# Italians and WOPS **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 28, 2011, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italians-and-wops/576251 "2011-03-28T13:17:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italians-and-wops/576251/21 "2011-03-28T18:19:00Z")
Hunkie is a derogatory term for Hungarians. Bohunk is similar, covering both Bohemia and Hungary with just one derogatory term. Economical. Gook is simply the Korean word for ‘person, human being’. And while we’re on it, bint is simply the Arabic word for girl. Both of these terms carry neutral connotations, because they refer to all people en masse, and all young females en masse. It’s only when foreign military forces occupying a country learn these words that they decide to make them into slurs. We’ve seen a new instance of this spring up recently: the Americans calling all Iraqis “hajji” to disrespect them. Probably because in Arabic \*hajji \*is a term of great respect. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italians-and-wops/576251/22 "2011-03-28T18:27:11Z")
Hunky may or may not have originated as a slur against Hungarians specifically. In areas where the term is still in use, like Pittsburgh, it now more widely refers to people of central and eastern European extraction. Further, I can’t remember the last time I heard it used as an actual slur. The only people who still use the word at all are the hunkies, of whom I am one, and it is actually somewhat of a self-identifier. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italians-and-wops/576251/23 "2011-03-28T18:53:38Z")
> [@Mach Tuck](#): > > While we’re at it, where does the similarly derogatory term “guinea” (sp?) come from? > > After coming from Italy, much of my family settled in the boroughs of NYC. My uncle used to refer to the Brooklyn Bridge as the “Guinea Gangplank”. My father, a first generation Sicilian American, has referred to himself as a “greasy guinea” on occasion. He grew up near Boston, FTR. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italians-and-wops/576251/24 "2011-03-28T19:26:23Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > Gook is simply the Korean word for ‘person, human being’. And while we’re on it, bint is simply the Arabic word for girl. Both of these terms carry neutral connotations, because they refer to all people en masse, and all young females en masse. It’s only when foreign military forces occupying a country learn these words that they decide to make them into slurs. We’ve seen a new instance of this spring up recently: the Americans calling all Iraqis “hajji” to disrespect them. Probably because in Arabic \*hajji \*is a term of great respect. It’s the same with Polack. It comes from the Polish word “polak”, meaning a person from Poland. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italians-and-wops/576251/25 "2011-03-28T19:28:38Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > Hunky may or may not have originated as a slur against Hungarians specifically. In areas where the term is still in use, like Pittsburgh, it now more widely refers to people of central and eastern European extraction. Further, I can’t remember the last time I heard it used as an actual slur. The only people who still use the word at all are the hunkies, of whom I am one, and it is actually somewhat of a self-identifier. Hunk or hunky as an ethnic slur is probably a clipping of Bohunk, i.e., person of Czech extraction, Bohemian as an ethnicvity. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italians-and-wops/576251/26 "2011-03-28T19:49:51Z")
> [@](#): > > The standard rule is that nearly all etymologies that claim to show that an English word comes from an acronym are wrong if the supposed acronym was coined before World War I. This business turning of acronyms into words didn’t really get started until World War I (and didn’t really get into high gear until World War II). Other than “OK” and “Nabisco”, of course. And before anyone mentions “Ichthos”, the word predated the acronym, and so isn’t the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Romeo\_and\_Whatsherface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@Romeo\_and\_Whatsherface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Romeo_and_Whatsherface)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italians-and-wops/576251/27 "2011-03-28T20:03:59Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > My father, a first generation Sicilian American, has referred to himself as a “greasy guinea” on occasion. He grew up near Boston, FTR. My sister looked this up not long ago, after one of my students said to me, “No kidding! You’re a guinea?” So the term is still around, although that’s the first I’ve heard it in a couple of decades. I’ve heard “wop” more recently. I still find them both ridiculous and offensive. I don’t have a cite since I didn’t research it myself, but “guinea” is supposed to be a shortened version of the term “Guinea African,” referring to the dark skin [relative, I assume, to the speaker’s] tone of some Italians. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italians-and-wops/576251/28 "2011-03-28T22:33:19Z")
My mother’s side has some Norwegian ancestry and my mom’s mom always said that ‘troll’ was used as a slur for Norwegians. Has anyone else heard that? In any event, I also come from a line of krauts, which is interesting as it’s one of the few food-based ethnic slurs I know of. The other is rosbif, for ‘roast beef’, which is an old French slur against the British. Others? ---
**Author:** ![SanDiegoTim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@SanDiegoTim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanDiegoTim)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italians-and-wops/576251/29 "2011-03-28T23:44:47Z")
Where/when I grew up (North Side, Chicago/1950s-60s), a Wop was a Sicilian and a Dago heritage was Italian. I’m the former. ---
