Jap: Ethnic Slur or Acceptable Abbreviation?

[Ho-oh]

In the second world war, the Allies referred to the Japanese as "Japs", usually meant to insult.

However, the word is so popular and used so often by veterans that the offensiveness of the term is highly debatable, and indeed, it's not regarded as insult by many people (this does include Japanese).

What's your opinion on this?


I don't consider this insulting. I use it when laziness strikes.

Discuss.

 

[$aturn¥oshi]

I voted yes, because it sounds kinda crude to me. If I want to abbreviate the word "Japanese", I go with "Jp".

 

[Dewgong Reign]

The term "commie jap" was used as a derrogatory insult in WWII, specifically adressing a Japanese Communist so I'm gonna have to say ethnic slur.

However, a lot of people don't take offense to this. Like some black friends I have who commonly use the n word to casually adress each other.

You just can't be too careful with this type of thing. People are offended too easily. :look:

 

[PockyAddict]

It's still an ethnic slur to me, And I would prefer to type the word rather than abbreviate or use JP.

 

[Ho-oh]

Ah, I feel racist now! D:

 

[Takoto]

This just reminded me of when my Boyfriends copy of Bioshock froze, and the line went like this (I don't mean to be offensive, merely posting what it said):

"Those dirty Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Japanese!"

D:

 

[Perxio]

This just reminded me of when my Boyfriends copy of Bioshock froze, and the line went like this (I don't mean to be offensive, merely posting what it said):

"Those dirty Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Jap Japanese!"

D:

...I lol'd way too much. XD;

 

[Satoshi-chan]

Jap is not something that anyone wants to use as an abbreviation if they can help it. Jpn or Jp are much less offensive ways to abbreviate Japan.

 

[fate]

Jap is not something that anyone wants to use as an abbreviation if they can help it. Jpn or Jp are much less offensive ways to abbreviate Japan.

This.

JP even helps with a case of the lazy.

 

[Luna Tiger]

Acceptable abbreviation? Not really (JP is so much easier, because the shorter it is, the more people will use it, IMO). Slur? Don't know anymore.

But when a Japanese band called Abingdon Boys School comes out with a single called JAP, which is used for the theme school to an anime....

I think it's one of those "we took it back" words.

 

[Luxio2k8]

The thing is that even though the Second World War ended 64 years ago, the term “Japs” still has a very negative connotation in society.

Using the abbreviation, “JP” is better and less offensive sounding. Even if someone uses the word, “Jap” and doesn’t mean to use it in a “negative” meaning. The thing is that some people may not understand that and it rubs them off the wrong way.

 

[Valdez]

Is calling a German a "Jerrie" (British First World War slang) still offensive?

 

[Terra Force]

For those who find it acceptable...

As Achmed the Dead Terrorist would say: "YOU RACIST BASTARD!"


In short, I find "Jap" offensive.

It's not World War II anymore, so it's no longer acceptable.

 

[ii kanji]

I'm not sure how much the offensive connotation remains elsewhere, but I'm not comfortable with the abbreviation :/ JP is better if you're a lazy git like me.

 

[Phoenicks]

I don't think that it's the word that matters, but the context that it's used in. I can't imagine many good contexts that the word could be used in, but it's not the word, it's the context it's used in IMO.

 

[fate]

I don't think that it's the word that matters, but the context that it's used in. I can't imagine many good contexts that the word could be used in, but it's not the word, it's the context it's used in IMO.

... the whole thread is about the context being an abbreviation of Japanese >_>

I think the existence of this thread alone proves it still has it's negative connotation.

 

[Phoenicks]

... the whole thread is about the context being an abbreviation of Japanese >_>

In the second world war, the Allies referred to the Japanese as "Japs", usually meant to insult.

However, the word is so popular and used so often by veterans that the offensiveness of the term is highly debatable, and indeed, it's not regarded as insult by many people (this does include Japanese).

I think that the point of this thread is about whether it's an insult or not, not that it is definently an insult. But whatever. It's not the word that's harmful, but the way that it's used. I mean, look at the word gay. It was originally intended to be an insult. When it's used in a negative context (Ex. That new Ipod color is so gay), it's still an insult. When it's not (Ex. My friend Jim is gay), no one considers it as an insult anymore. At least, that's my take on it.

 

[Nicoleta01]

Some people get too offensive these days. I'll say it if I want to annoy someone. XP Or to be "PC" I'll say the colors of the rainbow "White, Black, Red, etc." when referring to races, but that's just my humor for poking fun at it. XD

As an abb. I use "Jap." just like I use "U.S."

 

[Satoshi-chan]

Some people get too offensive these days. I'll say it if I want to annoy someone. XP Or to be "PC" I'll say the colors of the rainbow "White, Black, Red, etc." when referring to races, but that's just my humor for poking fun at it. XD

As an abb. I use "Jap." just like I use "U.S."

To some people, calling a Japanese person a "jap" is like calling a black person a "nigger," or a person from Mexico a "spic." It's not really a case of "people get too offensive these days," it's a case of a word having connotations that actually are quite offensive.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jap States that JAP used to be the abbreviation for Japanese, but in some English speaking countries became a derogatory term around the time of World War 2.

 

[Steven]

The way I look at it is this:

Calling a Japanese by "Jap" is like calling an African-American a "Negro", which to this day, I still don't understand why either of those groups of people were called by those names.