# Older Words Deemed Not Politically Correct **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 5, 2004, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680 "2004-07-05T19:25:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2004, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/41 "2004-07-07T06:07:52Z")
> [@Machetero](#): > > How bad is that? I’ve worked closely with several black women, and they have always used “black” and never seemed offended when I had occassion to use the term. Been discussed on the board before - black as a noun (and blacks as a collective noun) are the potentially-offensive use. Adjectivally it’s fine. (ie it’s better to talk about ‘a black person’ rather than ‘a black’) ---
**Author:** ![Manatee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/50afbb/32.png) [@Manatee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manatee)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2004, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/42 "2004-07-07T07:02:58Z")
Recently I’ve been getting gasps from students when I use some variation on “a chink in his armor.” ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2004, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/43 "2004-07-07T08:10:45Z")
> [@yosemite](#): > > I got reamed out by a bunch of PC police types because I used “squaw” once. I’ve read old western novels, I’ve seen old Western TV and movies. That’s the term they used. It sure didn’t mean “cunt” then, did it? It never did and still doesn’t. Like I said, some cunt named [Susan Harjo](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/000317.html) made it up. Some people just desperately want to be offended by everything. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2004, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/44 "2004-07-07T09:45:07Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > It never did and still doesn’t. Like I said, some cunt named [Susan Harjo](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/000317.html) made it up. > > Some people just desperately want to be offended by everything. Some of the old westerns I viewed did sometimes use “squaw” as a slur of sorts—kind of on the level of “broad” or “chick,” but it sure as hell wasn’t on the level of “cunt.” And a lot of times it was not an insult at all, merely a word for woman. Thank you for that link which explains it all. ---
**Author:** ![NutMagnet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea5d25/32.png) [@NutMagnet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NutMagnet)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2004, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/45 "2004-07-07T12:58:53Z")
So what the hell do you call (what used to be called) a jew’s harp? Mouth harp? Lip harp? Oral harp? ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2004, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/46 "2004-07-07T13:28:18Z")
> [@NutMagnet](#): > > So what the hell do you call (what used to be called) a jew’s harp? > Mouth harp? > Lip harp? > Oral harp? [Jaw harp](http://www.davidholt.com/music/playjawharp.html). Incidentally, that’s the most common term I’ve ever heard for it, since being taught about it nearly 30 years ago. As for most of the words in the OP, I believe he’s confusing “political correctness” with politeness. Very few of those words have ever been considered acceptable to call someone that to their face unless offense was intended. ---
**Author:** ![Beauty\_Personified](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@Beauty\_Personified](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beauty_Personified)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2004, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/47 "2004-07-07T21:27:01Z")
“Greenback!” _That’s_ the word. Thanks, **Cisco**. 🙂 The efforts to change place names which use the word “squaw” really annoy me. It’s unnecessary and a waste of people’s money. I can understand changing the name of Nigger Mesa, but Squaw Lake? If there’s something else in the name that makes it offensive (e.g. Squaw Humper Creek), then I can understand. Then there are names like Bastard Creek and Whorehouse Meadow. (I think the people in Whorehouse Creek tried to fight the name change there.) Please correct me if I’m wrong, but one big difference between “squaw” and “nigger” is that “squaw” was an actual indian word, used by indians; while “nigger” was a word used by whites to describe their slaves. BTW, last I heard, indians didn’t like the term “Native American”, since “America” was the name given to their homeland by the people who appropriated it. I know they prefer to be identified by the name of their particular tribes. I have no idea what they’d prefer to be called as a whole. I believe it’s First Nations people in Canada. (First Nationals?) **FisherQueen** - _“Mental retardation?”_ Whoa! There’s a classic politically incorrect term. Of course, I have no idea what they’re using now. “Sissy” - While I too am more familiar with the term as a synonym for “wimpy”, I suspect the word was originally a derivative of “sister”. In that sense, it was likely used in the past to imply that someone was effemiate. “Garbage man” and “housewife” - Those would be “sanitation engineer” and “homemaker”. I believe both “house” and “wife” were problematic in the eyes of feminist zealots. They didn’t like the idea that women were expected to stay at home, raising the kids and doing housework; despite the fact that that’s what many women did (and still do). And they didn’t like the fact that a man would refer to a woman as “_their_ wife”. That implies ownership. Nevermind the fact that women use the same terminology when describing “_their_ husbands”. I just looked up “wife” on [Dictionary.com](http://Dictionary.com) and got a nice list of synonyms… _apron better half bride concubine consort cooney dame dowager headache helpmate helpmeet housewife lady little woman madam mama mat mate matron missis Mrs. old lady other half partner rib roommate spouse squaw wifey_ Hoo-Wee! We could have a field day with a lot of those. 😃 Personally, I prefer the term “wench”. 😉 Anyhoo… ---
**Author:** ![Rodd\_Hill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3ab097/32.png) [@Rodd\_Hill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodd_Hill)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2004, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/48 "2004-07-07T23:00:33Z")
Cheapskate is a perfectly good insult. You might try varying it with “sordid lickpenny,” “muckworm,” “moneygrubber,” “piker,” or “pinchfist.” ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2004, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/49 "2004-07-07T23:21:21Z")
> [@Beauty Personified](#): > > **FisherQueen** - _“Mental retardation?”_ Whoa! There’s a classic politically incorrect term. Of course, I have no idea what they’re using now. They’re using “mental retardation.” I used to work for a government agency that looked after people with disabilities. The ultra politically correct term was “developmental disability” and we did use that a lot, but “mental retardation” was still in use by medical professionals, still was present in people’s charts, still an acceptable term. “Retarded” was also used. It was always used in a clinical/medical setting, and it didn’t seem out of place. However, “_RE_tard” or “That’s so _retarded_” isn’t very nice at all. I’ve sort of become numb to it, but it’s not a preferred term if you are trying to be polite. ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/50 "2004-07-08T01:32:10Z")
