Author Topic: I'm curious  (Read 3382 times)

tpc

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Re: I'm curious
« Reply #15 on: September 19, 2018, 12:53:40 PM »
Right on, Trex!

Alan W

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Re: I'm curious
« Reply #16 on: August 30, 2020, 02:35:47 PM »
In the time since this topic was started the issues of prejudice and bigoted language have certainly not gone away. Leaving aside the broader issues, discussed here and in this topic, I feel two of the words raised by Tom, dago and darkie, should be classed as rare, based on recent usage levels.

When I was growing up the word dago was used all too frequently in Australia to refer to Italian immigrants. But the word is seldom used these days - and when it is, it's generally in a historical context. And from what I can see the word is rarely used around the English-speaking world. Darkie seems to be even less frequently used. So I'll make these words rare, along with the plural dagoes.
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Calilasseia

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Re: I'm curious
« Reply #17 on: September 02, 2020, 03:27:50 PM »
Here in the UK, I'm more familiar with dago being used to refer to people of Spanish or Portuguese origin, rather than Italian. In the past, if memory serves, the epithet of choice for people of Italian origin here was spick. But you'll have to go back a long time to find this word being conversational.
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mkenuk

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Re: I'm curious
« Reply #18 on: September 02, 2020, 03:47:25 PM »
Another term of abuse fir Italians, used several times in 'The Godfather', sounds like 'guinea'. Not sure how it was spelled or where it was derived from.
'Dago' is from 'Diego' or 'James' in Spanish/Portuguese.

birdy

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Re: I'm curious
« Reply #19 on: September 15, 2020, 11:48:02 AM »
In the past, if memory serves, the epithet of choice for people of Italian origin here was spick. But you'll have to go back a long time to find this word being conversational.

I think I've only heard "spick" used for Spanish-speaking people (including those from Central and South America who have little or no European ancestry).  But actually, I don't think I've heard the word used for a long time, except in the totally unrelated phrase "spick and span."