List of ethnic slurs by ethnicity

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The following is a list of ethnic slurs that are, or have been, used in English language.

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

See also alphabetical list of ethnic slurs.

Contents

Broader ethnic categories

African descent

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[clarify], although some hypothesize the term originated in the late 1800s[clarify].[1]
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.[2]
Ape 
(U.S.) a black person.[3]
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.[4]
Buffie 
a black person.[5]
Colored 
(U.S.) a Black person. Now typically considered disrespectful, this word 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)[6]
Coon 
(AUS, U.S. & U.K) a black person. Possibly from Portuguese barracoos, a building constructed to hold slaves for sale. (1837).[7]
Crow 
a black person,[8] spec. a black woman.
Gable 
a black person.[5]
Golliwogg 
(UK Commonwealth) a dark-skinned person, after Florence Kate Upton's children's book character [9]
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.[11]
Jim Fish 
(South Africa) a black person[12]
Jungle Bunny 
(U.S.) a black person. Jungle is referred to their jungle origins and bunny is referred to some people saying that jack rabbits looked like 'lynched' black people. [13]
Kaffir, kaffer, kaffir, kafir, kaffre 
(South Africa) a. a black person. Very offensive. See also Kaffir (Historical usage in southern Africa)
Leroy, LeRoy, Leeroy, LeeRoy 
Given name allegedly common among black people.[citation needed]
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 used it to refer to one of Jim Webb's volunteers, S. R. Sidarth, when he said, "This fellow here, over here with the yellow shirt, macaca, or whatever his name is." [14]
Monkey 
(UK) a black person.[15]
Mosshead 
a black person.[5]
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]
Nig-nog or Nig Jig 
(UK & U.S.) a black person.[18]
Nigger / nigra / nigga / niggah / nigguh / nigglet 
(U.S., UK) a black person. From the word negro which means the color black in numerous languages. Diminutive appellations include "Nigg", "Nigz". The terms "Nigga" and "Niggaz" (plural) are frequently used between African-Americans without the negative associations of "Nigger."
Nigra / negra / niggra / nigrah / nigruh 
(U.S.) offensive for a black person [first used in the early 1900s][19]
Powder burn 
a black person.[5]
Quashie 
a black person.[5]
Sambo 
(U.S.) a derogatory term for an African American, Black, or sometimes a South Asian person.[20][21]
Smoked Irish / smoked Irishman 
(U.S.) 19th century term for Blacks (intended to insult both Blacks and Irish).[5]
Sooty 
a black person [originated in the U.S. in the 1950s][22]
Tar baby 
(UK; U.S.; and N.Z.) a black child.[23] See Tar baby.
Teapot 
(British) a black person. [1800s][24]
Thicklips 
a black person.[5]
Uncle Tom 
(U.S. minorities) term for an African-American, Latino, or Asian who panders to white people; a "sellout" (from the title character of Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin.)
Wog 
(UK) An Indian person.

South Asian descent

ABCD 
(East Indians in U.S.) "American-Born Confused Desi" used for American-born South Asians including Indian/ Pakistani/ Bangladeshi (mainly Indians as Indians are the largest number of "South Asians") who are confused about their cultural identity. This is often used humorously without any derogatory meaning.

East Asian descent

Charlie 
(U.S.) A generally non-pejorative slang term used by American troops during the Vietnam War as a short-hand term for Vietnamese guerrillas: it was shortened from "Victor Charlie", the radio code designation for Viet Cong, or VC.[25]
Chee-chee 
a Eurasian half-caste [probably from Hindi chi-chi fie!, literally, dirt][26]
Chinaman 
(U.S. and English) Chinese person, used in old American west when discrimination against Chinese was common.[27]. Possibly coined by early Chinese Americans from a translation of "Zhong Guo Ren" which is literally "China" and "Person". 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.[28]
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.[29]
Gook 
used by the Americans to describe Koreans during the Korean war. Came about when Koreans asked if the soldiers were from America ("Mi Gook" in Korean) a native of Southeast Asia or the South Pacific, esp. when a member of an enemy military force. Slang from the Vietnam War. Term used by American GI's to describe for Vietnamese people or any Asian enemies.[citation needed]

