by bb1314
I think the word "JAP" is a little different than other racist terms because it's the first 3 letters of of the nationality. The N-word and the other words obviously aren't. People that have no proper education on history would easily think "JAP" is the abbreviation. I remember back in highschool (I lived in a really bad area in Baltimore, MD), some kids called me "*****" and they actually thought it's the abbreviation for Chinese.... I don't blame those people. I blame the society.
The "N" word is from a former country in Africa with the same name, pronounced differently, like Nigeria, but without the "ia" at the end.
03-13-2007, 01:50 PM
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Wide nose-havin ***** fukas!
No but seriously, it's not the word so much as what's being said and in what context. If you have certain words or things you can't do, that puts up a wall sometimes. I told a man I would have to 'kick his party out' at midnight when the clubhouse closed. Doesn't sound offensive and it was given in a very non-chalant way. He was muslim/arab and took extreme offense. He was calm and just told me not to do it and explained it.
It wasn't a big deal and I didn't say it anymore, but there was an elephant in the room all night afterwords. I really didn't like it.
No but seriously, it's not the word so much as what's being said and in what context. If you have certain words or things you can't do, that puts up a wall sometimes. I told a man I would have to 'kick his party out' at midnight when the clubhouse closed. Doesn't sound offensive and it was given in a very non-chalant way. He was muslim/arab and took extreme offense. He was calm and just told me not to do it and explained it.
It wasn't a big deal and I didn't say it anymore, but there was an elephant in the room all night afterwords. I really didn't like it.
03-13-2007, 02:34 PM
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Originally Posted by Nexx
no need for anyone to get offended if people would stop using it. why dont you put the responsibilty of person who is using the term not the one who gets offended by it.
03-13-2007, 02:44 PM
#37
Originally Posted by Black Duck
Jap From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jap (variants: Japo, Japse) is a term denoting anything Japanese. It is considered by some to be the shortened version of the word for Japan.
The three-letter and two-letter international country code (ISO 3166) for Japan, JPN and JP, are also commonly used for the abbreviation of Japan.
In Japanese dictionaries, the term Jap is only defined as a disparaging term used against the Japanese people, like it is the case in many English language dictionaries.[1] In Britain it is considered mildly inappropriate but not a serious insult (cf Paki which is grossly offensive in British English yet not uncommon as an ethnic description in the United States).
[edit] War slur
Newspaper headlines announcing Japanese surrender in World War IIThe first recorded use of Jap was in 1860 to refer to members of the Japanese embassy in the United States. It was later popularized during World War II to describe those of Japanese descent, and was then commonly used in newspaper headlines to refer to the Japanese and Imperial Japan.
"Jap" was a derogatory term during the war, more so than "Nip."[2] Some in the United States Marine Corps also tried to combine the word "Japs" with "Apes" to create a new description, "Japes", for the Japanese. However, this new word never became popular.[2]
Veteran and author Paul Fussell explains the usefulness of the word during the war for creating effective propaganda by saying that "Japs" "was a brisk monosyllable handy for slogans like 'Rap the Jap' or 'Let's Blast the Jap Clean Off the Map.'"[2]
[edit] Actions of civil rights groups
In Texas, under pressure from civil rights groups, Jefferson County commissioners in 2004 decided to drop the name "Jap Road" from a 4.3-mile road near the city of Beaumont. Ironically, the road was originally named Jap Road in 1905 in honor of a local Japanese rice farmer.[3][4]
Also in adjacent Orange County, "Jap Lane" has also been targeted by civil rights groups.[5] The road was originally named for the contributions of Kichimatsu Kishi and the farming colony he founded.
Jap (variants: Japo, Japse) is a term denoting anything Japanese. It is considered by some to be the shortened version of the word for Japan.
The three-letter and two-letter international country code (ISO 3166) for Japan, JPN and JP, are also commonly used for the abbreviation of Japan.
In Japanese dictionaries, the term Jap is only defined as a disparaging term used against the Japanese people, like it is the case in many English language dictionaries.[1] In Britain it is considered mildly inappropriate but not a serious insult (cf Paki which is grossly offensive in British English yet not uncommon as an ethnic description in the United States).
[edit] War slur
Newspaper headlines announcing Japanese surrender in World War IIThe first recorded use of Jap was in 1860 to refer to members of the Japanese embassy in the United States. It was later popularized during World War II to describe those of Japanese descent, and was then commonly used in newspaper headlines to refer to the Japanese and Imperial Japan.
"Jap" was a derogatory term during the war, more so than "Nip."[2] Some in the United States Marine Corps also tried to combine the word "Japs" with "Apes" to create a new description, "Japes", for the Japanese. However, this new word never became popular.[2]
Veteran and author Paul Fussell explains the usefulness of the word during the war for creating effective propaganda by saying that "Japs" "was a brisk monosyllable handy for slogans like 'Rap the Jap' or 'Let's Blast the Jap Clean Off the Map.'"[2]
[edit] Actions of civil rights groups
In Texas, under pressure from civil rights groups, Jefferson County commissioners in 2004 decided to drop the name "Jap Road" from a 4.3-mile road near the city of Beaumont. Ironically, the road was originally named Jap Road in 1905 in honor of a local Japanese rice farmer.[3][4]
Also in adjacent Orange County, "Jap Lane" has also been targeted by civil rights groups.[5] The road was originally named for the contributions of Kichimatsu Kishi and the farming colony he founded.
03-13-2007, 02:50 PM
#38
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My problem is that people throw that word around casually, and it's hard to tell whether they are being derogotory when they say "I hate Jap cars", so simply stating a fact that they hate Japanese cars.
And I'm really not the type to get on a soapbox and preach about racism and whatnot, but I think people are using the term too casually on this site without knowing that it is in fact a racist slur.
Yeah, most of the time, Japanese people don't get up in arms like other people do when other slurs are used, but I think it's important for people to realize that it is not the best word to use when there are perfectly suitable alternatives.
Is it really that hard to write out Japanese or Japan, or JPN (or JDM when talking about Japanese products)? I really don't think that stifles communication.
And I'm really not the type to get on a soapbox and preach about racism and whatnot, but I think people are using the term too casually on this site without knowing that it is in fact a racist slur.
Yeah, most of the time, Japanese people don't get up in arms like other people do when other slurs are used, but I think it's important for people to realize that it is not the best word to use when there are perfectly suitable alternatives.
Is it really that hard to write out Japanese or Japan, or JPN (or JDM when talking about Japanese products)? I really don't think that stifles communication.
03-13-2007, 02:52 PM
#39
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Originally Posted by plumpzz
Are you Jap? I dont see how its racist. Its the first three letters of japanese. You can call me ind for the first three letters of indian, but it doesnt make as much sense. Jap flows better no?
