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kristanitza · Joined: 24 Mar 2006 Posts: 6

In southern Albania (I lived there for a year) even the word Roma has taken on a negative meaning. The word is used to emphasize class ("Oh, he/she is Roma" was often used as an excuse to ignore or mistreat) and has evolved to become a sort of playground insult. I never heard Albanians use the word gypsy, but "Roma" seems to be just as negative. I say this simply to enforce the fact that word meaning morphs when attached to cultural/political change. I currently teach at a school where the word "mojado" is used as a term of endearment among the kids who are undocumented. No joke.

Ben Round de Bloc · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946

saraswati · Joined: 30 Mar 2004 Posts: 200

It's a matter of geography, I guess. I grew up in New Mexico, where the majority of the people were/are Hispanic. Calling someone mojado was VERY offensive. In fact, calling someone Mexican was also insulting because it implied one was mojado.

thelmadatter · Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2006 6:55 pm Post subject: surprise

I, too, grew up using "gyp" to mean to cheat out of money ... but I always spelled it "jip" (as it sounds) and because I made absolutely no connection to gypsies.

To reach back in time to make that connection and then berate ppl sounds like someone looking for a fight or a way to make themselves seem better than another.

Same with "spaz" Everyone, and I mean everyone, suffers a spasm of some kind or another (like a cramp) at some time. I get spasms a lot in my feet if I wiggle my toes wrong or when I swim. Should I be offended? No... not in the least. Where did anyone get the idea that "spaz" only refered to epileptics or someone acting like an epileptic? I dated a guy with epilepsyfor a year or so and he never mentioned any kind of connection. Again, I think someone's looking for an argument.

To some extent I like the Mexicans' lack of PC... (except when it comes to themselves and estadounidenses.... then quite a few catch the PC bug). I dont like being called "guerita" or "gordita" but if I got worked up over it every time I heard it, I'd be crazy by now (be that PC or not).

seanie · Joined: 28 Nov 2003 Posts: 54 Location: m�xico

I remember one time I was buying a car in Spain. Somebody advised me to buy one in his city instead of Seville (where I was living) because a lot of Sevillanos were "gitanos" (meaning, they'd cheat you); so the word is used the same way in Spain too.

In Mexico, the word I really don't like is "naco", and I'm somewhat put off by people who use it to describe others.

thelmadatter · Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2006 10:38 pm Post subject: word

funny, isnt it... how words are offensive or not, depending on who is using it with whom and WHY.

Maybe its not the word itself that is offensive but the speakers intention. Ive been called gringo as a joke and even with affection, and Ive been called "estadounidense" with dripping ire....

So why get worked up over something when no one means offense. A simple, "can you please not use that word in front of me?" should suffice.... but when people go into tirades meant to berate or belittle someone as racist/bigoted/whatever... then I have to wonder who is really insulting and/or abusing whom.

cwc · Joined: 16 Nov 2005 Posts: 372

Dragonlady · Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2006 2:04 am Post subject:

deleted

unrelated to TESOL

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

and what about women? Can't they be flogged too? I'm offended. Wink

grahamcito · Joined: 11 Sep 2004 Posts: 90 Location: Guadalajara

Some people get offended by the �cultural imperialism� of English being taught in non-English-speaking countries.

Maybe we should try to make them feel better by abolishing EFL ...

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

cwc says:

M@tt · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 473 Location: here and there

ooh, i think this thread went an entire day without any new posts, and i was all excited that it might just slide quietly down the list and into oblivion.

what are the origins of naco? it's one word that is so very mexican and defies translation, or even clear explanation. i didn't realize that its origin could also be offensive (or is it just its use that bothers you? i thought it was like "gauche" but stronger).

by the way, i checked with a friend who works in a health center with epileptics (this is in the US) and she said she has never heard anything about the word spaz being offensive. she was mighty irritated by the idea that people would raise a stink about it, too. i think that whole tangent is only relevant to the UK.

how in the world would we go about not using EVERY word that might be insulting? seems a bit far-fetched, considering the way almost any word can be turned into an insult. but maybe you're talking about something completely different?
i haven't been flogged in a good many years so excuse me if i'm a bit slow to catch on.

MELEE · Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2006 2:15 pm Post subject:

An old "friend" of mine is a journalist now living in Naco, Arizona, he wrote an article on the word, you can find it here

Just for the record, I also grew up saying jip, with no idea until I was in university that the word came from gypsy. And get this, in the town I grew up in, Italian sausage sandwiches were called guinie grinders I had know idea what so ever where they name came from until I was in university and some people were talking about them and I said, "Oh, like guinie grinders" and their jaws dropped.

Now I don't use either or those terms, but I agree that an insult is in the intent of the speaker not the word.