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Nigger is bad word but Gypsy is OK

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Cyrillic

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Why is it in the USA bad thing to say nigger to Blacks or Indian to Native American but Gypsy to Romani people is OK in English? Romani is even underlined with this read line as mistake! Isn't this wrong?

And don't let me start talking about other minorities that aren't respected in English.
 
Wow...its a bad thing in a forum too.
 
if i call them gypsy ,i dont mean to refer to any negative attribute ,i like the pronunciation of gypsy.
 
Medusa said:
if i call them gypsy ,i dont mean to refer to any negative attribute ,i like the pronunciation of gypsy.
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If I call them niggers, I don't mean to refer to any negative attribute, I like the pronunciation of nigger

Get the point?
 
Cyrillic said:
If I call them niggers, I don't mean to refer to any negative attribute, I like the pronunciation of nigger

Get the point?
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gypsy isnt used to insult gypsies..get the point

gitano is used in spanish to refer to gypsies,no problem.
 
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Its because gypsies aren't people.
 
I think there are negative connotations associated with the word gypsy but I also think that it is a bit romanticized in American culture. Many of us highly value the ability to move around and start anew, which is one meaning "Gypsy" has here. Staying within an extended family that can travel all the time and having the ability to adapt to a variety of elements is the wonderous version a person may think of when referring to gypsies. There is also a mysteriousness which make the Romani interesting to many people.

Others may think of the negative stories they have heard. I don't know of many who use the word with harm being the intention, but I will be more aware of it now.

Are the Romani nomadic elsewhere or is it due to adaptation from persecution?
 
all I know is that when I was a young city prosecutor near cincinnati we always had massive increases in theft and con games reported when the "gypsies" came to town. The King of the "Gypsies" is buried in famous spring grove cemetery and his people would come every spring to pay their respects. They were similar to the Irish travelers who engaged in seasonal scams as well. Years ago I read an interesting story about a guy who was the current king of the gypsies-he lived in NYC and was a cab driver-the story noted that unlike many others in his society, "he wasn't afraid of hard work". he told stories that as a young child his parents would take him to jewelry stores and he became adept at swallowing diamonds etc


On a list of things to worry about-calling these people gypsies ranks about 343rd
 
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Cyrillic said:
If I call them niggers, I don't mean to refer to any negative attribute, I like the pronunciation of nigger

Get the point?
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What point? That American English is constantly changing and contains words that are more or less offensive than other words, just like in every other language in the world?
 
X Factor said:
What point? That American English is constantly changing and contains words that are more or less offensive than other words, just like in every other language in the world?
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Yes! From now on you should call Serbs - Nebeski narod and you will have to use all 7 cases when referring to us.

I am just saying that there is discrimination in this that's all.
 
Cyrillic said:
If I call them niggers, I don't mean to refer to any negative attribute, I like the pronunciation of nigger

Get the point?
Click to expand...

No, you're being a racist. The only point of using the term is to insult black people.

EDIT: Grammar
 
X Factor said:
What point? That American English is constantly changing and contains words that are more or less offensive than other words, just like in every other language in the world?
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Whether it's regarded as "sensitivity" or "political correctness," it's not okay to refer to "jewing somebody down" or "gypping" someone. To be fair, I don't think most people realize that "gypping" is an ethnic slur.
 
Cyrillic said:
Yes! From now on you should call Serbs - Nebeski narod and you will have to use all 7 cases when referring to us.
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All 7 cases of what?

I am just saying that there is discrimination in this that's all.
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Ok, I'm sure that's true. Language is a funny thing. It's constantly changing and something that wasn't offensive 20 years ago is offensive today (and vice versa). Few, if any, slurs in English have the emotional impact that "nigger" does. It may not be logical or consistent but that's the way it is.
 

Gypsy is used as a basic term to refer to a person or group of people who live outside of societal structure or norms: in the US we also have gypsies and they *call* their selves "gypsy" when they're referring to their self and their lifestyle in English.

In other countries it might have a different meaning or connotation - but to people in the US it just refers to a lifestyle. . . it's not an insult or derogatory against a whole race of people (etc): just a description.

It's also a style of music to other people, and a style of dress to some.

Nigger, however, is used as a derogatory against all blacks - a blanket groups - it doesn't denote a lifestyle, attitude, style of music or way of life: it's just a slang and offensive term for blacks.

Huge difference, if you ask me.
 
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nota bene said:
Whether it's regarded as "sensitivity" or "political correctness," it's not okay to refer to "jewing somebody down" or "gypping" someone. To be fair, I don't think most people realize that "gypping" is an ethnic slur.
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I hadn't heard the phrase "jewing someone down" until I read it fairly recently (maybe even here). If it was something widely used, it's not any more, probably because it's offensive nature is obvious. "Gyppted" (however you spell it) is part of the American lexicon, and you're right, I doubt most people even consider where it's from.
 
It might be something peculiar to the USofA. Since we had slavery based on race far longer than Europe, using slurs of other European immigrants like Kike, WOP, Spic, Mick, and Dago pale in comparison to slurs we use for black folk.

I'm from Oklahoma, out here the term Gypsy is a lifestyle not a certain nationality. A footloose and wanderlust person who is an explorer not interested in settling down. I have heard of a group of folks who are called Gypsies who engage in somewhat scandalous behavior, but again I never thought of those gypsies as ALL folks from a certain country or area anymore than all Irish are 'Travelers'.

Just the ones showing up to redo your roof but want most the money upfront-
 
I've run into this before: people just don't realize that sometimes a racist derogatory in one language isn't the same racist derogatory in another langauge. . . it would be impossible to limit language to control for international slangs and terms of this sort. It should be considered regionally - and if something is considered foul in one region but not in another you need to make an effort to udnerstand it.

I remember my sister going to Switzerland for the summer and being shocked that '****' is used like 'oh man' or 'geesh' - and everyone was saying '****' all the time. LOL - it's just not a bad curseword over there. . . the minister even said it in church: she was horrified. . . but came to understand the cultural difference. She didn't start *using* it but was at least able ot understand that words take on different meanings and uses as you travel.
 
Also, in England I could say "I'm gonna go suck on a Fag" and no one would think twice about it. Not the same as if it is uttered here in states
 
WI Crippler said:
Also, in England I could say "I'm gonna go suck on a Fag" and no one would think twice about it. Not the same as if it is uttered here in states
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It's not gay if you do it in the U.K.!

That's why I say, "They aren't gay, they're British." :lol:
 

I've been in certain situations where I was informed that "gypsy" is often considered derogatory :shrug:
 
In America we call them carnies.
 
Gypsy is the English pronunciation of the word. It's no more racist than calling Un Francais "French". As a gypsy friend (I checked) just said: All Romany are gypsy, but many gypsies aren't Roma!
 
I don't believe in bad words, especially words that are used by the group to refer to themselves. So yeah, you want to say nigger or gypsy, knock yourself out. Doesn't bother me a bit.
 
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