How did the degrating term for Italians "dago" come about?

Answer 1

According to Howard Stern, Mexicans working as day laborors used to be called "Diegos" and when Italians arrived, the locals continued to call them the same thing. Leave it to accents to turn it into "Dagos".

Hey, it was on Stern. Who knows? At least it's a good story.

Answer 2

In American English, the term dago refers to Italians and Italian Americans, especially recent immigrants and others not fully assimilated into Anglo-American culture. Although more commonly used in the early 20th century, "dago" is now considered quite offensive.

Dago is also a derogatory term used in British English to refer to people of Spanish, Italian, or Portuguese origin. It is derived from "Diego", a Spanish name equivalent to English "Jacob". Its use is not as offensive as, for example "wog" - in fact, the former chief executive of the Bradford and Bingley, Christopher Rodriguez, was known to refer to himself as a "swarthy dago

Answer 3

I found this on Wikipedia-

"In American English, the term dago refers to Italians and Italian Americans, especially recent immigrants and others not fully assimilated into Anglo-American culture. Although more commonly used in the early 20th century, "dago" is now considered quite offensive.

Dago is also a derogatory term used in British English to refer to people of Spanish, Italian, or Portuguese origin. It is derived from "Diego", a Spanish name equivalent to English "Jacob". Its use is not as offensive as, for example "wog" - in fact, the former chief executive of the Bradford and Bingley, Christopher Rodriguez, was known to refer to himself as a "swarthy dago"."

Answer 4

dago here dago there

Answer 5

I have never even heard of it.