Since when did 'amigo' become a bad word?

[RyMickey]

I was driving today, flicking through radio stations and came across Rush Limbaugh who was playing a clip of some senator speaking during the confirmation hearings of John Roberts. Supposedly, Roberts wrote a letter (company memo or something) and used the term 'amigos'. Well, the senator wanted Roberts to apologize for using the term because he said it was insensitive. Since when has 'amigo' been insensitive? Doesn't it just mean friend? Am I missing something here?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I guess we cannot be bilingual!

Sounds silly to me.

My 5yo had an eye exam and did the color blind portion in Spanish (identifying the #'s). I hope one day this won't be offensive.

 

[PixieDust32]

Oh my God!!!
That is so dumb, amigo is not a bad word at all....

Adios Amigos!

 

[DawnCt1]

Since little Harry Reid said it was. He is a small, petty man. He and Ted, Joe, etc are all small petty men and they looked ridiculous at the hearings.

 

[tiggersmom2]

Since little Harry Reid said it was. He is a small, petty man. He and Ted, Joe, etc are all small petty men and they looked ridiculous at the hearings.

Actually they look like BIG ignoramuses to me!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Since little Harry Reid said it was. He is a small, petty man. He and Ted, Joe, etc are all small petty men and they looked ridiculous at the hearings.

So is it safe to assume they don't wish to be called the Three Amigos?

 

[tiggersmom2]

So is it safe to assume they don't wish to be called the Three Amigos?

 

[jgmklmhem]

So is it safe to assume they don't wish to be called the Three Amigos?

Hey maybe that is when it became a offensive word....Chevy, Steve and Martin singing My Little Buttercup could have done it right there.

I love that movie!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Hey maybe that is when it became a offensive word....Chevy, Steve and Martin singing My lIttle Buttercup could have done it right there.

That song is just so....

My little buttercup....

Has the sweetest...smile....


My little buttercup....

won't you stay awhillllllle.

You and I can settle down in a cottage built for two-oo.

My little buttercup...

I love yoooooou!



Thank you, thank you very much, you a beautiful audience!

(sadly--that required no googling )

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

And "The Three Amigos" is a highly educational movie!

I learned what "Plethora" means!

Yes--that movie can indeed help you boost your SAT Verbal!

 

[The Fallen Angel]

What next? "Muy bien" becomes the new f-bomb?!

 

[Chuck S]

Well, of course "amigo" isn't a bad word in and of itself, if used properly. And while I'm not a big fan of John Roberts, I'm reasonably sure the way he would have used it is proper.

It can however, depending on context, also be disparaging slang term. I live in a Hispanic/German area of the South. For instance, if you are in a heated argument with someone of another race, and say something like "let me tell YOU something amigo" it would then be a term implying that people of the Hispanic race are less intelligent. So like most words, it depends on circumstances and delivery.

 

[cijay]

My cousin in law wrote to a toy company. The toy was bilingual English and Spanish and in the colour portion, they had 'blue' in both languages. She actually wrote to complain. Oh boy!

But the Spanish word for 'black' can't be used anymore either.

I think one of the lamest is the French word for 'late'. It's one thing if you're using it as an insult but it does have other meanings. One that's not 'proper' any more is 'fire retardant'. They change the meaning sometimes to fire proof rather than fire resistant and it can be a serious problem.

 

[TAX GUY]

10 years later and its still offensive!

Local news ran a story the other night where a small group of parents want the high school mascot changed. They are and always have been, the Redmen.

 

[L&Lfan]

Reminds me of the upset years back over "niggardly" !

 

[lynxstch]

another Zombie thread- they have increased lately?

 

[Airship Ariadne]

another Zombie thread- they have increased lately?

must be an election year

 

[minnie mum]

another Zombie thread- they have increased lately?

Everybody be forewarned. RANT ALERT!


Ever since these $#@%&&$ "suggested" threads started appearing at the bottom of every page, we've been inundated by zombie threads. They're annoying and a waste of space. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I was always under the impression that Webmasters had a working knowledge of webpage design and function. As in, they could identify problem areas and work to correct them. It would be nice to see a little of that talent put to use.

 

[SMD]

Everybody be forewarned. RANT ALERT!


Ever since these $#@%&&$ "suggested" threads started appearing at the bottom of every page, we've been inundated by zombie threads. They're annoying and a waste of space. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I was always under the impression that Webmasters had a working knowledge of webpage design and function. As in, they could identify problem areas and work to correct them. It would be nice to see a little of that talent put to use.

It's especially a problem on mobile where the text box is over the suggested threads and can easily be clicked on while typing and then you'd have to realize that a different thread loaded and you're now responding to an old thread when likely all that's visible on your tablet is the text box. It definitely helps to look at a site on multiple devices and platforms to figure some of these issues out.

In regards to whether or not things are still offensive, this came up during his Senate confirmation hearings, which can and have become about something else entirely (remember Anita Hill?). In this case he had written a policy memo to then President Reagan which suggested that to gain the support of Spanish speaking voters that he come out in support of amnesty for their "illegal amigos." While that wasn't meant for public consumption, it's not the best choice to pair illegal and amigos and to imply that people who speak Spanish would all support such a policy. He also apparently lumped together Spanish speaking immigrants from several countries thinking that such a policy would have universal appeal. As someone pointed 10 years ago, it is possible to use an otherwise innocuous word in context that makes it disparaging. Given the context and the fact that he subjected himself to Senate confirmation hearings, it seems like it was a fair criticism. And it hasn't seemed to slow him down since he was confirmed and still on the court.

 

[littleblackegg]

Well, of course "amigo" isn't a bad word in and of itself, if used properly. And while I'm not a big fan of John Roberts, I'm reasonably sure the way he would have used it is proper.

It can however, depending on context, also be disparaging slang term. I live in a Hispanic/German area of the South. For instance, if you are in a heated argument with someone of another race, and say something like "let me tell YOU something amigo" it would then be a term implying that people of the Hispanic race are less intelligent. So like most words, it depends on circumstances and delivery.

Indeed. It's all in the context.