Is JAP still considered a racial slur?

[SlyGuy]

I know in the past it has been, but I'm wondering if it is OK to say now. I often find myself wanting to use this when talking about Japanese games, hardware, etc. but I feel like it would be offensive to say in public. To me, it seems like Jap is just an abbreviation of JAPanese vs. other racial slurs which are completely different words. To me, Jap is like Aussie or Yankie, or Brit. So, what is the current connotation of this word?

 

[Z_Hunter]

I think it still is a racial slur. People use JPN instead of JAP to avoid the slur.

 

[yuyuyup]

japs are smarter then us whiteys so they can deal with it

 

[mthrnite]

Add Yankee to that list of possible slurs. It started out as a slur, was "owned" by the colonials during the revolutionary war, and returned to being a slur during the civil war. Lots of people in America are proud to be called yankees, but I wouldn't risk using the term on someone you didn't know pretty well. The people who don't like it, don't like it to a pretty damn large degree.

 

[vancitypimp]

I would think calling a Japanese person "Chinese" would be more offensive to them than Jap.

 

[TheSpade]

It's still a slur, period. If you use it, and I don't give a damn whether or not you intend to offend, then you're an idiot. The whole excuse behind this is that people are too lazy to type out Japan or Japanese. If you are one of these bastards who lack the energy to type a few, extra keystrokes, then use J or JP or just be silent.

 

[Pado]

well .. to call japanese a "JAP" comes quite naturally .... but it's really still considered a racial slur indeed. But I think this nothing considered to how the japanese call foreigners "gaijin" which a sort of an abbrev but it's a very rude (is used as an swear-word) instead of the official "gaikokujin".

 

[serious_sean]

I don't really think that it's offensive if used in the context of ROM names. It's simply an abbreviation.

If people get up in arms about it, I'd say just let them be upset.

Remember, a word is only offensive if people let it be offensive.

 

[Orc]

But it's still NOT okay to call them "Japs" because they call us "Gaijin". That's just like hey let's kill them because they killed some of us. :/ It's kinda weird trying to defend something you know is wrong with something that is wrong.

Two wrongs don't make it right.

I agree with what TheSpade just wrote. Don't be lazy. :/

 

[shunned_bozo]

just to express my humble opinion about the topic... someone can type JAP not for lazyness or to offend but simply because doesn't know that its an offensive term to mean Japanese, because people participating into forums have not always english as a MOTHER TONGUE, so it is not so skilled or educated to recognize these matters..
and , due to the fact that often forums are free-time and hobbish aggreagation places people doesn't feel themselves obliged or compelled to abide to a PERFECT ENGLISH(in case they were able to... I can't obiviously

)

so, there are lot of guys like me

, spread over the forums that doesn't know english so well to think to these mistakes...

that's it... just think to the net as meltin-pot , yes we have to speak english just to facilitate comprehension among members, but forums should not become so CLOSED to other language speakers... so about the JAP expression, i think that it does have a different sense if it does come from a well educated english speaker or from someone that doesn't know english well..like me

-=SPAGHETTI ENGLISH FOREVER=-

 

[outphase]

Just because one doesn't not know it is a racial slur at the time does it make it ok after one knows it is. Think of Wanda Sykes in Clerks 2 when Randall didn't know "porch monkey" was a racial slur.

 

[shunned_bozo]

i wasn't sain this"I DUNNO ENGLISH SO I'M JUSTIFIED", no, i was saying that its a matter more complcated than it appears to english speakers... so just aspect someone saying JAP not having any idea or intention to offend... could you call them guilty or offensive ? i think no.

 

[mthrnite]

I don't even like people of the same race/creed/whatever calling THEMSELVES a known derogatory name. Especially the terms that are fairly dripping with hate. Not that I can do anything about it... but it still unnerves me. (FWIW)

Oh, and it's ok I'm taking it back

Oh, and shunned_bozo.. it's ok to make a mistake, someone will set you right on it and hopefully they won't be a jerk about it. Then you'll know and it will cease to be an issue... unless you keep using the word of course.

 

[Blebleman]

well .. to call japanese a "JAP" comes quite naturally .... but it's really still considered a racial slur indeed. But I think this nothing considered to how the japanese call foreigners "gaijin" which a sort of an abbrev but it's a very rude (is used as an swear-word) instead of the official "gaikokujin".

Gaijin is nothing, it's common talk, and it's not considered as mean as it used to be.

Gaikokujin was also used to mean "barbarian". Gaijin is considered nicer today.

The first Portuguese explorers used to be called nanbanjin (??? literally: "southern barbarians") because they came from the south in boats. The terms changed many times... ijin (?? literally "different person") ih?jin (??? literally: "different motherland person")

Using Gaijin is a much more polite thing to say if you don't know the nationality. Because it IS possible to say "White" "Black" "Hispanic".

 

[th3sandm4n]

Just because one doesn't not know it is a racial slur at the time does it make it ok after one knows it is. Think of Wanda Sykes in Clerks 2 when Randall didn't know "porch monkey" was a racial slur.

Porch Monkey for life.
lol

I don't see what the hype of slurs is all about. But then again I don't take offense of slurs to my ethnicity. People could call me a spic or wetback (I'm hispanic)all they want, I don't really care.
I say slur away.

 

[.TakaM]

my girlfriend doesnt find it offensive =/

political correctness is already out of control, stop helping it.

 

[maduin]

If you call a person a Jap, then that's pretty racist. If you're refering to a game on the while on the internet and saying it's "the jap version" that's not racist at all. If you call all asians (Chinese, Lao, Korean, etc) Japs, that's pretty racist.

If your girlfriend doesn't find it offensive, that doesn't matter. I can call my girlfriend stupid dirty slut, and she doesn't find it offensive, because she knows I'm kidding and there is no malice behind it. If you call your girlfriend a jap, then call some random asian guy a jap, he's gonna be pissed cause he has no idea what you mean or who you are.

But then again, I hate most black people.

 

[.TakaM]

whats the difference between calling a japanese person 'japanese' or 'jap'?
racial slurs are usually words barely related to the.. technical term you'd use in anyway other than an offensive relation.


Ive always thought 'jap' was just the abreviation for japanese, and nothing more.

 

[Opium]

I'm offended by being called Aussie.......not

same difference

 

[.TakaM]

I find being called a 'kiwi' offensive, and since I find it offensive therefore everyone finds it offensive.