Jap
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For other uses, see JAP.
Jap (variants: Japo, Japse) is a term denoting anything Japanese. In most English-speaking countries, it is accepted that it is a derogatory racial slur. It's shortened version of the word "Japan." Like the controversial term "gaijin" in Japan, the contraction "jap" can be treated as an overt or subtle slur, with varying undertones of insult, depending on the context of it's use.
The three-letter and two-letter international country code (ISO 3166) for Japan, JPN and JP, are commonly used for the abbreviation of Japan. In Australia, the term has a two-fold meaning, that as a historical slur, and that of simple contraction. Popular examples include popularly accepted terms such such as, "Jap Pumpkins" or "Jap Motors".
In Britain it is considered mildly inappropriate but not a serious insult (cf Paki which is grossly offensive in British English yet not uncommon as a ethnic description in the United States). In some countries, such as Australia, it is still used today to such an extent that school teachers sometimes refer to the Japanese language or people as "Jap(s)"[citation needed].
In Japanese dictionaries, the term "Jap" is only defined as a disparaging term used against the Japanese people, like it is the case in many English language dictionaries.[1]
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[edit] War slur
The first recorded use of Jap was in 1860 to refer to members of the Japanese embassy in the United States. It was later popularized during World War II to describe those of Japanese/Asian descent, and was then commonly used in newspaper headlines to refer to the Japanese.
[edit] Actions of civil rights groups
In Texas, under pressure from civil rights groups, Jefferson County commissioners in 2004 decided to drop the name "Jap Road" from a 4.3-mile road near the city of Beaumont. Ironically, the road was originally named Jap Road in 1905 in honor of a local Japanese rice farmer.[2][3] Also in adjacent Orange County, "Jap Lane" has also been targeted by civil rights groups.[4] The road was originally named for the contributions of Kichimatsu Kishi and the farming colony he founded.
