List of ethnic slurs by ethnicity

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You have new messages (last change).

The following is a list of ethnic slurs that are, or have been, used in English language as insinuations or allegations about members of a given ethnicity or to refer to them in a derogatory (critical or disrespectful), pejorative (disapproving or contemptuous), or downright insulting and racist manner in the English-speaking world.

For the purposes of this list, ethnicity can be defined by either race, nationality, or ethnicity.

See also alphabetical List of ethnic slurs.

Wikipedia policy requires that material must be verifiable and supported by citations. Please provide citations for all new additions, or they will be reverted.

Contents

[edit] Broader ethnic categories

[edit] African descent

925 
(Southern California) a term for blacks, comes from the Los Angeles Police Department code for "Suspicious Person".[1]
Abd
(Middle Eastern Countries) This term, literally "slave" in Arabic, is used as a slur against Blacks and persons of mixed African descent. Usage is consistent with the Arab institution of black slavery that lasted from approximately 900 to 1962. [2] [3] [4]
Alabama Blue Gums 
(U.S.) a black person.[5][6][7]
Albino 
(U.S. Blacks) whites, also a derogatory term for light skinned blacks used by darker skinned blacks.[8]
Alligator bait 
(U.S.) also "Gator Bait." A black person, especially a black child. More commonly used in states where alligators are found — particularly Florida. First used in the early 1900s, although some hypothesize the term originated in the late 1800s.[2]
Ann 
A white woman to a black person — or a black woman who acts too much like a white one. While Miss Ann, also just plain Ann, is a derisive reference to the white woman, by extension it is applied to any black woman who puts on airs and tries to act like Miss Ann.[3]
Antique Farm Equipment/Outdated Farm Machinery 
(U.S) a Black person; slaves were mostly used for farming.[9][10]
Ape 
(U.S.) a black person.[4]
Aunt Jemima / Aunt Jane / Aunt Mary / Aunt Sally / Aunt Thomasina 
(U.S. Blacks) a black woman who "kisses up" to whites, a "sellout", female counterpart of Uncle Tom.[5]
Buffie 
a black person.[6]
b. (U.S. black) a young, brown-skinned person 1940s–1950s[7]
Colored 
(U.S.) a Black person. Now typically considered a slur, it was more acceptable in the past. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, for example, continues to use its full name unapologetically. Some black Americans have reclaimed this word and softened it, in the expression "a person of color".
Coloured 
(South Africa) a community of mixed origin, including Khoikhoi and Asian slaves, not derogatory but the normal term for this community
(UK Commonwealth) a black person (while not usually intended to be offensive, the term is not regarded as acceptable by many black people)
Coon 
(AUS, U.S. & U.K) a black person. Possibly from Portuguese barracoos, a building constructed to hold slaves for sale (1837).[11]
Crow 
a black person,[8] spec. a black woman.
Darkie or darky 
(U.S. and elsewhere) a derogatory term for a black person; also a racist, iconic caricature with inky-black skin, googly eyes and exaggerated red, pink or white lips; a celebrated example of its use was in a popular song of 1928 entitled "Mississippi Mud," performed by the Paul Whiteman Orchestra and sung by the "Rhythm Boys," whose members included Bing Crosby and Johnny Mercer. See also Blackface.
Gable 
a black person.[9]
Golliwogg 
(UK Commonwealth) a dark-skinned person, after Florence Kate Upton's children's book character
Jigaboo, jiggabo, jijjiboo, zigabo, jig, jigg, jiggy, jigga 
(U.S. & UK) a black person (JB) with stereotypical black features (dark skin, wide nose, etc.).[10]
Jim Crow 
(U.S.) a black person; also the name for the segregation laws prevalent in much of the United States until the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s.
Jim Fish 
(South Africa) a black person[11]
Kaffir, kaffer, kaffir, kafir, kaffre 
