My family is pretty liberal. Despite that i had a couple of words that i grew up hearing and didn’t realize that they meant until i was an adult. When you know better you do better.
To jew someone down when negotiating a price was one. It was just a word and i didn’t understand it until i thought about spelling it and realized. Yes, I’m dumb.
I work with kids and i often call them squirrels, monkeys, octopus, big dog, etc. i mean it as endearing and didn’t realize that it could be offensive, especially monkey racially.
My grandma worked at a convenience store in very racially mixed, very low income area. She referred to all of the kids as porch monkeys. I thought nothing of it but now realize it can be racially offensive. In her defense, it was a time when kids were sent outside morning to evening and often gathered on the porches of a free homes.
A coworker got jipped/gyped by a gyp, and now he hates them with a passion. I told him it’s his own fault. He wanted cheaper exchange rate than bank or currency exchange offered, so agreed to buy currency at a discount in an alley. They put a good bill on top and bottom and rest was paper cut to size. LOL
Edit: I don’t say gyp normally, this is a relayed story. Romani are the people.
He didn’t get ripped off. He just went to a place with a really bad exchange rate. That’s the sort of thing that can happen when you’re greedy. At least he was supporting a small independent business.
I’ve never heard “gyped” or “jipped”. I’d say you were “duped”.
But that could be because I speak a dialect which features strong yod-coalescence. So “dune” and “june” are pronounced the same. So perhaps I have heard it, but simply eggcorned it into “dupe”.
I thought for sure you’d be right. But it turns out, no! Dupe comes from 15th century French duppe, thieves’ jargon, thought to come from Latin huppe/hoopoe, an extravagantly crested bird. Duplicity comes from Latin duplicitatem “doubleness”.
I learnt recently that even the word g**** is a slur itself. Apparently it came from people thinking they came from Egypt. Their preferred name is Roma.
I didn’t realize nigrig was (really fuckin obviously) racist until way late in life because the people I heard use it weren’t outwardly racist and pronounced it like “ne-grigged”
Somewhere along the way that became southern engineering. My mom lived in Florida for awhile so it was a good dig at both the locals and the duct tape crowd -though i grew up repairing everything with duct tape and bailing wire. My husband is an engineer - right tool for the job guy. I’m like, "pass me that mallet and a wire hanger.)
My family is pretty liberal. Despite that i had a couple of words that i grew up hearing and didn’t realize that they meant until i was an adult. When you know better you do better.
To jew someone down when negotiating a price was one. It was just a word and i didn’t understand it until i thought about spelling it and realized. Yes, I’m dumb.
I work with kids and i often call them squirrels, monkeys, octopus, big dog, etc. i mean it as endearing and didn’t realize that it could be offensive, especially monkey racially.
My grandma worked at a convenience store in very racially mixed, very low income area. She referred to all of the kids as porch monkeys. I thought nothing of it but now realize it can be racially offensive. In her defense, it was a time when kids were sent outside morning to evening and often gathered on the porches of a free homes.
When getting ripped off or a bad deal, that’s being gyped. Thats against gypsies. I learned that one way late in life.
A coworker got jipped/gyped by a gyp, and now he hates them with a passion. I told him it’s his own fault. He wanted cheaper exchange rate than bank or currency exchange offered, so agreed to buy currency at a discount in an alley. They put a good bill on top and bottom and rest was paper cut to size. LOL
Edit: I don’t say gyp normally, this is a relayed story. Romani are the people.
He didn’t get ripped off. He just went to a place with a really bad exchange rate. That’s the sort of thing that can happen when you’re greedy. At least he was supporting a small independent business.
Ah yes the sort of person who does currency exchange with the Roma in an alley because they’re offering a good rate: a moron
I’ve never heard “gyped” or “jipped”. I’d say you were “duped”.
But that could be because I speak a dialect which features strong yod-coalescence. So “dune” and “june” are pronounced the same. So perhaps I have heard it, but simply eggcorned it into “dupe”.
Its a guess but I bet duped comes from duplicity. Or something with the same root.
I thought for sure you’d be right. But it turns out, no! Dupe comes from 15th century French duppe, thieves’ jargon, thought to come from Latin huppe/hoopoe, an extravagantly crested bird. Duplicity comes from Latin duplicitatem “doubleness”.
Huh. Well, there’s the thing I learned today. Thanks!
I learnt recently that even the word g**** is a slur itself. Apparently it came from people thinking they came from Egypt. Their preferred name is Roma.
Wow, this is my first time learning this. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it written so I assumed it was spelled “jipped” and never made the connection.
Same boat here. TIL
There are so many songs that refer to gypsy. I’m not sure if I’m supposed to sing along or not.
You just try not singing along to Cher’s Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves.
But every night the men would come around…
Since when did porch monkey suddenly become a racial slur?
I never thought of it as lazy, just kids that gather and maybe cause a little mischief, especially during school breaks.
I didn’t realize nigrig was (really fuckin obviously) racist until way late in life because the people I heard use it weren’t outwardly racist and pronounced it like “ne-grigged”
Somewhere along the way that became southern engineering. My mom lived in Florida for awhile so it was a good dig at both the locals and the duct tape crowd -though i grew up repairing everything with duct tape and bailing wire. My husband is an engineer - right tool for the job guy. I’m like, "pass me that mallet and a wire hanger.)
“Alabama Ingenuity” is the phrase I typically use these days.