# There's a reason they chose her to spread this message... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 10, 2006, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-reason-they-chose-her-to-spread-this-message/375916 "2006-10-10T12:45:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2006, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-reason-they-chose-her-to-spread-this-message/375916/21 "2006-10-10T18:08:05Z")
[QUOTE=Contrapuntal] It’s just that “peon” is seen by some to be a derogatory word. So for her to be the spokesperson against the use of “squaw” is ironic. [/QUOTE] Huh. Sure, peon is derogatory, I guess. I thought there was more to it than that. Daniel ---
**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:** [October 10, 2006, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-reason-they-chose-her-to-spread-this-message/375916/22 "2006-10-10T18:31:25Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] Peon = 1. also (pyn) In India and other parts of South and Southeast Asia, a person of menial position, especially a messenger, servant, or foot soldier. It’s got a fairly negative connotation, somewhat akin to “minion” or “servant”, which could also be said, in some nations, of “squaw”. [/QUOTE] Just to note, in Indian English, there’s no negative connotation. “Peon” is simply the plain job title of the guy who makes your afternoon tea, fetches your laundry and your lunch, calls for a taxi, and books your rail tickets. I wish I had a peon. ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2006, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-reason-they-chose-her-to-spread-this-message/375916/23 "2006-10-11T12:40:51Z")
[QUOTE=Kizarvexius] At the hospital where Kizarvexilla was born, the lactation counselor’s last name was Udder. Isn’t that just karma at work? [/QUOTE] Just to continue the highjack, our dentist’s name is Ms. Tuggey. Good thing she chose to be a dentist; her only alternative would be as a hooker who specializes in hand-jobs. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2006, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-reason-they-chose-her-to-spread-this-message/375916/24 "2006-10-11T13:22:20Z")
[QUOTE=rjk] Just to continue the highjack, our dentist’s name is Ms. Tuggey. Good thing she chose to be a dentist; her only alternative would be as a hooker who specializes in hand-jobs. [/QUOTE] Mr. K once had a dentist names Dr. Gore. I mean, _really…_ ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2006, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-reason-they-chose-her-to-spread-this-message/375916/25 "2006-10-11T14:36:42Z")
What? No complaints against the term _Idaho_? (Think about it for a moment.) ---
**Author:** ![yBeayf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e274bd/32.png) [@yBeayf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yBeayf)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2006, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-reason-they-chose-her-to-spread-this-message/375916/26 "2006-10-11T23:07:18Z")
> [@](#): > > Irving Plaza, a concert venue > International Plaza, a mall > Crowne Plaza, a hotel chain > Plaza Hotel & Casino, a single hotel > South Coast Plaza, a mall > > That’s just five out of many from a Google search for “plaza”. Hmmmm. Do you have any examples of the word being used to refer to a building, that aren’t part of a building or place’s name? If I were giving you directions and said “Turn right at the next street and go until you see the large plaza on the left” would you be looking for an open space or for a building? ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-reason-they-chose-her-to-spread-this-message/375916/27 "2006-10-12T03:30:23Z")
Re plaza, they use it in French too: Place des Arts, Place Ville-Marie, Place Montréal Trust, etc., all buildings or building complexes, not squares (which is the official meaning of “place,” as in Place d’Armes.) ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-reason-they-chose-her-to-spread-this-message/375916/28 "2006-10-12T03:57:34Z")
For God’s sake, people! Peon! Pee on! Am I the only one around here with the mind of a twelve year old? ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-reason-they-chose-her-to-spread-this-message/375916/29 "2006-10-12T05:52:39Z")
Would you it had been [this](http://www.powersource.com/gallery/people/wilma.html) woman? ---
**Author:** ![Lama\_Pacos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Lama\_Pacos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lama_Pacos)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-reason-they-chose-her-to-spread-this-message/375916/30 "2006-10-12T05:56:53Z")
> [@MSNBC](#): > > Were changing the names of absolutely everything, Kootenai County Commissioner Rick Currie said. Im basically tired of it. The public has talked to me about it. Overwhelmingly the residents of Kootenai County dont want the change. ??? Do these people have editors? ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-reason-they-chose-her-to-spread-this-message/375916/31 "2006-10-12T07:43:37Z")
The fact that any American Indian woman, of any tribe, having any native language is automatically expected to accept the application of a mispronounced Algonquin word by white people might be considered just a tiny bit condescending. White women might find it demeaning to be referred to as squaws as well. But the linguistic case is precisely the same. Not their language, not their culture, just another case of “those people” all being the same. Tris ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-reason-they-chose-her-to-spread-this-message/375916/32 "2006-10-12T20:04:06Z")
[QUOTE=Zebra] Would you it had been [this](http://www.powersource.com/gallery/people/wilma.html) woman? [/QUOTE] [singing]Whoah-oh, here she comes…[/singing] ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-reason-they-chose-her-to-spread-this-message/375916/33 "2006-10-12T20:33:14Z")
[QUOTE=Kizarvexius] At the hospital where Kizarvexilla was born, the lactation counselor’s last name was Udder. Isn’t that just karma at work? [/QUOTE] It’s not karma. It’s nominative determinism. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2006, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-reason-they-chose-her-to-spread-this-message/375916/34 "2006-10-13T02:19:24Z")
[QUOTE=rjk] Just to continue the highjack, our dentist’s name is Ms. Tuggey. Good thing she chose to be a dentist; her only alternative would be as a hooker who specializes in hand-jobs. [/QUOTE] Here in Anderson, the go-to guy for extractions and tricky dental surgery is Dr. Mohler. The state of Indiana has no plans to change the names of French Lick, Floyd’s Knobs, or Gnaw Bone, so there! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2006, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-reason-they-chose-her-to-spread-this-message/375916/35 "2006-10-13T03:50:47Z")
I was always surprised when the local mountain once know as “Chinaman’s Peak” had it’s name change to “Ha Ling Peak” (after the first man to summit it), but “Squaw’s Tit” has been left as is. My only explantion is that the local Chinese population has better lobby groups than the local Aboriginal population. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2006, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-reason-they-chose-her-to-spread-this-message/375916/36 "2006-10-13T14:14:17Z")
[QUOTE=AskNott] Here in Anderson, the go-to guy for extractions and tricky dental surgery is Dr. Mohler. The state of Indiana has no plans to change the names of French Lick, Floyd’s Knobs, or Gnaw Bone, so there! 😛 [/QUOTE] Or Lickskillet or Shake Rag. And not of Mexico, Peru, or Chile either… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-reason-they-chose-her-to-spread-this-message/375916.md?page=1)