(South Africa) a. a black person. Very offensive. Usage: Kaffir Boy was a famous autobiographical book by Mark Mathabane about his childhood in South Africa. (The South African Consul General in Lethal Weapon 2 calls Danny Glover a kaffir and Mel Gibson a 'kaffir lover'.) b. also caffer or caffre: a non-Muslim. c. a member of a people inhabiting the Hindu Kush mountains of north-east Afghanistan. Origin is from the Arab word kafir meaning 'infidel' used in the early Arab trading posts in Africa. The term passed into modern usage through the British, who used the term to refer to the mixed groupings of people displaced by Shaka when he organized the Zulu nation. These groups (consisting of Mzilikaze, Matiwani, Mantatisi, Flingoe, Hottentot, and Xhosa peoples inhabited the region from the Cape of Good Hope to the Limpopo river) fought the British in the Kaffir Wars 1846–1848, 1850–1852, and 1877–1878.)[12][13] See also Kaffir (Historical usage in southern Africa)
Macaca 
Epithet used to describe a Negro (originally) or a person of North-African origin (more recently). Came to public attention in 2006 when U.S. Senator George Allen infamously (and ignorantly) used it to describe a person of Indian descent. [12]
Makak 
(Belgium & the Netherlands) a Moroccan; derived from macaque. Also macaca, in reference to North or Subsaharan Africans, originally used by French and Belgian colonialists.
Mammy or Mammy Woman 
(U.S.) an unflattering term for a mature black woman — usually subservient (term popularized by Al Jolson in song and film), a pop culture example is Hattie McDaniel's character in Gone with the Wind for which she won the Academy Award
Moke / moak / moke 
(U.S.) a black person[citation needed]
Mongrel 
(U.S.) a person of mixed ethnic heritage.
Monkey 
(UK) a black person.[14]
Mosshead 
a black person.[15]
Munt 
(among whites in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Zambia) a black person from muntu, the singular of Bantu[16]
Mustard seed 
(U.S.) a light-skinned person with one white and one black parent[17]
Napkin Nigger 
Offensive term used to describe Indians[18]
Nig-nog 
(UK & U.S.) a black person.[19]
Nigger / Niger / nigor / nigra / nigre (Caribbean) / nigar / niggor / niggur / nigga / niggah / niggar / nigguh/ nuh/ naggar (Brazil nego/ negão/ negalháda) 
(U.S., UK) a black person. Can also generally be used toward anyone with brown or darker skin, such as an Indian. From the word negro which means the color black in numerous languages. Diminutive appellations include "Nigg", "Nigz" and "Groid". The terms "Nigga" and "Niggaz" (plural) are frequently used between African-Americans and between whites without the negative associations of "Nigger."
Nigger baby 
(U.S. Military) obsolete: a type of large cannonball [first used in the 1870s][20]
Niggerhead 
1.)an isolated coral head: these are often a navigation hazard in coral reef areas. Also called a bommie. 2.) a species of tobacco plant (appears in Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn").
Nigger shooter 
a slingshot[21]
Niglet (2) 
(UK) Similar to the U.S. version but without the combination with piglet, refers to a baby or child "Nigger".
Nigra / negra / niggra / nigrah / nigruh 
(U.S.) offensive for a black person [first used in the early 1900s][22]
Oreo
(North American) a term used to describe an African American who acts white. Derived from the popular cookie, the Oreo, which is dark on the outside and has a creamy white filling on the inside.
Porch Monkey 
a very lazy black person, as referenced in Clerks II.
Powder burn 
a black person.[23]
Quashie 
a black person.[24]
Sambo 
(U.S.) a derogatory term for an African American, Black, or sometimes a South Asian person.
Smoked Irish / smoked Irishman 
(U.S.) 19th century term for Blacks (intended to insult both Blacks and Irish).[25]
Sooty 
a black person [originated in the U.S. in the 1950s][26]
Spook 
(U.S. whites) a black person (used in the movies Taxi Driver and Back to the Future;[27] its ambiguity – another meaning being "a specter" – is an essential part of the plot of Philip Roth's novel The Human Stain)
Tar baby 
(UK; U.S.; and N.Z.) a black child.[28] See Tar baby.
Teapot 
(British) A black person. [1800s][29]
Thicklips 
a black person.[30]
Uncle Tom 
(U.S. minorities) term for an African-American, Latino, or Asian who panders to white people; a "sellout" (taken from Harriet Beecher Stowe's " Uncle Tom's Cabin".)
Zebra 
(U.S.) an often self-referential or affectionate term applied those with parents of mixed race, specifically black and white. The term was further popularized by the 1992 film Zebrahead

