I asked a question a few minutes ago and used the word "Jew" - instead of "Isreali". Within two minutes I was advised that the word :Jew" was derogatory! (along the same lines as another term used for Black people)! I never heard this before!. As a matter of fact, I see that term used very often here. And in my town, there is a newspaper whose editors are Jewish and the name of the newspaper is "The ______ State."
Have I missed something? Plus I hear many people speaking of J's and they never never refer to them as Isrealis!!! Plus we find that word in the Bible. Plus we always hear about the Jews and the Gentiles! SInce when did the term "Jew" become derogatory??!!
2007-01-22 13:08:22 · 14 answers · asked by rare2findd 6 in Politics & Government ➔ Politics
The name "Jew" is an honorable and ancient word. Unfortunately, the Nazis used it in such a derogatory way (and many Europeans over the centuries did, too), that the word today comes with some heavy baggage attached to it. And, yes, prejudice is a big chunk of that baggage.
"Israeli" refers to the citizens living in the country of Israel. Since there are several million Jewish people living outside Israel, calling all Jews Israelis would be very misleading.
In English, actually a more neutral way of referring to someone could be to use the term "Jewish", as in "He's Jewish."
I do hope this helps.
2007-01-22 13:19:34 · answer #1 · answered by Marion111 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No, it is not derogatory.
. I’ve heard this idea before, and I can’t agree. There are several reasons why. “Jew” is the singular form of the proper noun that is the English equivalent of the Hebrew noun that I would use to describe a Jewish man, “yehudah.” The Hebrew equivalent of “Jewish”, an adjective, is “yedudi.” I do not find either of these words offensive, and in conversation would use them to describe myself. So why would I find the English translation offensive?
The second reason is a matter of equality with terms for other groups. In the case of Christians, the noun and adjective are the same word, but you can tell which way it’s being used in a sentence. For example, do you think either of these descriptions is offensive? “He is a Christian” or “He is Christian”? The first example is the equivalent of saying “He is a Jew.”
2007-01-24 01:25:59 · answer #2 · answered by MaryBridget G 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Blarp- Calling a dog a 'Labradoodle' is insulting. why not just say Lab/Poodle Mix? it's only three characters longer than that derogatory cutesy term. If any person ever told me my Lab/Collie mix was a Labrollie or something equally stupid, they would be swiftly informed of just how stupid they truly are, same as people who tell me all about their brand new Puggadoo or their rare breed Pommirottiwow. They don't own a special designer breed. They own an unspecial, common as muck mutt. And I, as well as every well educated dog owner and lover should, will continue to tell them that. My dogs go by the terms Bitser, Mutt, Mongrel, Mixer, crosses.... Anything like that. I find people telling me that they own a Chiweeniedoodlepoo insulting to my intelligence, and insulting to dogs. Don't get me wrong. I frigging love my mutts. I love all mutts. I hate designer dogs. I will not take something called a Shihtpoo or a labradoodle seriously. It is a joke, and a bad one at that.
2016-05-23 23:22:55 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like a liberal imitating A JEW, trying to cause trouble. Most Isrealis are Jewish people. One man is 1 Jew. Shouldnt be considered a slur.
Hitler had them wear signs saying they were a Jew. That may be what they are regressing about.
2007-01-22 13:26:24 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
i don't think its derrogatory, it only becomes derrogatory, when you use dirty prejudice words with it, you have to force the word to be derrogatory.
Calling a person an 'Isreali' isn't always politically correct. My close friend is Jewish, he identifies as a 'Jew', not an isreali. He wasn't born in Isreal, he was born in the USA, so he isn't considered such. I'll ask him about this though. I'll have to tell him, someone was being a real a-hole to you.
2007-01-22 13:15:35 · answer #5 · answered by tieshantiger 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In the bible, the Samaritan "woman at the well" referred to Jesus as a Jew. She stated "You. A Jew speaking to me" as Jews looked down on Samaritans in those days. I always perceived Jew to be the same as the term Muslim or Christian. The name of those who practice Judaism.
I guess some try to contend that just as they have tried to transform the term "liberal" into an insult, that evil people have the power to transform any normal term into something hideous. I don't afford them that power.
2007-01-22 13:11:36 · answer #6 · answered by True Grit 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No a jew is a Jew is a jew. not everyone in isreal is a jew only the jews are jews infact im getting tired of saying jew but my jew freind ben the jew has never said jew was a bad word its thier name so call em jews and to hel with the pc s h i t
2007-01-22 13:17:33 · answer #7 · answered by fukawthoridy 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Jew is not deragatory but Jewish is more politically correct. If this is about Yahoo violations policy they are quite pathetic.
2007-01-22 13:12:45 · answer #8 · answered by trigunmarksman 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The word "Jew" became derogatory during the holocaust.
2007-01-22 13:12:37 · answer #9 · answered by The Cult of Personality 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
It isn't, as a noun. As an adjective, Jewish is better.
2007-01-23 02:53:11 · answer #10 · answered by ysk 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