# "NORKS," OK or an insult? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [April 15, 2017, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/norks-ok-or-an-insult/784529 "2017-04-15T22:04:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2017, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/norks-ok-or-an-insult/784529/1 "2017-04-15T22:04:45Z")
In this thread in Great Debates about nuclear testing, several posters refer to the North Koreans as “NORKS” and also make references to “Norkville.” [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=823910](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=823910) 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. > [@Sony cancels "The Interview"; Wise or Foolish?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sony-cancels-the-interview-wise-or-foolish/707669/47): > > Given the multiple unflattering meanings of the word “nork,” let’s refrain from using it in Grreat Debates. > [Urban Dictionary: Norks](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=nork) > > [/Moderating] [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=17991945&postcount=47](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=17991945&postcount=47) 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. And before anyone asks, yes I did report it. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2017, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/norks-ok-or-an-insult/784529/2 "2017-04-15T22:18:01Z")
I find it is useful shorthand for identifying Rush Limbaugh fans and their ilk. Similar when “Chi-coms” is used instead of Chinese. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2017, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/norks-ok-or-an-insult/784529/3 "2017-04-15T22:27:46Z")
If an North Korean drops by and feels insulted, we’ll stop using it. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2017, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/norks-ok-or-an-insult/784529/4 "2017-04-15T22:34:11Z")
I’m not sure that’s the right standard, in all seriousness. If it’s pejorative, we shouldn’t use it, whether or not a North Korean is here to object. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2017, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/norks-ok-or-an-insult/784529/5 "2017-04-15T22:36:24Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > If an North Korean drops by and feels insulted, we’ll stop using it. As I said, I’m not offended if people keep saying “norks.” Use it all you want. I’m just curious if there’s an official policy on the word. No, I’m not North Korean myself. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2017, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/norks-ok-or-an-insult/784529/6 "2017-04-16T00:15:55Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2017, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/norks-ok-or-an-insult/784529/7 "2017-04-16T01:17:51Z")
I thought the (general) rule was against insulting other posters, not insulting people in other countries. It’s very, very unlikely we have any NK posters, or even NK people who lurk. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2017, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/norks-ok-or-an-insult/784529/8 "2017-04-16T01:26:52Z")
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)? ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2017, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/norks-ok-or-an-insult/784529/9 "2017-04-16T01:31:49Z")
“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. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2017, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/norks-ok-or-an-insult/784529/10 "2017-04-16T01:45:41Z")
So you see the dilemma… ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2017, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/norks-ok-or-an-insult/784529/11 "2017-04-16T09:52:30Z")
‘Nork’ is British slang for breasts. I got chided for using ‘Jap’ as shorthand for Japanese. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2017, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/norks-ok-or-an-insult/784529/12 "2017-04-16T10:25:21Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2017, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/norks-ok-or-an-insult/784529/13 "2017-04-16T13:22:47Z")
The first time I saw it I took it to mean “North Korean gook”, an obvious insult. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2017, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/norks-ok-or-an-insult/784529/14 "2017-04-16T13:25:01Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > If an North Korean drops by and feels insulted, we’ll stop using it. Should happen any minute now. The Internet is real popular there. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2017, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/norks-ok-or-an-insult/784529/15 "2017-04-16T14:41:00Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > ‘Nork’ is British slang for breasts. It is? What’s the history of that? Legit curious. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2017, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/norks-ok-or-an-insult/784529/16 "2017-04-16T14:54:49Z")
It’s Australian in origin and one site has this: > [@](#): > > Derived from the prominent udders on the cow used to advertise Norco, New South Wales’ North Coast Dairy Co-Operative. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2017, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/norks-ok-or-an-insult/784529/17 "2017-04-16T15:22:01Z")
NORK= **Nor** th **K** orea SKOR: **S** outh **Kor** ea ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2017, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/norks-ok-or-an-insult/784529/18 "2017-04-16T15:26:46Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2017, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/norks-ok-or-an-insult/784529/19 "2017-04-16T15:30:56Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > NORK= **Nor** th **K** orea > > SKOR: **S** outh **Kor** ea As to your latter abbreviation: I’m trying to find the term online, but the closest I can find is “S.Kor” for South Korea. What is your source? ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2017, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/norks-ok-or-an-insult/784529/20 "2017-04-16T15:46:42Z")
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). Here’s a 2005 thread discussing it: > **[Is it socially "OK" to call North Korean enemies "Norks"?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=299045)** > > …I mean, like if we ever go to war with North Korea. I’m just wondering if “Nork” (from NORth Korean. And no, I didn’t make it up myself.) would be a socially acceptible nickname (Like “Charlie” or “Yank,” and whatnot) or if it’d be considered really... It shows up in the Racial Slurs database: [The Racial Slur Database](http://www.rsdb.org/race/north_koreans) 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. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/norks-ok-or-an-insult/784529.md?page=2)