[edit] South Asian descent

ABCD 
(Subcontinentals in U.S.) "American-Born Confused Desi" used for American-born South Asians who are confused about their cultural identity. Often used by ABCDs about other ABCDs. ABCD is the most common version of the phrase, but there are variations of it that extend all the way to the letter 'z' in at least two different versions: "American Born Confused Desi, Emigrated From Gujarat, House in Jersey, Kids Learning Medicine, Now Owning Property, Quite Reasonable Salary, Two Uncles Visiting, White Xenophobia Yet Zestful" and "American Born Confused Desi, Emigrated From Gujarat, Housed In Jersey, Keeping Lotsa Motels, Named Omkarnath Patel, Quickly Reached Success Through Underhanded Vicious Ways, Xenophobic Yet Zestful"[13]
Apu 
(North America) a person with roots in the South Asian subcontinent, popularized by the eponymous Kwik-E-Mart operator from The Simpsons.[14]
CBCD 
(Subcontinentals in Canada) — Canadian-Born Confused Desi — Similar to ABCD, but used for Canadian-born South Asians who are confused about their cultural identity. [15][16]
Charlie 
(U.S.) a Vietnamese person (shortened from radio code for the Vietcong (V.C.): "Victor Charlie"[17]); term also used by African Americans (mainly in the 1960s and 1970s) to refer to a white person (from James Baldwin's novel Blues For Mr. Charlie).
Raghead 
(U.S.) someone of Middle Eastern descent
(UK) a Sikh, or any South Asian
Ragtop, Towelhead 
See Raghead above.
(Canada) a Sikh, a South Asian, or Arab (and mistakenly) sometimes Persians
Wog 
(UK) A dark-skinned South Asian, Arab, or native of India. The origin of the term is disputed, but it is often thought to be an acronym for "Worthy Oriental Gentleman" or "Western Oriental Gentleman," though some etymologists reject such explanations.

[edit] East Asian descent

Charlie 
(U.S.) a Vietnamese person (shortened from radio code for the Vietcong (V.C.): "Victor Charlie"[18]); term also used by African Americans (mainly in the 1960s and 1970s) to refer to a white person (from James Baldwin's novel Blues For Mr. Charlie).
Chee-chee 
a Eurasian half-caste [probably from Hindi chi-chi fie!, literally, dirt][31]
Chigger 
(U.S.) an Asian person who acts as if he or she is black (posing). Derived from the Asian term "chink" and black term "nigger."
Chinaman 
(U.S. and English) Chinese person, used in old American west when discrmination against Chinese was common.[32]. Possibly coined by early Chinese Americans from a translation of "Jung Gwo Ren" which is literally "China" and "man". Compare to "Frenchman" or "Irishman," generally not considered insulting. The term generates controversy when still used in geographic places associated or resembling Chinese, and often used without intended malice outside of the U.S. Though it is still heard in the lyrics to the 70s song "Kung Fu Fighting", it tends to generates objections in modern times, especially in the U.S. In 20th century Chicago politics, "Chinaman" had a specific, non-insulting meaning. A junior politician or government worker's political patron was their "Chinaman" (or "chinaman" without the initial capital) regardless of their actual ethnic heritage or gender.[33]
Chinee 
(U.S.) used to refer to people of perceived Chinese descent. An offensive term, equated with Chink.
Ching Chong 
(U.S. & Canada) A person of perceived Chinese descent. An offensive term, equated with Chink, or nigger.[citation needed]
Chink 
(U.S.) used to refer to people of perceived Chinese descent. Describes their eye slits or chinks. Considered extremely derogatory, although at least one U.S. school proudly used the term as a sports mascot until the 1980s.[34]
Chinky 
(India and UK) used to refer to people of perceived Chinese descent. Considered derogatory, although not as derogatory as Chink, or Ching Chong. It is also often used, without offensive intent, to refer to a Chinese restaurant.[35]