So what the hell is a Tired-Queen anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Beauty\_Personified](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@Beauty\_Personified](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beauty_Personified)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/51 "2004-07-08T02:40:01Z")
I thought “mentally retarded” had been replaced by “mentally handicapped” at one point, followed by “mentally challenged”. I just have a hard time seeing people (other than medical professionals) being comfortable using the term “mentally retarded”, considering the base word “retard”. BTW, what is a “Tired-Queen” exactly? 🙂 Anyhoo… ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/52 "2004-07-08T06:23:45Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > I grew up thinking it was a “juice harp.” I don’t even understand the Jewish connection, much less understand how or why it is offensive. Interesting – I had never heard “juice harp” until reading your post, but [this article](http://www.jewsharpguild.org/history.html) claims that “the new name is probably better established among the young than the old name”. I also was unfamiliar with “jaw’s harp” until a commentator on a classical music radio station used that variation, eliciting a laugh from my father (a professional clarinet and sax man), who proceeded to make a comment about how WCLV was apparently afraid of offending its Jewish listeners. Suggestions (admittedly speculative) I’ve heard concerning the origin/continued use of _Jew’s harp_: 1. “Wandering Jews” were often on the move in order to escape persecution. While owning a “regular” harp would be impractical, a small “harp” could easily be carried among one’s bundled possessions. 2. Jewish men often worked as peddlers, and included these instruments among their wares. These peddlers were often looked down upon as shifty cheats who would try to “jew” their Gentile customers. 3. Jewish people have long been stereotyped as penny-pinchers who wouldn’t invest in expensive instruments, but might spring for relatively cheap musical items. Obviously someone who believes any or all of these explanations could feel that the term **Jew’s harp** hearkens back to an era in which anti-Semitism was significantly more virulent than it is today. ---
**Author:** ![lynxie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e99b99/32.png) [@lynxie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lynxie)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/53 "2004-07-08T09:38:44Z")
[QUOTE=elmwood] Canadian bacon (offensive to Canadians, now called “bacon of the north” 😃 QUOTE] nah, it just sounds silly to us. It’s plain old “back” bacon up here. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2004, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/54 "2004-07-10T22:41:16Z")
> [@Live Better Electrically!](#): > > “Dutch boy” or “Dutchy” for kids who don’t pronounce their r’s very well Huh!!?!? I never heard of this. But there are some derogatory “Dutch” terms that probably go back to disagreements with the English over a certain little island off the coast of northeastern America. Dutch courage (i.e. from drunkenness) Dutch treat (really not a treat) Dutch Uncle (an overbearing older person) ---
**Author:** ![Beauty\_Personified](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@Beauty\_Personified](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beauty_Personified)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/55 "2004-07-11T03:51:45Z")
> [@Spectre of Pithecanthropus](#): > > Dutch treat (really not a treat) I am curious. What is the original and/or negative meaning of “Dutch treat”? Anyhoo… ---
**Author:** ![KRC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@KRC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KRC)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/56 "2004-07-11T04:14:25Z")
What about the houseplant known as “Wandering Jew?” I always thought the name was a bit odd but no one seemed offended by it. Does the plant still go by that name now? ---
**Author:** ![mike1dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@mike1dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mike1dog)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/57 "2004-07-11T04:55:17Z")
I remember reading somewhere once that some Indians consider Native American insulting, since there are no primates in America, it implies they are descended from something else, and are not human. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/58 "2004-07-11T05:59:06Z")
> [@KRC](#): > > What about the houseplant known as “Wandering Jew?” I always thought the name was a bit odd but no one seemed offended by it. Does the plant still go by that name now? I plugged the terms - “Wandering Jew” + “houseplant” ---
**Author:** ![sleeping](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@sleeping](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleeping)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/59 "2004-07-11T21:14:55Z")
> [@Spectre of Pithecanthropus](#): > > Huh!!?!? I never heard of this. > > But there are some derogatory “Dutch” terms that probably go back to disagreements with the English over a certain little island off the coast of northeastern America. > > Dutch courage (i.e. from drunkenness) > Dutch treat (really not a treat) > > Dutch Uncle (an overbearing older person) What about a Dutch oven–is that just a kettle for slow cooking? > [@](#): > > Originally Posted by **Sternvogel** > > I plugged the terms > > - “Wandering Jew” + “houseplant” > > into Google and got “about 1,010 hits”, so the name is still apparently quite common. I also found this rather apologetic explanation and assurance that the search engine does not endorse objectionable material, but must strive to remain objective. In other words, “Don’t shoot the messenger” – whoops, better not inject violence, even metaphorically, into the discussion. To say nothing of the possibility that messengers may now prefer to be described as “communications transfer facilitators” or some such nonsense… I’m Jewish and I don’t find that offensive. Nor do I find the Jew’s harp thing offensive. Or _kike_. In fact, there’s nothing wrong with any of the words listed by **Mr. Roboto** in the OP (although I would like to know what “tired-queen” means). But then again I don’t subscribe to political correctness since I recognize it as bullshit. Furthermore, I urge people to start using these slang terms more often if they feel like it. If I call myself a kike and my friends call me that, why can’t everyone else? The same holds true for _Jew_ being used a verb and everything else. ---
**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:** [July 11, 2004, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/60 "2004-07-11T21:40:22Z")
> [@Manatee](#): > > Recently I’ve been getting gasps from students when I use some variation on “a chink in his armor.” Sure does put a different slant on things. Since when did Chinamen wear body metal? 😃 Scuse me, it’s snowing out, and I’m gonna hit the slopes. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680.md?page=4)