When I lived in Texas, both my roommates were Canadian. One of them asked me if Mexican was a derogatory term because very often he heard people use it is a derisive manner. I suspect we’re seeing a familiar phenomenon with the word Jew. There’s nothing wrong with using Jew in the proper context.
I am not sure what other word I could possibly use for “Mexican.”
Mexican person? Like Jewish person?
I agree that it’s awkward,
It is a phenomenon I’ve noticed, a general change of usage of group labels from “nounform” to “adjectiveform person/people”, apparently because of the perceived baggage of use of some label nouns, especially out-group use. I have seen for instance in history discussions a trend of the term “slaves” giving way to “enslaved persons”.
“David is jewing me out of my wages” Offensive, and was removed from Sacrabble for being so.
“Ben is a Jew”. Not offensive, was never a Scrabble word as always capitalised.
I don’t really know any other way to say this other than directly: We’ve talked about this. You’re simply not a particularly dedicated or productive worker.
[I’ll show myself to the door now]
I haven’t read the whole thread nor will I. As a Jew, I find the phrase “Jewish person” irritating. Not offensive, just irritating. The reason is that using it suggests that the speaker views the term “Jew” to be derogatory.
Let me mention that my Jewish wife agrees with me completely on this point.
I’ll note that I’m not offended by “Jew” (unless someone is using it as a slur, which is usually obvious). I just find it old fashioned and grating.
Had at least one other thread on this subject. I related the story of a woman who had no idea that the verb ‘jewed’, as in “I jewed him down on the price” was about Jews. She thought it was just some word and fell all over herself apologizing for using it. I can’t tell you how many people have made some comment to me about Jews, almost always derogatory, and followed by “You’re not Jewish are you?”. I don’t identify as such but always answer ‘Yes’ in such circumstances just to see them try to apologize and explain it away.
It’s called the “euphemism treadmill”. Check out Wikipedia’s article on it. Also for dysphemisms.
To be fair, it was only recently that I found out about the verb “gypped”.
In parts of the US, “Mexican” is often used to refer to any person of Hispanic/Latinx heritage, regardless of whether they have any personal or familial connection with Mexico. It’s an “othering” term: “he’s a Mexican, not a REAL American” (even for someone born in the USA, or a family resident in Texas or New Mexico or California since they were Spanish colonies, or of Central American or Puerto Rican or Argentine ancestry). In those cases, yes, it’s derogatory. When used to refer to a citizen of the United Mexican States, it’s probably not.
I find it redundant. Of course Jews are people; there’s no need to remind us of that.
It depends. Anywhere that you could substitute “Democrat” where “Democratic” is called for is offensive, i.e., noun used as adjective.
“Jew” as a verb meaning haggle, steal, snatch away, or other negative association is offensive.
ETA: Once in Hawaii, a store clerk wished me Mele Kalikimaka! I smiled and replied Mele Hanuka! Her face twisted in disgust and she replied that that was for Jews.
I don’t get this one. Are you saying that when an Arab wants to offend Jews he will use the basic word meaning “Jews” in his or her sentence rather than calling them something more offensive? Arabs are, of course, renounced for their powers of creative and filthy insults, but I wouldn’t expect poetry from a racist in any language.
No, I’m saying that when I lived in Israel, I had people refer to me that way in a tone that made it clear they were using it as a slur. Clearly it can be used in other ways in Arabic as well.
Huh, this is the first time I’ve heard anyone suggest that “Jew” is old-fashioned. Fwiw, my very liberal Reform synagogue, in which only about half the members believe in God (based on a poll a really long time ago, but that’s probably a decent guess anyway) routinely uses the word “Jew” to refer to Jews.
Thank you, you are doing God’s work.
I’ll admit that much of that may be my own personal experience; my parents are the sort of Jews (now I’m saying it) who live secularly but like the atmosphere of the orthodox synagogues when they DO go. So my synagogue was always a Chabad one, and that’s who I heard talking about “Jews”.
I also went to youth programs with a much more liberal Reform temple, and to my recollection they did say it but much less frequently. But this might all be my own hang-up rather than any sort of universal truth!
Seems to me that, all politics aside, it would be hard to persuade society to drop a one-syllable word (Jew) in favor of a 4-syllable word (Jewish people/Jewish person.) It would be more tiring to use, just like how many people today still say “black” rather than ‘African-American.’
People don’t really use “black” as a noun. Sometimes in the plural but even that is less acceptable now.