2006-10-22 11:11:34 · 28 answers · asked by LeviTosh 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
Let me clarify - my friends & I have for years called anyone who is stupid a "mongo." I don't know the origin. Now, is *that* offensive?
2006-10-22 11:18:30 · update #1
no i dont think soo..
do you remember the childrens programme on TV in the 70's called 'mongo and midge'
Mongol is offensive though...
2006-10-22 11:14:00 · answer #1 · answered by confused 6 · 2⤊ 4⤋
Yes it's offensive. It's an insult normally used to imply that somebody is dumb. The actual word Mongo - comes from Mongolian - and is probably used because the Mongolian people were thought to bear some kind of resemblance to those who have down syndrome. It's not nice at all really. :-/
2006-10-22 11:54:56 · answer #2 · answered by Butterscotch 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yep, very offensive. Derived from Mongol or mongoloid. Might not be to the person you are addressing, however if I were Mongoloid or the parent or relative of a Mongol child I would be very pissed off.
2006-10-24 05:03:12 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, " Mongo " is not an offensive word in the english language.
Mongo: 1. A member of any of various agricultural peoples of the central Democratic Republic of the Congo.
2. The Bantu language of the Mongo peoples.
So unless you can speak Bantu then I think you are fine.
2006-10-22 11:24:35 · answer #4 · answered by Davey 2 · 0⤊ 5⤋
Mongo is a spanish slang word that means to be slow, or coward, or not very strong or weakling ...
2006-10-22 11:41:32 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
'mongo' from 'mongoloid', an old term for somebody with Down's syndrome. So yeah, it is an offensive word. No surprise there.
2006-10-22 11:23:32 · answer #6 · answered by tyrian&eustas(the puffin) 2 · 5⤊ 1⤋
Mongol is not offensive for the most part. It is offensive if use in relation to someone with Downs Syndrome. Mongrel is, Mulatto is not.
2006-10-23 09:22:00 · answer #7 · answered by brhntr51 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes i think it can be offensive used in the wrong context but it all depends on the situation at the time
2006-10-25 20:31:41 · answer #8 · answered by srracvuee 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yeah, me & my brother used to call each other it in secret, after our parents told us off because it is a short version of Mongoloid which was a term associated with people who have Down Syndrome & it's not nice to make fun of the people that are unfortunate to have that condition
2006-10-22 11:36:55 · answer #9 · answered by Mari C 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Words are not inherently offensive or non-offensive.
They are just words.
You intention, on the other hand, can be very offensive whatever word you may use.
2006-10-22 11:26:24 · answer #10 · answered by deepndswamps 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