Efficiency vs Racism. You decide.

Conversations on political correctness.

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News & Politics

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• japanese
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• jap

[comeketobh]

Why don't Japanese people like to be called Japs? I've never been to Japan nor do I know any Japanese people, but I wonder why. I am brazilian and we shorten the way we refer to other Brazilians. There must be something behind it that offends them.

[sockfacethesock]

The best I can figure is that Jap was the term most American used in WWII. Since there was animosity at the time, obviously, the word began to take a negative connotation. The point I'm making is that, in essence it's not negative. It doesn't make a physical stereotype or point out a general trait. It's just a short word in place of a large word. No disrespect. Maybe a Japanese person can add some insight?

[NexIuguolo]

I thought you were going to touch on the gaijin / gaikokujin issue. i've been dissapointed, though you were obviously well prepared.

Funny overall, but it's not okay to use the word "Jap" ;)

[sockfacethesock]

Hey, it was worth a shot, right? Thanks for commenting!

[xTANZii]

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[mmmmkk2]

Oops,I almost forgot...Another important reason is that we're also well aware of how the Japanese-American citizens were treated in the U.S. during WW2 just as sockfacethesock's speculation.Anyway,Thank you so much,sockfacethe sock,for making me breathe easier and opening my eyes to the diversity of thoughts!

[mmmmkk2]

Incidentally,such depictions of "bad foreign guys" are often seen in the works of Osamu Tezuka as they deal with human ignorance and weaknesses.Just in case you'd like to study this matter further:)

[mmmmkk2]

As a matter of fact,many of us regard "Jap" as a racist term because we see so many sequences in manga in which bad foreigners call the local characters like that. For such reasons,I've always been nervous about being called "Jap" myself both off and online,until this film opened my eyes.That to shorten the word "Japanese" could be considered as a matter of efficiency is a very wise point of view,I think.

[nijiya]

the offcial shorten word of japanese is JPN.

[jajaklar82]

very funny video! but I if certain words are linked with certain ideas (in this case the racist discrimination of WWII), it shouldnt be used. But maybe you re right that now it's time to think it over

[dabura667]

I'm currently in Japan... they love to shorten words, for instance half Japanese (imported from English) is said "Happa" hafu japa = happa, and pure japanese is "jun japa".

To be honest, if you called a Japanese person in Japan a Jap, they wouldn't know about the racist connotation. I don't use it though, as I speak Japanese.

[ephesus]

Of course it's okay to use the word Jap. It's short for Japanese. If they can abbreviate everything, I can abbreviate their title ;-) They owe me at least that much for not letting me into any of their onsen.

[oOkatochanOo]

i'm from hawaii, lots of japanese here. I know some that don't get offended by "jap" and some that do. Guess it really depends on the person.

[comeketobh]

Thanks for the info. That might be the reason. i hope some Japanese adds his 5 cents