Question. Can you name some commonly used phrases, used in everyday life, that ppl don't realize are offensive? Here are some of mine:

• Indian Giver- I feel is offensive to Indian's and Native Americans , saying that they take back gifts they give out to someone.
• Joshing- Joshing You: Came from the Jewish name "Joshua" and is used to imply that you are dishonest, a cheat, or misleading. Meaning Jewish people are dish... R all the Joshua's in the world, dishonest, and always messing around?
• Nigger-Rigged- To rig something up half assed so that it works well enough, but doesn't work the way it is supposed to... ex: I had to nigger rigup my cd player in my car.
• Indian Burn/Chinese Burn - Offensive to Indian's and Chinese ppl. Saying that they like 2 hurt unsuspecting ppl....
• Jimmy- Saying that all the Jimmy's of the world break in2 things.
• Blonde Moment- Saying that blonde's are ditsy.
• Go Dutch- Saying that the Dutch don't like to treat, especially on a date.

*You may not agree w/me on some of these... but this is my opinion... what' your's???

[Edited 11/5/11 14:05pm]

I accept all your points but one.

Jimmy (as you say in the US) comes from the word Jemmy which is a type of crowbar and to jemmy (or jimmy) something open is to use said tool. Therefore is only offensive to people who use the tool for other purposes than burglary.

I can't think of any others to add to your list at the moment, but will return if I do.

the word "gyp" like "I was gypped." -- having to do with Gypsies and the idea that they are dishonest thieves and lower class. I think most people really have no idea this could be considered offensive.

Along the same lines (and more obviously offensive, imo) -- "to Jew" as in "I Jewed him down to $50."

"Wolf Tickets" is offensive to Wolves.....

"brown Nose" is offensive to the color brown, noses & bowel movement...

"Cow Boy" is offensive to Cows...

[Edited 11/5/11 15:22pm]

Indian giver is a term I used in my youth-but no longer use because of the implications.

Never heard the rigged background story-it doesn't equate to me , seems like a stretch to me.

Indian burn is another not cool phrase.

Besides bleach blonds are really not blond are they?

I'll add that's so gay. Implying that something or someone is dumb/stupid.

"Rule of thumb." Believed to come from a rule in which it is ok to beat your wife with something as long as

that something is no wider then your thumb.

Colder than a Witch's tit

Machaela said:

Nothinbutjoy said:

Machaela said:

Colder than a Witch's tit

I'm sorry!! I just find it funny you mentioning that on. I'm sorry! I don't say it.

My tits are NOT cold TYVM !

Tittypants said:

"Wolf Tickets" is offensive to Wolves.....

"brown Nose" is offensive to the color brown, noses & bowel movement...

"Cow Boy" is offensive to Cows...

[Edited 11/5/11 15:22pm]

U never disappoint...

Machaela said:

Colder than a Witch's tit

I've heard that sayin.. but witches arent real

MrBartolozzi said:

I accept all your points but one.

Jimmy (as you say in the US) comes from the word Jemmy which is a type of crowbar and to jemmy (or jimmy) something open is to use said tool. Therefore is only offensive to people who use the tool for other purposes than burglary.

I can't think of any others to add to your list at the moment, but will return if I do.

Pls do... thanks for ur insight on the word jimmy.. it makes sense

jone70 said:

the word "gyp" like "I was gypped." -- having to do with Gypsies and the idea that they are dishonest thieves and lower class. I think most people really have no idea this could be considered offensive.

Along the same lines (and more obviously offensive, imo) -- "to Jew" as in "I Jewed him down to $50."

Thanks for that.. I knew that I forgot a couple... especially one.. when someone asks you are you tired or high.. and u reply, no my eyes are naturally "chinky"- that is offensive to Chinese ppl.

LadyCasanova said:

"Rule of thumb." Believed to come from a rule in which it is ok to beat your wife with something as long as

that something is no wider then your thumb.

[Edited 11/5/11 19:57pm]

LadyCasanova said:

"Rule of thumb." Believed to come from a rule in which it is ok to beat your wife with something as long as

that something is no wider then your thumb.

I never knew that phrase could be insulting... thanks for that. I learned something new..

kewlschool said:

Indian giver is a term I used in my youth-but no longer use because of the implications.

Never heard the rigged background story-it doesn't equate to me , seems like a stretch to me.

Indian burn is another not cool phrase.

Besides bleach blonds are really not blond are they?

I'll add that's so gay. Implying that something or someone is dumb/stupid.

Yes I agree w/ that's so gay ... but w/the blonde statement.. I was referring to natural blonde's

I wanna add "retarded"- there are those who are mentally ill, but smart. Why must we refer 2 stupid things as retarded..

sunflower7 said:

Machaela said:

Colder than a Witch's tit

I've heard that sayin.. but witches arent real

REALLY now ?

Machaela said:

sunflower7 said:

I've heard that sayin.. but witches arent real

REALLY now ?

Wow...people have different understandings.

I was told that the Jimmy term was related to Jim Crow laws. That is why i didn't use it.

hunky-dory

irish-jig

black sheep of the family

i always wondered about this one.

raining cat's and dogs.

so i looked it up and found that one legend has it - europe, circa 1500's:

You've heard of thatch roofs, well that's all they were. Thick straw, piled high, with no wood underneath. They were the only place for the little animals to get warm. So all the pets; dogs, cats and other small animals, mice, rats, bugs, all lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery so sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof. Thus the saying, "it's raining cats and dogs."