[edit] White people

Afro-Saxon 
(North America) A young white male devotee of African-American pop culture.[36]
Albino 
(U.S. Blacks) whites, also a derogatory term for light skinned blacks used by darker skinned blacks.[19]
Anglo 
(U.S.) Any white (northern-western European) person, regardless of whether they have English ancestry. This term is most often used by Hispanics and Italians and often not meant to be offensive.[37]
Ann 
A white woman to a black person — or a black woman who acts too much like a white one. While Miss Ann, also just plain Ann, is a derisive reference to the white woman, by extension it is applied to any black woman who puts on airs and tries to act like Miss Ann.[38]
Bule 
(Indonesia) White people. Literally: albino, but used in the same way that 'colored' might be used to refer to a black person to mean any white person. [20].
Cracker 
(U.S.) white people in general; (Europe) people with blue eyes and blonde hair; (Southeast Asia) white people (usually White Americans).
Gaijin 
(Japan) a foreigner (lit. an outsider), usually a white person. The more socially acceptable term is "Gaikokujin," lit. an outlander.
Goreh
(India) "White man" or non-Indian, used in a derogatory manner.[citation needed]
Gringo 
(The Americas) Non-Hispanic U.S. national. Hence Gringolandia, the United States; not always a pejorative term, unless used in an offensive manner.
(Brazil) Any foreigner.
(Northeastern United States) A tourist from Middle America.
(Most countries in Latin America) Blonde, blue-eyed or green-eyed or person with white features who is assumed to be an American tourist. Not a pejorative term.
Gubba 
(AUS) Aboriginal (Koori) term for white people[39] — derived from Governor / Gubbanah
Gweilo, gwailo, or kwai lo (鬼佬) 
(Hong Kong and South China) A White man. Loosely translated as "foreign devil;" more literally, might be "ghost dude/bloke/guy/etc." Gwei means "ghost." The color white is associated with ghosts in China. A lo is a regular guy (i.e. a fellow, a chap, or a bloke).[21] Once a mark of xenophobia, the word was promoted by Maoists and is now in general, informal use.[22]
Honky also spelled "honkey" or "honkie" 
(1) (U.S. blacks, UK) a white person (derived from "hunkie" or from "honky-tonk", or possibly from the perceived nasal quality of white speech as compared with black speech) offensive. (2) Also refers to the propensity for white drivers to honk their car horns at black youths congregating on the street. (3) Also used in in reference to Hongkongers, mostly by people from Hong Kong.
Lao Wai, or Laowai (老外) 
(China) U.S. national (but also commonly used as a reference to westerners in general). Literally means "Old Foreigner". Lao(老) is Mandarin for "old", wai(外) is a contraction of the full term for foreigner, Waiqiao (外僑). In the People's Rebublic of China, Laowai, is used to refer to Americans, and frequently for Canadians, Britons, and other English-speaking westerners who most Chinese cannot distinguish from Americans right away. This phrase is used even by small children in China, and is rarely considered derogatory, however it's use is similar to that of the word "Chink" in the United States for a person of Chinese descent as it is also a contraction of the appropriate reference term.
Ofay 
A white person
Paleface 
(U.S.) a White person. Literal translation of the word for White people in several Native American languages, and also in several Native language–English pidgins.
Peckerwood 
(U.S.) a white person (southerner). The term "Peckerwood", an inversion of "Woodpecker", is used as a pejorative term. This word was coined in the 19th century by southern blacks to describe poor whites. They considered them loud and troublesome like the bird, and often with red hair like the woodpecker's head plumes.
Pretendian or Pretindian 
(North America) Used primarily to describe a white American of limited (or nonexistent) Native American ancestry that claims to be racially, and culturally American Indian.
Roundeye 
(English speaking Asians) a white or non-Asian person.[40]
Wapanese 
(U.S.) Derived in the same way as Wigger, a deragatory term for a white person with an obsessive and/or misguided interest in Japanese culture (i.e; Manga, Anime, etc.) or attempts to emulate Japanese people.
White trash also poor white trash or Trailer Trash 
(U.S.) an unrefined white person — usually poorly educated
Whitey 
(U.S., African-American) A term for white people, particularly those seen as instances of The Man.
Wigger 
(North America) A young white male devotee of African-American pop culture (for example Tim Westwood), or a white person who grew up in a predominantly African-American neighbourhood or town (also called a 'Yo-boy' in the eastern United States). Also see Wangster
V.C. ("Victor Charlie") 
[23]); term also used by African Americans (mainly in the 1960s and 1970s) to refer to a white person (from James Baldwin's novel Blues For Mr. Charlie.

