3 ms·
The first thing that stands out to me is the choice of the word "gypsy". While many Roma are perfectly fine with it and even use it themselves, there are also m
by 3np 6y ago
The first thing that stands out to me is the choice of the word "gypsy". While many Roma are perfectly fine with it and even use it themselves, there are also many who find the word offensive and it has historically been used as a racial slur. Why not drop the word alltogether and fall back to the (at least to my understanding) neutral "roma"?
- smegger001 6y agoIn all honestly many people in North America would not know who the Roma are but would know what group you are talking about when you say gypsy.
- fierarul 6y agoSuch a silly choice. If some people really hate a group won't the new self designated word become a racial slur too? What then?
- adrianN 6y agoYou get what is commonly known as the "euphemism cycle", or the "euphemism treadmill": https://www.jstor.org/stable/3087798 https://www.jstor.org/stable/3087798
- bootcampwhere 6y agoYeh, it's retarded.
- monocasa 6y agoGypsy was always a slur. It's not a case of a euphemism treadmill.
- rixed 6y agoSince you sounds honest and not sarcastic, may I take this opportunity to ask you what mechanism do you believe will help improving the actual situation once the word have been successfully changed (assuming for the sake of discussion that the word can be effectively changed) ? I have always been intrigued by the power of words.