Until I started working at my present place of employment, I’d never really heard anyone use the term JAP. I knew what the letters stood for (Jewish American Princess/Prince) but I never really knew in what context it would be used. I assumed it was negative, however.
Since I’ve been here, I’ve heard two people use the word JAP and both were Jewish. In the first incident, a coworker and I were talking about summer camp. She was telling me about the camp she attended as a child. It was on Long Island and some of the girls were snobby and formed cliques. She told me she didn’t really like camp as she never really learned how to be a JAP. I just glossed over the use of the term but was a bit surprised.
The second incident involved one of the attorneys acting like a spoiled brat. He was ranting and raving in my office to me (about something or other, I can’t remember) and another attorney over heard it. When the brat left my office, the other attorney stuck his head in and said, “He’s such a JAP” and rolled his eyes.
Now, I don’t, haven’t and probably won’t use this term. I just call a person acting like a spoiled brat, well, a spoiled brat, or maybe an asshole, depending on the situation. Is the calling someone a JAP like calling someone PWT or ghetto?
Admittedly, I’ve called that type of white person PWT or that type of black person ghetto. I’ve had conversations with white people who use the term PWT and my husband I use the term ghetto quite often.
So, Jewish dopers, do you use the term JAP when talking amongst yourselves? Do you use it when talking to a non-Jewish person? Would you be offended if a non-Jewish person used it to describe a bratty Jewish person?
[sub]This can be discussed outside of Great Debates, right?[/sub]
Actually, I have never heard this term applied to Jewish people, in any context. I have only heard it used to refer to Japanese people in a semi-disparaging context, usually in materials dating from WWII.
I’ve also heard motorcycle enthusiasts use it to refer to products made by Suzuki, Yamaha, etc., as “Jap bikes.” This usage is not meant to be disparaging, as far as I can tell.
I’m Jewish, I’ve used the term “JAP”, and I don’t find it offensive in the least. I’ve always understood it to be a code acronym to be used amongst people who have a pretty good idea of what you’re talking about.
Now, “Jap” as a term for “Japanese” is offensive, as is “Nip” (from Nipponese). It’s just about showing respect, not about being PC.
I can’t beleive y’all never heard of this term! You never saw the SNL paordy ad for J.A.P. Jeans? I’m in Texas, and we ain’t even got many Jews hereabouts, and I’ve heard of it. Of course, I’ve never used it, and haven’t the slightest clue how offensive it is, but if I had to guess, I’d estimate it to be about as offensive as W.A.S.P.
That said, I did think this thread was going to be about the more-common “Jap,” and was prepared to disparage its use for people, but defend its usefulness as an abbrevated adjective of origin for things.
Whenever you’re considering the use or disuse of certain words or phrases in everyday speech and how it might offend certain groups or individuals, you are indeed talking about political correctness.
I went to a heavily Jewish university even though I am not Jewish myself. My Jewish friends used to use the term all the time to denote a certain type of behavior that can only be described as, well, Jappy. They didn’t seem to think that it was offensive although it is certainly not a flattering term in most people’s mind.
The difference between “Jap” and other ethnic slurs is that it refers more to a certain type of behavior and a way of dressing and speaking than something inherent in their ethnicity. No one ever claims that all Jewish females are Japs but I have certainly met plenty of real people that fit the stereotype quite well.
Another reason why it isn’t all that offensive is that it applies to an affluent group of people. You don’t get to be a Jap by being poor. The best candidates for Japhood are raised on Long Island by rather wealthy professional parents and probably got a BMW as a high school graduation present.
I’m from Long Island, NY, the home of the people being described. The term was big for a while, but it’s not really that popular anymore since essentially it’s just a way of saying a rich, spoiled bitch. And Shagnasty is right that plenty of them aren’t Jewish. It’s more of a slur for Long Island girls, and as I said, I don’t hear it that much these days.
I’m Jewish. I use the term occasionally. It’s not really nice, but it’s not that offensive, either. I’d probably be offended if someone called me a JAP, cause I am most emphatically not one.
And by the by, avoiding words that offend people isn’t “political correctness,” it’s called manners. To use terms that you know are going to cause offense is unbelievably rude. Didn’t your mother teach you any better than that?
I meant to add that JAP, at least at this point, has nothing to do with Judaism, it’s just a term for spoiled Long Island girls, who have a culture (if you want to call it that) of their own. Plenty of the girls we called/thought of as JAPS in high school weren’t Jewish. That’s why “bitch” is better.
By the way, nobody with that much money gets a BMW as a graduation present. It’s a 16th birthday present. If it was a grad present, you wouldn’t be able to drive it to school and impress everybody.
The term was big for a while, but it’s not really that popular anymore since essentially it’s just a way of saying a rich, spoiled bitch. And Shagnasty is right that plenty of them aren’t Jewish. It’s more of a slur for Long Island girls, and as I said, I don’t hear it that much these days.