**Author:** ![Apollyon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/apollyon/32/4238_2.png) [@Apollyon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollyon)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italians-and-wops/576251/30 "2011-03-29T02:26:22Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > Gook is simply the Korean word for ‘person, human being’. And while we’re on it, bint is simply the Arabic word for girl. Both of these terms carry neutral connotations, because they refer to all people en masse, and all young females en masse. It’s only when foreign military forces occupying a country learn these words that they decide to make them into slurs. Just a question from the context of your answer – perhaps reading too much into it – has “Bint” recently acquired a more serious derogatory aspect? I’m only familiar with it in a more humorous vein: [QUOTE=Monty Python] Oh but if I went ‘round sayin’ I was Emperor, just because some **moistened bint** lobbed a scimitar at me, they’d put me away. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Apollyon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/apollyon/32/4238_2.png) [@Apollyon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollyon)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italians-and-wops/576251/31 "2011-03-29T02:31:15Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > …one of the few food-based ethnic slurs I know of. The other is rosbif, for ‘roast beef’, which is an old French slur against the British. Others? Limeys? Garlic-eaters? Frog too, for that matter. Banana? Coconut? Oreo? ---
**Author:** ![Pyper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pyper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pyper)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italians-and-wops/576251/32 "2011-03-29T02:35:01Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > My mother’s side has some Norwegian ancestry and my mom’s mom always said that ‘troll’ was used as a slur for Norwegians. Has anyone else heard that? > > In any event, I also come from a line of krauts, which is interesting as it’s one of the few food-based ethnic slurs I know of. The other is rosbif, for ‘roast beef’, which is an old French slur against the British. Others? “Beaner” for Mexicans. What about “frogs” for French (maybe referring to their habit of frog-eating)? ---
**Author:** ![Apollyon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/apollyon/32/4238_2.png) [@Apollyon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollyon)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italians-and-wops/576251/33 "2011-03-29T02:39:24Z")
Curry-muncher. BTW, these are _not_ off the top of my head… well, mostly not… 🙂 Wiki: [List of ethnic slurs](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ethnic_slurs). ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italians-and-wops/576251/34 "2011-03-29T04:16:26Z")
> [@Pyper](#): > > “Beaner” for Mexicans. What about “frogs” for French (maybe referring to their habit of frog-eating)? Right. I really ought to have remembered those. **Apollyon** : ‘Limeys’ as well. ‘Banana’, ‘Coconut’, and ‘Oreo’ are more cultural than racial, perhaps. I’ve never heard of ‘Garlic-eaters’ or ‘Curry-munchers’, myself. ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italians-and-wops/576251/35 "2011-03-29T04:21:21Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > And before anyone mentions “Ichthos”, the word predated the acronym, and so isn’t the same thing. Wait, what? The acronym is real? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italians-and-wops/576251/36 "2011-03-29T06:20:50Z")
Yes, the acronym is real and it’s, as **Chronos** says, a backronym of sorts. The ancient Christians started using fishes as a symbol because of the connection with the original profession of several of the apostles, of the “I’ll make you fishers of men” (paraphrased from Spanish and from memory) and of the acronym, which I guess someone kind of bored came up with (no boob tube back then, you know). ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italians-and-wops/576251/37 "2011-03-29T11:30:32Z")
> [@Apollyon](#): > > has “Bint” recently acquired a more serious derogatory aspect? > > I’m only familiar with it in a more humorous vein The mildly derogatory is fertile ground for humor. The term is unknown in American English, except among fans of that one movie. According to a British book about sexist language, \*Womanwords \*by Jane Mills, \*bint \*was learned by British forces occupying Egypt, and they used it as slang for prostitute. Mills says the connotation has “ameliorated slightly,” but is still kind of derogatory. ---
**Author:** ![Apollyon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/apollyon/32/4238_2.png) [@Apollyon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollyon)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italians-and-wops/576251/38 "2011-03-29T23:29:38Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > **Apollyon** : ‘Limeys’ as well. ‘Banana’, ‘Coconut’, and ‘Oreo’ are more cultural than racial, perhaps. I’ve never heard of ‘Garlic-eaters’ or ‘Curry-munchers’, myself. It all gets a bit mixed up: race / culture / ethnicity. Would “Limey” get applied to a Brit of West Indian origin? Would “Banana” get applied to someone who _wasn’t_ Asian? (Actually not one I’m familiar with outside of the Wiki list). Not rhetorical questions; I’m really don’t know. “Coconut” tended to get used locally for Polynesians (and without regard for them “acting White”… whatever that means) – though I haven’t heard it lately, thankfully. “Curry-muncher” feels a couple of generations old… haven’t heard it for ages, and can only really imagine it in the mouth of some British equivalent of Archie Bunker. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italians-and-wops/576251/39 "2011-03-30T00:16:01Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > In Southeast Michigan, with its very large Polish immigrant community, the slur is generally spelled Polack, (hey! it was good enough for Shakespeare). Do they sled a lot in SE Michigan? 🙂 One commentator w/ too much time on his hands suggested that Shakespeare really “meant” “pole-axes” a heretofore non-existent weapon. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italians-and-wops/576251/40 "2011-03-30T12:22:41Z")
> [@Apollyon](#): > > …“Curry-muncher” feels a couple of generations old… haven’t heard it for ages, and can only really imagine it in the mouth of some British equivalent of Archie Bunker. 🙂 Obviously one who’s never noticed his pale-faced countrymen lining up to buy Indian food after a night at the pub! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italians-and-wops/576251.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italians-and-wops/576251.md?page=3)