# Question Please-What does Straight Dope Mean?\[edited title\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 8, 2010, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750 "2010-05-08T16:29:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rich-Lazy-Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c68b51/32.png) [@Rich-Lazy-Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rich-Lazy-Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/1 "2010-05-08T16:29:04Z")
May I ask. What straight dope mean ? I heard the black guy on American Idol saying everything is dope meaning I think good? what does the title mean ? Is this a Jewish forum ? since your are saying fighting ignorant since 1973 ? Thanks in advance. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/2 "2010-05-08T16:39:29Z")
“straight dope” just means ‘honest truth’ - it’s a slang term. > [@Rich-Lazy-Guy](#): > > Is this a Jewish forum ? since your are saying fighting ignorant since 1973 ? ‘fighting ignorance’ is just about the search for factual truth. I have no idea why you might think this has any specific relation to Judaism. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/3 "2010-05-08T16:43:12Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I have no idea why you might think this has any specific relation to Judaism. WAG: [Yom Kippur War](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yom_Kippur_War), of 1973 ---
**Author:** ![Rich-Lazy-Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c68b51/32.png) [@Rich-Lazy-Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rich-Lazy-Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/4 "2010-05-08T17:07:45Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > “straight dope” just means ‘honest truth’ - it’s a slang term. > > ‘fighting ignorance’ is just about the search for factual truth. I have no idea why you might think this has any specific relation to Judaism. Thank you very much for replying and explaining. > [@KneadToKnow](#): > > WAG: [Yom Kippur War](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yom_Kippur_War), of 1973 Thanks man for the link. But I wonder why English speakers call by foreign words not the English term. When ever I speak about this war in English I always call 6th of October war. Thanks again for the link. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/5 "2010-05-08T17:12:03Z")
I’m not Jewish and have never been to the Middle East. I’ve never heard it called ‘The 6th of October War’. I’ve only heard it called the Yom Kippur War. Your syntax ‘sounds’ like an accent. May I ask where you’re from? ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/6 "2010-05-08T17:28:26Z")
The Straight Dope began appearing in the newspaper _The Chicago Reader_ in 1973. _The Chicago Reader_ is a free newspaper available in newspaper boxes (or left in stores, coffee shops, etc.) all over the Chicago area. It was soon syndicated to various other free newspapers around the U.S. (Free newspapers have been a common thing in urban areas in the U.S. since at least the 1960’s. They are supported entirely by advertising. Usually most of their space is taken up with announcements of events around the metropolitan area and classified ads.) At that point the Straight Dope was just a newspaper column where Cecil Adams answered all sorts of questions. It was available on the AOL website for a couple of years in the late 1990’s and a message board was available for discussion of the answers there. In 1999 it moved to the website of _The Chicago Reader_. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/7 "2010-05-08T17:41:19Z")
> [@Rich-Lazy-Guy](#): > > But I wonder why English speakers call by foreign words not the English term. > When ever I speak about this war in English I always call 6th of October war. Never heard anyone call the Yom Kippur War the 6th of October war either. In fact, the Wikipedia article here [Yom Kippur War - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yom_Kippur_War) doesn’t mention that as a name either. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/8 "2010-05-08T17:48:41Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > May I ask where you’re from? Profile says Egypt. Muslim countries likely wouldn’t use the term “Yom Kippur War.” ---
**Author:** ![Rich-Lazy-Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c68b51/32.png) [@Rich-Lazy-Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rich-Lazy-Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/9 "2010-05-08T18:17:48Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I’m not Jewish and have never been to the Middle East. I’ve never heard it called ‘The 6th of October War’. I’ve only heard it called the Yom Kippur War. > > Your syntax ‘sounds’ like an accent. May I ask where you’re from? Egypt ---
**Author:** ![Rich-Lazy-Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c68b51/32.png) [@Rich-Lazy-Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rich-Lazy-Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/10 "2010-05-08T18:29:20Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > The Straight Dope began appearing in the newspaper _The Chicago Reader_ in 1973. _The Chicago Reader_ is a free newspaper available in newspaper boxes (or left in stores, coffee shops, etc.) all over the Chicago area. It was soon syndicated to various other free newspapers around the U.S. (Free newspapers have been a common thing in urban areas in the U.S. since at least the 1960’s. They are supported entirely by advertising. Usually most of their space is taken up with announcements of events around the metropolitan area and classified ads.) At that point the Straight Dope was just a newspaper column where Cecil Adams answered all sorts of questions. It was available on the AOL website for a couple of years in the late 1990’s and a message board was available for discussion of the answers there. In 1999 it moved to the website of _The Chicago Reader_. Thanks a lot for this explanation 🙂 > [@Babale](#): > > Never heard anyone call the Yom Kippur War the 6th of October war either. In fact, the Wikipedia article here [Yom Kippur War - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yom_Kippur_War) doesn’t mention that as a name either. The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War (Hebrew: מלחמת יום הכיפורים‎; transliterated: Milẖemet Yom HaKipurim or מלחמת יום כיפור, Milẖemet Yom Kipur; Arabic: حرب أكتوبر‎; transliterated: ħarb October or حرب تشرين, ħarb Tishrin), also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, This was from Wikipedia > [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Profile says Egypt. Muslim countries likely wouldn’t use the term “Yom Kippur War.” We know the name but we do not use it, as we call October war. Yom is a Semitic word means Day the word is used in Arabic and Hebrew. Kippor is a Hebrew word means I think forgiveness and it is a feast according to the Hebrew calender. The reason I am asking why you are using foreign words not English word. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/11 "2010-05-08T18:35:54Z")
> [@Rich-Lazy-Guy](#): > > The reason I am asking why you are using foreign words not English word. We use all kinds of foreign words and expressions in English. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/12 "2010-05-08T18:41:11Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > We use all kinds of foreign words and expressions in English. Yeah, nothing unusual about this at all. See: Tet Offensive, for instance. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/13 "2010-05-08T18:58:18Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Yeah, nothing unusual about this at all. See: Tet Offensive, for instance. Bastille Day ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/14 "2010-05-08T19:02:56Z")
Yes, using foreign words and names is pretty much _de rigueur_. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/15 "2010-05-08T19:03:58Z")
> [@Rich-Lazy-Guy](#): > > The reason I am asking why you are using foreign words not English word. Once we use a word often enough in English, it becomes an English word. We don’t consider “Yom Kippur” to be a “foreign” word, any more than we consider kebab, falafel, baba ghannoush, or baklava to be foreign words. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/16 "2010-05-08T19:07:29Z")
English: Turning your words into our words since 1066. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/17 "2010-05-08T19:17:36Z")
> [@Rich-Lazy-Guy](#): > > We know the name but we do not use it, as we call October war. > Yom is a Semitic word means Day the word is used in Arabic and Hebrew. > > Kippor is a Hebrew word means I think forgiveness and it is a feast according to the Hebrew calender. > > The reason I am asking why you are using foreign words not English word. In addition to what others have mentioned (that English borrows a great many words and phrases from other languages), saying it happened on Yom Kippur is a lot more significant than saying it happened in October, given the importance of Yom Kippur to the Jewish faith. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/18 "2010-05-08T19:29:05Z")
Also, we can manage to remember the 4th of July and September 11. Beyond that naming events by the month and the date gets very generic. “Yom Kippur War” is much more robust as a descriptive name than “October 6th War” is. Like “Valentine’s Day Massacre” instead of “February 14th massacre.” Eventually, there will be multiple important events on teh same day. How will we distinguish them then? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/19 "2010-05-08T19:34:31Z")
Also, Yom Kippur is a “floating” holiday. Since it has a lot more meaningful than October does, it makes more sense to refer to the holiday it occurred on rather than the date. July 4 and September 11 are date-specific. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750/20 "2010-05-08T20:06:09Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > English: Turning your words into our words since 1066. “English doesn’t _borrow_ words from foreign languages. It follows those languages into dark alleys, knocks them out with a club, and riffles through their pockets.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-please-what-does-straight-dope-mean-edited-title/538750.md?page=2)