European descent

Afro-Saxon 
(North America) A young white male devotee of black pop culture.[30]
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.[31]
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. [32].
Charlie 
Mildly derogatory term 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).
Coonass or coon-ass 
(U.S.) a Cajun; may be derived from the French conasse. May be used among Cajuns themselves. Not considered to be derogatory in most circumstances.
Cracker 
(U.S.) Derogatory term for whites, particularly from the American South. [33] May be used by whites themselves in a non-offensive manner.
Gringo 
(The Americas) Non-Hispanic U.S. national. Hence Gringolandia, the United States; not always a pejorative term, unless used with intent to offend.[34]
Gubba 
(AUS) Aboriginal (Koori) term for white people[35] — derived from Governor / Gubbanah
Gweilo, gwailo, or kwai lo (鬼佬) 
(Hong Kong and South China) A White man. 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).[36] Once a mark of xenophobia, the word was promoted by Maoists and is now in general, informal use.[37]
Honky (U.S.) 
Offensive term for a white person.
Haole (Hawaii) 
Usually not offensive, can be derogatory if intended to offend. Used by native Hawaiians to refer in modern times to anyone of caucasian descent whether native born or not. Use has spread to many other islands of the Pacific and is known in modern pop culture.[38]
Ofay 
A white person[39]
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.[40]
Roundeye 
(English speaking Asians) a white or non-Asian person.[41]
Wigger, Wegro
is a slang term for a white person who allophilically emulates mannerisms, slangs and fashions stereotypically associated with urban African Americans; especially in relation to hip hop culture.

Individual ethnicities

Germans

See List of terms used for Germans

Irish

Bog Irish
a person of common or low class Irish ancestry
Dogan, dogun
(CAN) Irish Catholic [19th century on; origin uncertain: perhaps from Dugan, an Irish surname].
Free Stater
(Northern Ireland) a citizen of the Republic of Ireland, especially to Ulster Protestants. Also used by Irish Republicans to refer to Irish people who they believe are less than patriotic.
Mick, Mickey, Mickey Finn

a. (Britain, Commonwealth & U.S.) an Irish person or a person of Irish descent. From the prefix "Mc"/"Mac" meaning "son of" that is commonly found in Irish surnames.

b. (Australia) a Roman Catholic [19th century on, from Michael]. Paddy: (Primarily UK) An Irishman.

Smoked Irish / smoked Irishman
(U.S.) 19th century term for Blacks (intended to insult both Blacks and Irish). This term usually refers to a black person with an Irish last name.
Tinker / tynekere / tinkere / tynkere, -are / tynker / tenker / tinkar / tyncar / tinkard / tynkard / tincker

a. (Britain & Ireland) an inconsequential person (typically lower class); (note that in Britain, the term "Irish Tinker" may be used, giving it the same meaning as example b.)

b. (Scotland and Ireland) a Gypsy [origin unknown - possibly relating to one of the 'traditional' occupations of Gypsies as travelling 'tinkerers' or repairers of common household objects] [146]

c. (Scotland) a member of the native community previously itinerant (but mainly now settled) who were reputed for their production of domestic implements from basic materials and for repair of the same items, being also known in the past as "travelling tinsmiths". The slur is possibly derived from a reputation for rowdy and alcoholic recreation. Often wrongly confused with Gypsy/Romany people.

Italians

Dago
(U.S.) A person of Italian descent.
Ginzo
(U.S.) an Italian-American.[42]
Goombah
An Italian male, especially an Italian thug or mafioso.
Greaseball
(US) A person of Italian descent. [43]
Guinea 
(U.S.) someone of Italian descent. (Derives from "Guinea Negro", was called because of some Italians who had dark complexions)[44]
Wog
(Australian and Britain) Usually refers to any person of Mediterranean, Southern European, and Middle Eastern descent. Often used for Italians, Greeks, and Arabs.
Wop
(US) A person of Italian descent.

