Is "gypped" a racist term?

[CPT Tripss]

I was seeing all these posters that I used to know and thought they were all back!! Then, I looked at the dates.....

Anyway, to the point-I didn't make the reference with the word either, but now that I know I wouldn't use it.

As with most things, it goes to intent. If you're using a phrase that you know can be offensive, and you're doing it anyway because "I have the right" or because you don't care about other people's feelings-then IMHO you're being a jerk. If you're doing it out of ignorance, then it's a whole 'nother story.

Ignorance may be bliss, but it isn't an excuse for being a jerk (or worse).

 

[happygirl]

What's with the resurrection of a 3 yr old thread?

I was wondering that to

 

[willowsnn3]

I say "got gypped today" and "jewed em' down" but never really thought about the connotation. I seem to be very UN PC lately (like the last 10 years, lol). I never want to offend anyone yet it seems that so many people are wired to be "offended". I happen to be Native American and DD is Portugeese but we don't get offended as easily as some (not at all really), even when some people ask DD why she's so light skinned so she says, hey: Moms' Indian and Dad's Portugee, my skin is nearly perfect! In reality, I'm only 50% Indian and her Dad is what is considered "white portugeese". Now, calling people "white portugeese" is what I think should be offensive -- why make the differentiation?

This so reminds me of something my grandson said when he was 6yrs old. He is light skinned while his mom (my dd) is caucasian & his dad is black (very dark). His sister's dad is Puerto Rican & she is very light with the very dark black hair. So anyway I kept seeing these ladies looking at them & I guess one of them asked him something & I overheard him say "oh, she's Spanish & I'm English".

 

[willowsnn3]

I'm a gypsy romanian heritage and we are a race not just a group of people move that is a common misconception however the term is offensive
no different than ****** rigged or hillbilly heaven
but the worst is when people named the dog gypsy twisting between the psychics in the movies people would realize this

I assume that with this it was the 'n' word. People got around that one by changing it to 'Jerry' rigged, lol. I used that one (jerry rigged) a lot cause my dh was named Jerry & he was pretty good about 'rigging' stuff up.

 

[willowsnn3]

What's with the resurrection of a 3 yr old thread?

Lol, didn't even notice that....

 

[Christopher Robin]

I assume that with this it was the 'n' word. People got around that one by changing it to 'Jerry' rigged, lol. I used that one (jerry rigged) a lot cause my dh was named Jerry & he was pretty good about 'rigging' stuff up.

I always thought it was Gerry Rigged (in reference to the Germans).

 

[willowsnn3]

I always thought it was Gerry Rigged (in reference to the Germans).

You're probably right. I just thought Jerry cause I married one, lol.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I assume that with this it was the 'n' word. People got around that one by changing it to 'Jerry' rigged, lol. I used that one (jerry rigged) a lot cause my dh was named Jerry & he was pretty good about 'rigging' stuff up.

I always thought it was "jury rigged"

 

[DisMN]

Don't you know, in this PC world, EVERYTHING is a racist word.

Yup. And I think it's stupid to make everyfriggin'thing politically correct.

 

[Bonnie151]

I always thought it was Gerry Rigged (in reference to the Germans).

Not to feed the zombies, but isn't the German reference Jerry not Gerry?

 

[CPT Tripss]

JERRY-BUILT/JURY-RIGGED

Although their etymologies are obscure and their meanings overlap, these are two distinct expressions. Something poorly built is “jerry-built.” Something rigged up temporarily in a makeshift manner with materials at hand, often in an ingenious manner, is “jury-rigged.” “Jerry-built” always has a negative connotation, whereas one can be impressed by the cleverness of a jury-rigged solution. Many people cross-pollinate these two expressions and mistakenly say “jerry-rigged” or “jury-built.”

Common Errors in English Usage: The Book (2nd Edition, November, 2008)
http://public.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/jerry.html