[edit] Individual ethnicities

[edit] Japanese

Jap, Nip 
(derogatory, racial slur) a person of Japanese origin.

[edit] Germans / Germanic

Adolf / 'Dolf 
(U.S. & UK Commonwealth) Germans, referring to Adolf Hitler.[24]
Boche; bosche; bosch 
(France; U.S.; UK) a German [from either French caboche head, or Alboche, modification of Allemand German].[41]
Flapdragon 
obsolete: German; Dutchman.[42]

Dutchman : noun. (1) [19th century on, Dutch being corrupted from the Pennsylvania German self-descriptive word Deitsch] Anyone of Germanic heritage (as with Anglo-Celtic Pennsylvanians) a Pennsylvania German; (2) (mid-1800s to 1920s) a foreigner, especially one who does not speak English well; (3) a bar keeper;[43] (4) anglophone South African whites, used for Afrikaner[44]Baseball Hall of Famer Honus Wagner, of German ancestry, was called "The Flying Dutchman", a play on his ethnicity and the legendary ghost ship.

Fritz 
(UK, France, Hungary ("fricc"), Poland [Fryc], Russia [фриц]) a German [from Friedrich (Frederick)].[45]
Hun 
(European) comes from a quote by Kaiser Wilhelm II, "let the Germans strike fear into the hearts, so hell be feared like the hun!" Used in Allied WWI propaganda. [25]
Jerry 
was a World War II-era nickname for Nazi Germany or its armed forces. [Probably an alteration of German].[46] Origin of Jerry can.
Kraut (from Sauerkraut) 
(North America & British Commonwealth) U.S. and British term for a German, most specifically during World War II.
Schwabe (former Yugoslavia); Szwab (Polish) 
Offensive slang for people of Germanic decent. Originated from the German region Swabia where many Germans migrated from. [26]

[edit] Gypsies

Cigan / Cygan 
(Eastern Europe) Popular slang term for Gypsies and Roma. Possibly originated from Slovak "ciganit", which means "to deceive". [27]
Gyppo/Gippo 
(Eastern Europe) A shortening of the word "gypsy"
Pikey 
(Eastern Europe)

[edit] Koreans

Gook 
(U.S. military slang) A misunderstood word thought to be derogatory by American troops in the Korean War that was derived from the words “hanguk” and “miguk”. “Hanguk” refers to Korea or specifically Koreans[28] [29] and “miguk” is the common word for America.[30] American troops misinterpreted "miguk" (sounds like "me gook") as an assertion of "I am a gook". During the Vietnam War, it was mistakenly labeled to the Vietnamese people who also have a similar word “han quốc” which means country. Popularized to include any `Mongoloid' Asian after its widespread use during the War. Like chink, it is extremely offensive.

[edit] Russians

Ivan 
(U.S. military slang) Common term for Russian armed forces during the Cold War.
Ruskie 
(U.S. slang) Common American Cold War term for a Russian. Possibly derived from Русский (Russky), the Russian word for the Russian Language.