But what about gerry-rigged? I don't know where that comes from. I don't think "rigged" is offensive in and of itself.

And of course the other one is offensive! I doubt anyone misses that. It is patently racist!

[Edited 11/5/11 23:31pm]

SometimesIwonder said:

A term that is still used in the states & not in the UK- Handicapped... The basis of this word comes from a time when people who were disabled, physically or mentally, could not gain employment to earn. So they would resort to begging in the streets with their Cap in their Hand leading to the term handicapped. It's not been used in the UK since the 80's or before, instead is it termed Disabled, which I must admit, I much prefer.

thanks for the info regarding the origin of the word. in some parts of of the u.s., another acceptable term is "impaired." i've wondered if that is an okay term from the disabled person's pov.

jone70 said:

the word "gyp" like "I was gypped." -- having to do with Gypsies and the idea that they are dishonest thieves and lower class. I think most people really have no idea this could be considered offensive.

Along the same lines (and more obviously offensive, imo) -- "to Jew" as in "I Jewed him down to $50."

Gyp actually means a college servant in Cambridge.

The word comes from 'gippo' meaning scullion or cook's boy, but which originally was a man's short tunic.

'Gippo' originates from the french word 'Jupeau'.

Non of this relates to gypsies. We should be careful of not assuming a words meaning based on current lingo.

sunflower7 said:

kewlschool said:

Indian giver is a term I used in my youth-but no longer use because of the implications.

Never heard the rigged background story-it doesn't equate to me , seems like a stretch to me.

Indian burn is another not cool phrase.

Besides bleach blonds are really not blond are they?

I'll add that's so gay. Implying that something or someone is dumb/stupid.

Yes I agree w/ that's so gay ... but w/the blonde statement.. I was referring to natural blonde's

I suspect that the 'blonde moment' actually refers more to bleach blondes as it infers they have to rely on looks rather than brains, and of course gentlemen prefer blondes.

StillGotIt said:

Wow...people have different understandings.

I was told that the Jimmy term was related to Jim Crow laws. That is why i didn't use it.

What is this???

SometimesIwonder said:

A term that is still used in the states & not in the UK- Handicapped... The basis of this word comes from a time when people who were disabled, physically or mentally, could not gain employment to earn. So they would resort to begging in the streets with their Cap in their Hand leading to the term handicapped. It's not been used in the UK since the 80's or before, instead is it termed Disabled, which I must admit, I much prefer.

Disabled suggests unable so is not right.

Invalid suggests not valid so is not right.

Physically or Mentally challenged is patronising so is not right.

Until a definitive term is found we have to accept all terms as long as they are not meant to offend.

MrBartolozzi said:

jone70 said:

the word "gyp" like "I was gypped." -- having to do with Gypsies and the idea that they are dishonest thieves and lower class. I think most people really have no idea this could be considered offensive.

Along the same lines (and more obviously offensive, imo) -- "to Jew" as in "I Jewed him down to $50."

Gyp actually means a college servant in Cambridge.

The word comes from 'gippo' meaning scullion or cook's boy, but which originally was a man's short tunic.

'Gippo' originates from the french word 'Jupeau'.

Non of this relates to gypsies. We should be careful of not assuming a words meaning based on current lingo.

Umm, not according to Mr. Merriam-Webster (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gyp).

The second definition (which is the one I refer to) is:

2a: cheat, swindler b: fraud, swindle

Origin of GYP probably short for gypsy First known use: 1750

The first definition (college servant) is British English and uncommonly used in the US.

I agree we should be careful of not assuming words' meanings; but in this case both definitions are correct. Furthermore, we must consider the word's meaning based on current lingo because meanings change over time and a word that was once innocuous could now be considered offensive or vice-versa.

.

[Edited 11/6/11 7:17am]

free2bfreeda said:

SometimesIwonder said:

A term that is still used in the states & not in the UK- Handicapped... The basis of this word comes from a time when people who were disabled, physically or mentally, could not gain employment to earn. So they would resort to begging in the streets with their Cap in their Hand leading to the term handicapped. It's not been used in the UK since the 80's or before, instead is it termed Disabled, which I must admit, I much prefer.

thanks for the info regarding the origin of the word. in some parts of of the u.s., another acceptable term is "impaired." i've wondered if that is an okay term from the disabled person's pov.

I give tours at a major art museum in New York which offers tours to partially sighted, blind, hard of hearing and deaf groups. In our training of how to work with people of different accessibility levels, we were taught that the word "disability" is more proper (never handicapped) and to use people-first language (emphasize the person, not the disability). For example:

"She has a learning disability" not "She is learning disabled."

"He has diabetes." not "He's a diabetic."

We were told that the deaf and hard of hearing communties perfer those terms ("deaf" or "hard of hearing") to "hearing impaired" and that people with low vision prefer terms such as "low vision" or partially sighted" instead of "visually impaired." Of course, I'm sure there are exceptions to this as not everyone is the same and some people probably don't care one way or the other. But these are generally accepted guidelines.

I haven't actually given any tours to partially sighted/blind groups (yet) but I shadowed my supervisor. It was really interesting; and requires A LOT of creativity and preparation as you might imagine. How do you have a conversation about a painting (which may be something abstract or non-representational) when the group may not be able to see it?

.

[Edited 11/6/11 7:20am]