Which Ethnic Slurs Do You/Can You Still Use?

[Razgovory]

garbon-American.

[Jacob]

garbon-American.

That's not a slur. That's an honorific.

[Barrister]

Is negro, or coloured, really a slur though?

I mean I know they're not the preferred terms.  I do not use them.  But they do have a positive historical usage (like the NAACP, or UNCF).  I agree that people,  or groups, should be called by the term they preferred to be called by, which is why I wouldn't use those words.  But just because they aren't preferred does that make them a slur?

[Duque de Bragança]

Rosbiff, Yanks, Boches, Ritals.

Apart from Boches, I think they're all kosher.

Rital used to be extremely offensive but less nowadays. I can't say Italians around here like it nor do I use it. That's the province of the beauf if I may say so.

Boche still is but mostly old-fashioned. Got to use the German translation (!) thanks to Syt  , i.e Piefke.

Yanks/Amerloques/Ricains are colloquial, specially the last one, same for Rosbif, hardly the worst ones (Godons is more old-fashioned).

Thanks to Tamas, I have used infrequently Balkantard, but less so nowadays.

I don't use many ethnic slurs actually. Bezerro (Portuguese for North African) is the only one I can think of.

[Duque de Bragança]

Let me see... "gabacho" (Frenchie) I still use from time to time, funnily in SA it is used to refer to yanks (another one I use).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabacho

Also guiri, a very popular one in Spain - for foreign tourists. In particular white ones.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guiri


"Moro" (literally "moor", but it has become a slur nowadays) I stopped using decades ago. I'm now rehabbing for "paki", over here the word doesn't have the legacy it does in the UK, but it's just a little effort.

Moreno is still used in Portuguese for tanned.

You're mixing up Mo(u)ro e moreno.  Same as in Castilian.

As for negro in Portuguese it's the preferred form cf. Não sou preto, sou negro!
Preto is colloquial as a matter of fact and may be resented.

[garbon]

Is negro, or coloured, really a slur though?

I mean I know they're not the preferred terms.  I do not use them.  But they do have a positive historical usage (like the NAACP, or UNCF).  I agree that people,  or groups, should be called by the term they preferred to be called by, which is why I wouldn't use those words.  But just because they aren't preferred does that make them a slur?

I didn't say it was a slur, just that outside of historical things, generally not a term that should be used.

[Barrister]

I didn't say it was a slur, just that outside of historical things, generally not a term that should be used.

Fair enough.  I agree with that assessment.

[Sheilbh]

I don't think I use any really - but I don't think I ever really have

[crazy canuck]

I don't think I use any really - but I don't think I ever really have

Thinking back to my childhood, I recall a number of slurs that were commonly used idioms.  Examples - people would often refer to getting a lower price as "Jewing them down".  I also often heard people say "don't be an Indian giver".

[Valmy]

I generally use disparaging slurs about inferior people from other states. Okies, hillbillies, white-trash inbred hicks, yankees, Floridians. You know.

All in good fun. Except Floridians, that cuts deep.

[crazy canuck]

Is Yankee disparaging?

[Valmy]

Is Yankee disparaging?

When used as a proper noun it refers to a very evil baseball team, so yes.

Otherwise yeah it kind of means you are a rude, selfish, piece of crap like everybody born north of Maryland is supposed to be. Your BBQ and Mexican Food sucks. Also you don't like college football. Just the worst.

[crazy canuck]

Is Yankee disparaging?

When used as a proper noun it refers to a very evil baseball team, so yes.

Otherwise yeah it kind of means you are a rude, selfish, piece of crap like everybody born north of Maryland is supposed to be. Your BBQ and Mexican Food sucks. Also you don't like college football. Just the worst.

 

[HVC]

I don't think I use any really - but I don't think I ever really have

You've obviously never been really mad

[Sheilbh]

I don't think I use any really - but I don't think I ever really have

You've obviously never been really mad

This is actually true. I am a very relaxed laid back person - have the odd moment of rage (normally at rudeness) but otherwise pretty chill