[edit] Serbs

Pig Farmer 
Originated prior to World War I, due to the so-called "pig politics" between Serbia and Austro-Hungary. Swine are common livestock in Serbia and are one of the country's main food exports. Only considered mildly derisive.[citation needed]

[edit] See also

[edit] Literature

  • John A. Simpson, Oxford Dictionary Of Modern Slang ISBN 0198610521
  • John A. Simpson, Oxford English Dictionary Additions Series ISBN 0198612990
  • Eric Partridge, A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English, (2002)
  • Richard A. Spears, Slang and Euphemism, (2001)
  • Jonathon Green, The Cassell Dictionary of Slang (1998)
  • Bruce Moore (editor), The Australian Oxford Dictionary, (2004)
  • The New Oxford American Dictionary, second edition. Ed. Erin McKean. (Oxford University Press: 2005.
  • The Concise Oxford English Dictionary. Ed. Catherine Soanes and Angus Stevenson. (Oxford University Press: 2004)
  • Grand dictionnaire (Larousse: 1993)

[edit] References

  1. ^ Mendosa, David, www.mendosa.com www.mendosa.com "Radio and Identification Codes"
  2. ^ Speers, loc. cit. pg. 6.
  3. ^ Hugh Rawson, Wicked Words, (1989) p. 19.
  4. ^ Spears, loc. cit. p. 10.; also, Zoo Ape or Jungle Ape
  5. ^ Green, loc. cit. p. 36.
  6. ^ Spears, op. cit. p. 118.
  7. ^ Green, op. cit. p.154.
  8. ^ "crow." Webster's [Accessed 12 March 2006].
  9. ^ Spears, op. cit. p. 118.
  10. ^ Simpson, "jigaboo," op. cit.
  11. ^ "Jim Fish." Ibid. [Accessed 12 March 2006].
  12. ^ "Kaffir," Webster's.
  13. ^ Featherstone, Donald (1993). Victorian Colonial Warfare: Africa. UK: Blandford, 85–102. ISBN 0-7137-2256-8. 
  14. ^ The Times Online http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2239023,00.html
  15. ^ Spears, op. cit. p. 118.
  16. ^ Simpson. "munt". loc. cit.
  17. ^ Ibid. "mustard seed".
  18. ^ the racial slur database
  19. ^ "nig-nog" Webster's
  20. ^ Ibid. "nigger baby".
  21. ^ "nigger-shooter." Webster's, Accessed 11 March 2006.
  22. ^ Simpson. "nigra," loc. cit.
  23. ^ Spears, op. cit. p. 118.
  24. ^ Spears, op. cit. p. 118.
  25. ^ Spears, op. cit. p. 118.
  26. ^ Simpson, "sooty." loc. cit.
  27. ^ IMDB – Memorable Quotes from Back to the Future (1985) [Accessed 10 May 2006].
  28. ^ Simpson, "tar", op. cit.
  29. ^ Green, loc. cit. p. 1185.
  30. ^ Spears, op. cit. p. 118.
  31. ^ "chee-chee." Webster's [Accessed 12 Mar. 2006].
  32. ^ [1]Peak of Controversy "a resident of Calgary, wrote to the Minister of Community Development strongly objecting to the name Chinaman's Peak"
  33. ^ "From trouble to patronage job, and now to bigger trouble" January 27, 2004 Chicago Sun-Times. Accessed March 7, 2007. "Before the age of political correctness, Munoz would have been called Torres' chinaman, and in City Hall, that's still what they'd call him, but if you prefer, you can stick with mentor or patron."
  34. ^ Simpson, "Chinky"
  35. ^ Simpson, "Chinky"
  36. ^ Speers, loc. cit. p.4.
  37. ^ Webster.com/dictionary/anglo
  38. ^ Hugh Rawson, Wicked Words, (1989) p. 19.
  39. ^ "gubba," Moore, op. cit. [Accessed 7 May 2006.]
  40. ^ Spears, p. 295.
  41. ^ Dictionnaire, p. 103; "boche," Webster's.
  42. ^ "flapdragon." Webster's [Accessed 6 April 2006].
  43. ^ Green, Cassell, p. 383.
  44. ^ "Dutch", Webster's [Accessed February 15, 2006].
  45. ^ Grand Dictionnaire (Larousse: 1993) p. 397; "fritz," Webster's; Polish Language Dictionary: http://sjp.pwn.pl/haslo.php?id=2558630 .
  46. ^ ”Jerry,” Simpson, op. cit.

[edit] External links

This article incorporates text from the public domain 1907 edition of The Nuttall Encyclopædia.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../l/i/s/List_of_ethnic_slurs_by_ethnicity.html"