Is the word "Jap" offensive?

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I've always used it as a abbreviation, rather than a racial slur. It's seems Japanese and Japanese-Americans see it more as an insult. Here in the UK it seems to be a milder word than in the US. Is it OK to use it if, like me, your intent is not to offend?

― Perry P, Tuesday, 18 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Since you know it's seen as an insult by Japanese, why use it, even if it's your "intent is not to offend" Just say Japanese. Easy.

― Sean, Tuesday, 18 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

yeah, i've seen it a lot around here, and while i know nobody's using it in a derogatory way, i just don't see the point, given that some take offense to the term...

― Ron, Tuesday, 18 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Robert Henderson on Usenet Politics calls Japanese people "Japs" = it is what backward reactionary thinkers say obv

― Robin Carmody, Tuesday, 18 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I've never met anybody but Asian Americans who've used this term, and there's a sort of in-crowd "nigga" thing going on with it there. Certain Japanese people I've met wouldn't hesitate to raise fists if called it by the wrong people.

― Honda, Tuesday, 18 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

V. offensive. cf. John McCain.

― Sterling Clover, Tuesday, 18 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I use either Jap or Nip - we always called Japanese "Niplang" at school. None of my Japanese friends have reacted to this in a negative way. They call us Aussies, not Australians, so calling them Japs or Nips instead of Japanese or Nipponjin is no different although I suppose it depends on if you do it in a friendly way - I'm sure some old, resentful guy at the RSL saying Jap or Nip could be offensive.

― toraneko, Wednesday, 19 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

well it's better than 'nips', but still offensive. the only 'derogative' terms i would use (but rarely do) are the ones that i feel belong to me (i feel entitled to use 'wog' because my dad's parents are from austria, yet also 'skip' cos i'm white, and any term used to describe jews because said austrian grandparents were also of jewish heritage. that's maybe tenuous enough a connection that i'm still not entirely comfortable with its use.)

― minna, Wednesday, 19 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I've never heard anyone in real life use the term jap to mean anything other than "Jewish American Princess". WW2 is over, folks.

― Kris, Wednesday, 19 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

was 'aussie' originally an offensive term? (serious qn)

― philip, Wednesday, 19 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

the term Jap is offensive and should not be used, regardless of intent.

this is unfortunate, as talking about "the plucky Japs" has more of a ring to it than "the plucky Japanese" (when you are talking about World War or World Cup performance).

I think there should be a law against countries or racial groups having long names.

― DV, Wednesday, 19 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Nip, jap, zip, whatever. I doubt any of these are worse than what the Japanese call the Koreans.

― dave q, Wednesday, 19 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

was 'aussie' originally an offensive term? (serious qn)

nope (not as far as i know anyway) :)

― minna, Wednesday, 19 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

was 'aussie' originally an offensive term? (serious qn)

How can it not be?

― Kiwi, Wednesday, 19 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

'Nips' strikes me emotionally as being more offensive, although it is a contraction of Nipponese, which sort of seems more respectful than Japanese (as well as more pretentious). Odd. Nobody gets offended at the superficially parallel contraction 'Brits'. I think it's all down to usage. If racists use a term enough, it gets polluted with those connotations. This explains why it works differently in the US and Australia, and why 'Brits' is okay, since we've hardly suffered from racism. What someone said about avoiding using a term that gives offence seems sensible to me. It's just decent manners, as well as sound safety precautions.

― Martin Skidmore, Wednesday, 19 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

So skip refers to white a person? I've never heard that one. Eskimos prefer Inuits. Oops I mean the Inuits prefer Inuits.

― Lindsey B, Wednesday, 19 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

i feel entitled to use 'wog' because my dad's parents are from austria

Um. Because Austrians were Nazi's? Or am I missing something here. Since when has that meant Austrian?

― Pete, Wednesday, 19 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

When I hear "Nips" I automatically think of "Nipples". I don't know if this is offensive or not.

― Dan Perry, Wednesday, 19 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I also thought they were talking bout nipples when i first heard

And Aussie at least is way better than Kiwi

― Chupa-Cabras, Wednesday, 19 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

One of my Japanese friends said that in the place of "Japanese," you can say "Super happy fun lucky race." I think he was kidding.

― Kate Spiren, Wednesday, 19 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The consistent use of the word "Argies" irks me a bit as I think that term originated in the tabloids during the Falklands War.

― Venga, Wednesday, 19 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

― it's this thing, Wednesday, 19 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

It's not as offensive as "nigger" but if you think about it the Japanese are not offensive like negroes.

― jack, Wednesday, 19 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

it's dependant on how you say it whether it's a slur type word or just abbrev.

― jack off, Wednesday, 19 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

& context obv.

― unknown or illegal user, Wednesday, 19 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

i mean both as in where located in sentence/who to etc

― unknown or illegal user, Wednesday, 19 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

OBV

― unknown or illegal user, Wednesday, 19 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

can anyone help me get these recs for my kraut friend greg -

DROWNING IS EASY/ERICH ZANN & THE ZEDS: split (PR2012) 7" JOHNNIES: Government Don't Care (Johnarchy) 7" KNOX, Chris: Songs For Cleaning Guppies (Flying Nun) LP MARIE & THE ATOM: She Said (Industrial) tape NEVER MIND THE TRELLIES: V.A. (Walking Monk) tape NOCTURNAL PROJECTIONS: both tapes OFF OUR SHOULDERS: V.A. (OnSet/OffSet) LP PIPPER, Duncan: Love Overload (Massage) one-sided-7" PRIMITIVE ART GROUP: Five Tread Drop Down (Braille) LP SIX IMPOSSIBLE THINGS: Six Impossible Things (Sausage) 7" SMELLY FEET: Left Odours (Art2) tape TEN ART BEATS: s/t (self released) tape THIS IS HEAVEN: Albert Northee (Industrial) book/tape TOERAG / BROTHERS GORGONZOLA: Split (OnSet/OffSet) 7" WASP FACTORY: Hick-Hate EP (F-Star) 7"

Thanks if you can help, write to me on this thread

― unknown or illegal user, Wednesday, 19 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

five years pass...

It's not as offensive as "nigger" but if you think about it the Japanese are not offensive like negroes.

-- jack, Tuesday, June 18, 2002 8:00 PM (5 years ago) Bookmark Link

hahahha

― and what, Tuesday, 25 December 2007 19:08 (eighteen years ago)

logic

― and what, Tuesday, 25 December 2007 19:08 (eighteen years ago)

It's not as offensive as "nigger" but if you think about it the Super happy fun lucky race are not offensive like negroes.

-- jack, Tuesday, June 18, 2002 8:00 PM (5 years ago) Bookmark Link

― The Reverend, Tuesday, 25 December 2007 19:25 (eighteen years ago)

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