Do you think the word 'Jap' is a racial slur? This word was used fairly often in '1941'.
In my opinion, I think it is just a abbreviation for 'Japanese'.
*off-topic*
FYI, I've seen a cut scene in which an american spits at the Japanese flag on a submarine.
what's so offensive? There's worst words that could have replaced it. I can think of at least one.
You know what they can't outsource? balls...America will always lead the world in ball.
Yes, it is considered a racial slur. Look it up pretty much anywhere, and it'll mention "usually disparaging" or "offensive slang".
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IT ISNT A RACIAL SLUR! LIKE HOW JEW IS AN ABBREVIATION FOR JEWISH.
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yes it is a racial slur
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No. It is not. "Jap" refers to "Japanese." "Japanese" is a nationality, not a race. Learn the definition of "race" and "racial" (as well as "racism" and "racist").
I alawys figured it was in the same category as Yank or Brit. THEN, years later it was added to the "racist category" by thin skinned self esteem movers.
The Japanese are very successful, I think most of the people of Japan really couldn't give a **** about the word. They own everything, theyre not losers, so what? The only Japanese I could see taking offense are those Americans of Japanese descent who grew up in our pussed out politically correct enviroment and are conditioned to take offense.
Japanese people and those of Japanese background should be more offended over the interment camps anyway then some dumass nickname.
No word is inherently derogatory unless the word was specifically created to be so. No doubt the vast majority of Americans had little reason to use the word japanese in everyday language prior to 1941 any but once war declared it is understandable that any subsequent reference to Japan or japanese is unlikely to have been sympathetic. Therefore it just so happens that polarization of the word jap was an abbreviation of japanese is inextricably linked to the emergence of the Empire Of Japan as an enemy of the United States. And yes, Japanes are of a different race from the vast majority of white european descended Americans. Of course, in peace time, it should not be too difficult for any sensible person to realise that use of the word jap invokes the despisal of the japanese that coincided with the origin of it's popular use. Best just to use the correct nomenclature to avoid being misunderstood.
share... unless you are making a period movie and then I consider it acceptable from the viewpoint of accuracy.
shareI remember years ago watching one of those History Channel interviews/reenactment shows about WWII. They kept muting the audio when the guy would say "Nips". It wasn't even Japs, it was Nips, short for Nipponese. Japanese people call Japan Nippon. It's my understanding that the word "Japan" comes from old Italian mispronunciation of the Chinese term for the country of Japan.
I would actually argue that abbreviating it to "Nips" is less ethnocentric than calling them Japanese! As for Japs vs Japanese, I'd call it a draw. I'm more concerned about what a person is saying than the shortened terms they're using.
Well, it was a period movie and they did call them Japs back then regardless of how people feel now. It's as simple as that.
Think before engaging mouth.
Yes, 'Jap' is considered a racial slur.
Slightly off topic, I don't think the filmmakers were trying overly hard to avoid offending people. 1941 manages to slip in potshots at almost everything you could think of.
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I never knew Jap was a racial slur. Seriously. Short for Japanese right? I'm a Brit, no racial slur there. Then again I have difficulty thinking of "paki" as a racial slur for Pakistani, it doesn't make sense to me. It seems that if anyone thinks of it as a racial slur, then it's a racial slur.
shareThe reason Jap is considered a racial slur is mostly because of the way it was used during World War 2, when anti-Japanese sentiments ran at a fever pitch. If someone is writing songs like "We're Gonna Slap The Dirty Little Jap", I think it's pretty clear that the feelings behind that sentiment are less than positive.
It has more to do with the emphasis behind the word than with the word itself.
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The Japanese were commonly called "nips" around the time period of WWII. From Nippon, the japanese term for Japan.
*beep* for koreans actually originates from the Korean word for country. "Han *beep* means Korea, "Mei *beep* means America (if I remember right).
Brits are called Limeys (due to the use of limes to prevent scurvy in their navy).
I have a great book on language that details a bunch of the origins of slurs, but lent it to a friend...
I don't really get concerned about "Jap" being considered deragotory, as a Japanese person will get pissed more if you call him/her Chinese/Korea, as they don't like to be confused (but if they call me irish because I've got red hair, do I get pissed? no...)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boondocks_Road
Kind of a neat article relating to this...
To the OP, and pretty much everyone
SO WHAT
I know The posters on these boards don't think THEY use racial slurs, but they do, they think them,
This is a movie that takes place 2 wks after Pearl Harbor, in 1941. Nowadays its popular to take Japans side in WWII. Back then Americans called the Japanese, Japs, Nips, and Slants. Thats the way it was. History nor movies are politically correct(nor should they be rewritten to be so). A term to Americas dishonor brought about since the 1990s
I'd rather go hunting with Dick Cheney, than driving with Ted Kennedy
Nip comes from the Japanese word for Japan, "Nippon".
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Even more disturbing than the Bataan Death March, were Unit 731, and the Hell Ships that the Imperial Japanese Navy used to transport prisoners. That is some truly fu<ked up parts of history!