Jews

Hymie 
A Jew, from the Hebrew Chaim ("life"). Also used in the term, "Hymie-town", a reference to New York, and in particular, Brooklyn. [45]
Kike 
Originates from the word 'keikl', in Yiddish, which means 'circle', the reason being that the first Jewish immigrants in America, who were unable to sign their names, signed with a circle instead of a cross.[46]
Sheeny 
From Yiddish "shaine" or German "schön" meaning "beautiful".[46]
Shylock 
Comes from Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice" and "Othello". Similar to Sheister.[46]

Slovenians

Alpine Serbs
(Croatia) Commonly used to refer to the Slovenian people rather than a Slovenian individual.
Janez
(countries of ex-Yugoslavia) After the Slovenian version of the name "John".
Kekec
(ex-Yugoslavia) After an adventurous shepherd boy from children's novels by Slovenian author Josip Vandot. Spotted in the song Kekec je slobodan, red je na nas by Croatian rock band Parni valjak.

Americans

Yank: From the term "Yankee" used for people from New England[47], often interrelated as slang, used within the UK as a disparaging term for Americans in general.

Septic: Cockney rhyming slang, from "Septic Tank" rhyming with Yank (see above). Has additional negative inferences, related to the use and contents of a septic tank.

Redneck: Slur originally referring to a white Southern labourer, having a red neck from sunburn from labouring in fields in the sun[48].

See also

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)

References

  1. ^ Speers, loc. cit. pg. 6.
  2. ^ Hugh Rawson, Wicked Words, (1989) p. 19.
  3. ^ Spears, loc. cit. p. 10.; also, Zoo Ape or Jungle Ape
  4. ^ Green, loc. cit. p. 36.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Spears, op. cit. p. 118.
  6. ^ A story of Africa: Apartheid Law
  7. ^ Online Etymology Dictionary: Coon
  8. ^ "crow." Webster's [Accessed 12 March 2006].
  9. ^ "'Controversial' golly to be shelved" BBC News 23 August 2001
  10. ^ Simpson, "jigaboo," op. cit.
  11. ^ Jim Crow Laws: Arkansas
  12. ^ "Jim Fish." Ibid. [Accessed 12 March 2006].
  13. ^ "rsdb"[1]
  14. ^ Allen Quip Provokes Outrage, Apology
  15. ^ The Times Online http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2239023,00.html
  16. ^ Simpson. "munt". loc. cit.
  17. ^ Ibid. "mustard seed".
  18. ^ "nig-nog" Webster's
  19. ^ Simpson. "nigra," loc. cit.
  20. ^ Boskin, Joseph (1986) Sambo, New York: Oxford University Press
  21. ^ Goings, Kenneth (1994) Mammy and Uncle Mose: Black Collectibles and American Stereotyping, Bloomington: Indiana University Press, ISBN 0-253-32592-7
  22. ^ Simpson, "sooty." loc. cit.
  23. ^ Simpson, "tar", op. cit.
  24. ^ Green, loc. cit. p. 1185.
  25. ^ "The Language of War", on the American Experience/Vietnam Online website; retrieved August 31, 2007
  26. ^ "chee-chee." Webster's [Accessed 12 Mar. 2006].
  27. ^ Peak of Controversy in Canmore "a resident of Calgary, wrote to the Minister of Community Development strongly objecting to the name Chinaman's Peak"
  28. ^ "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."
  29. ^ Simpson, "Chinky"
  30. ^ Speers, loc. cit. p.4.
  31. ^ Hugh Rawson, Wicked Words, (1989) p. 19.
  32. ^ Don't call me bule! How expatriates experience a word
  33. ^ 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica
  34. ^ The American Heritage Dictionary: Gringo
  35. ^ "gubba," Moore, op. cit. [Accessed 7 May 2006.]
  36. ^ Gwai Louh: The Foreign Devil
  37. ^ Gweilo
  38. ^ haole - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
  39. ^ The American Heritage Dictionary: Ofay
  40. ^ A Visual Database of Extremist Symbols, Logos and Tattoos
  41. ^ Spears, p. 295.
  42. ^ "ginzo" The New Oxford American Dictionary, second edition. Ed. Erin McKean. (Oxford University Press: 2005.) [Accessed 6 May 2006]
  43. ^ greaseball - Definitions from Dictionary.com
  44. ^ "Guinea", op. cit. [Accessed 21 Mar. 2006].
  45. ^ Hymie, Eric Wolarsky, Rhetoric of Race Dictionary Project, College of New Jersey. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
  46. ^ a b c List of slurs
  47. ^ Yankee - Definitions from Dictionary.com
  48. ^ redneck - Definitions from Dictionary.com

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