I understand people are using it as shorthand for North Korea, and are not using it insultingly, but I also recall tomndebb issuing a mod note to someone using the term a couple of years ago.
So, what’s the policy on the word “NORKS” being used in Great Debates? Given tomndebb’s cite in his mod note, should people avoid the term altogether? It does have some insulting meanings that could be completely unintended. Also, it could be compared to calling the Japanese “Japs” as was common during WW II. Should people fully write out the words North Koreans?
I don’t have any dog in the fight or care if people use the word norks. I can see it as useful shorthand. I’m just looking for clarification from the GD mods as to whether the word is still frowned on in the forum. I’m not trying to impose political correctness on anybody.
I saw the usage and it didn’t register as a pejorative to me, though I admit there are probably lots I’m not aware of. Given Tom’s earlier comment I think it’s fine to recommend avoiding though I’m not sure I’d moderate it. I’ll ask around.
By that logic, we could use “coon” while all the blacks were off the board. I thought there were certain types of terms, like racial slurs, that we didn’t use ever.
That said, I thought it was just a short-hand until this thread got started.
So, which is it, a sexual act/slur applied to North Koreans, and therefore inappropriate, or short-hand based on the initials of the country? Is it used towards anyone else (that would be one yardstick)?
“North Koreans”. Too many letters, man, who has time to type all that out? Just like it’s very common to refer to South Koreans as “Souks”. That’s a thing, right? I mean, otherwise, it might sound like a simple minded word trick used to diminish the humanity of a group of people.
I almost fell foul of the Japs rule as it isn’t derogatory in the UK, at least not yet though I strongly suspect it will get there soon. As for Norks I wasn’t really aware of it. I see no harm in it but then I see no harm in Japs either. Anyway surely offending North Koreans is the last thing the board should be concerned with. If the Japanese are offended by Japs that’s fair enough, they’re our friends and allies. But the North Koreans detest us and would gladly obliterate us if they had the power. Why should we care what they think?
I’ve been using NorKo for a while. It’s meant to be silly and demeaning, but not racist/insulting.
It’s a nation of programmed assholes who probably can’t be saved from two generations of Dear Leaders. It’s going to take a generation of de/reprogramming before they have a future that doesn’t involve radioactive glass.
I had never heard the term before this thread. Poking around on google it looks like Nork has been around for quite some time, but it’s not very common, and alternate meanings show up more often than the North Korean meaning (the Australian slang for breasts being more common).
It seems to me that even though most people using it don’t think it’s that bad of a term, it’s still in the same general group as Nip, Jap, Kraut, Paki, etc.