"IMDB... where 14 year old's can pretend to be jaded 40 year old movie critics"
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Yes, I agree. Wartime propaganda used it to create a common enemy, and undermine them with ridicule or derision.
And since it was so ingrained, it is only those from that generation that still use the term (with an accepting wince from their younger friends/family) - people since understand it has become derogatory.
It's a racial/bigoted slur for sure, my Dad (American) was in WWII and he told me this term was used by U.S. sailors in a deragatory fashion. I do think, however, that racism is institutional and bigotry is personal- i.e.- Ty Cobb was a bigot, baseball (before 1947) as an institution was racist.
"Torgo, you're the laziest man on Mars!"
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It just is. But in Australia the Lebanese comunity call themselves Lebs.
shareJap can be an insult depending how it is used and by whom, same with Jew, both are just shorter versions of the complete word, but in the right (or wrong) hands they can both be used as hateful slang., there were of course worse terms and words used to describe the Japanese after Dec. 7th 1941 and for many years after the war, now America Japan, Germany, England, Italy, are all Allies, at one time or another they were all enemies of the U.S., time tends to heal old wounds (well, in most cases anyway)
“Do not fear death... only the unlived life.” - Natalie Babbitt
Anyone can say Jew, it's the context inwhich they say it that makes the word (or any word) an isult. Such as:
The Jew tried to Jew me out of $200 but I managed to Jew him down to to $86.share
I totally agree, its all in the context. In Australia there is a football stadium called *beep* BROWN STADIUM" it was named after a guy whose nickname was *beep* and his last name was Brown. One person in the town wanted to have the name changed, etc cos he found it offensive, it was too bad cos the guy who had been nicknamed *beep* didnt mind at all and he was a dark skinned guy. Mind you the same guy who wanted the stadium changed also wanted to have the name "Coon Cheese" changed too. lololol. Im not a racist person, i have friends and have had partners from all kinds of different races, it is all in the context of how something is said.
shareEverytime I hear the word "Jap" I start laughing because I automatically think of this movie and John Belushi.
http://www.tvfansonline.com
Everytime I hear JAP, I think of a series of joke books called "Truly Tasteless Jokes part IX" JAP to me stands for Jewish American Princess. Seriously, though WWII was a horrible war and as most of tend to do, we slip to the level of name calling to try to make sense of what is going on in the world. It is not that I don't like Iraqi's, but Sand n-er's, camel jockey's, rag heads, towel heads, etc. make me feel a little bit better about George sending 3000+ troops to an early grave.
shareLol, and Coon is a real surname aswell.
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Should I hate to Brits in all endearments for calling Americans "Yanks".
Whether it is or isn't a bad word to use, how does it's period-correct use in this film affect your viewing?
It's at least considered impolite these days, for whatever reason. That's all ya need to really fret over.
Oh, and whoever said 'JEW' was a racial slur *is* wrong - A Jew is a person of the Judaic faith, who is Jewish and follows Judaism. Same as a Scot is a Scottish person from Scotland.
We have several here in my office who just confirmed this.
"It is a British assumption that everyone else in the world likes us so most slang terms for Britons are not assumed to be derogatory".
That, or we don't really mind whether they do or not!!
I do love that we hear these 'racist' remarks about us, laugh and carry on brewing up some tea, though!!
Just don't ask me the difference between British and English, ha ha!!
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Are Americans offended by the word 'Yank' which we in the UK use for all Americans, regardless of which part of the country they come from?
I do however find the cockney rhyming slang word for Americans offensive, which is 'Septics'. (Septic tank = Yank).
"Everbody in the WORLD, is bent"share
I'm not.
http://www.tvfansonline.com
"Jap" is not really a racial slur per se, but it certainly is when conjoined with the term "dirty Jap" or "Jap scum" or "slap the Jap". But stating that the term "Jap" is a racist term in itself is merely PC gone mad.
Your completely right there, its no different to calling me an Aussie, or other people Britz, Yanks, etc.
shareYes, Jap is a slur and should not be used nowadays to describe a person of Japanese descent or nationality, either in or out of their presence. HOWEVER, because the word (along with Nip) was used by Americans as a universal descriptor for Japanese during World War II, I see no problem with using it in a movie like 1941 which, for all of its sophomore humor, did try to give a true sense of the mood on the West Coast in the days after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
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Yes, Jap is a slur and should not be used nowadays to describe a person of Japanese descent or nationality, either in or out of their presence.
"Tool - do you think Yank or Brit is a slur?"
No i dont, just like i dont think Jap is either. The word, Jap, Yank, Brit, etc are not nice words to begin with but i dont consider them slurs, its all in the context of how you say something. :)
I smiled when visiting Britain, my group and I would get teased about being "colonials" ... also smiled when a lady in a shop insisted that all North Americans are "Yanks" (Canadian).
No point getting fussed over stuff like that.