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The word "Jap", abbreviation or derogatory?

Intensevil

By Intensevil,
in Japan

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Intensevil Community Regular

Intensevil

Posted
Posted

I came across an interesting thread on gaijinpot.com and the general consensus was that you should never say this word because it's highly racist in the same context as the "N" word regarding african americans.

Apparantly the racism associated with the word stems from WW2 (military propogander used racism to boost local morale and stuff) and has filtered through the years and stuck with this word.

However I don't see any problem with the word because whenever i use it, it's just an abbreviation or shorterning of the word japan much like the word aussie or brit, it's just easier to say jap than japanese and i guess its become habbit.

So whats the deal with it? Is it an outright racist word, racist through context or just an abbreviation for lazy guys like me who cant be stuffed with more than one sylabul?

totoro Collaborator

totoro

Posted
Posted

well it is both, abbreviation as well as derogatory.

personally i hate it no matter how nice you say it. there is also an N word for japanese ppl but its straight up racist so no one says it, also from the war days. its short for Nippon for those who have no clue.

now for the abbreviation it may sound alright to you cos you are not the one listening to it and it is personal so i will respect that but i suggest if you can be bothered not to use it. it is a bad habit, its not exactly an excuse...

as for being derogatory it is questionable as it is in the context as mentioned in the other thread. let me give you an example of it:

"Oh you aussies cant do anything right, us japanese can do it so much better and faster!"

now this is pretty derogatory....

"Wow i love the aussie culture it is much more laid back and easy going than japanese culture!"

now this is not at all....

it is in the tone and how you say it but on forums and in writing it is harder to see so better to put japanese in my opinion. also aussie was never used as derogatory term so it is not a good comparison.

my solution is this and you will love it! just shorten it to J and call everything J

eg: J cars, J culture, J food, J music, etc. it is much shorter and no one will get offended if not a little confused.... also japan shortened is not exactly JAP its JPN...

i say do what you feel is right but dont be lazy and give ppl the wrong impression...

btw you seem to be able to write abbreviation ok but not japanese??? funny that...

masahiro

lwells Grand Master

lwells

Posted
Posted
However I don't see any problem with the word because whenever i use it, it's just an abbreviation or shorterning of the word japan much like the word aussie or brit, it's just easier to say jap than japanese and i guess its become habbit.

My 0.02 cents is that its not what you think it 'sounds' like or what connotations you think it has, its what the listener thinks.

To my mind "Jap" is highly derogatory given the historical Australian animosity towards the Japanese post-WWII. There are very strong negative connotations associated with the abbreviation and as such I feel its entirely inappropriate to use it.

Lucien.

Beer Baron Grand Master

Beer Baron

Posted
Posted

i think it's acceptable to talk about Jap-cars, or other inanimate objects (jap-tv, jap food etc), but I would never call someone 'a jap'. having thought about it some more in fact I would say it's best not used at all, but I don't see a major problem when using it the way i described above.

GTRSRULE!!! Grand Master

GTRSRULE!!!

Posted
Posted
well it is both, abbreviation as well as derogatory.

personally i hate it no matter how nice you say it. there is also an N word for japanese ppl but its straight up racist so no one says it, also from the war days. its short for Nippon for those who have no clue.

now for the abbreviation it may sound alright to you cos you are not the one listening to it and it is personal so i will respect that but i suggest if you can be bothered not to use it. it is a bad habit, its not exactly an excuse...

as for being derogatory it is questionable as it is in the context as mentioned in the other thread. let me give you an example of it:

"Oh you aussies cant do anything right, us japanese can do it so much better and faster!"

now this is pretty derogatory....

Agreed

"Wow i love the aussie culture it is much more laid back and easy going than japanese culture!"

now this is not at all....

it is in the tone and how you say it but on forums and in writing it is harder to see so better to put japanese in my opinion. also aussie was never used as derogatory term so it is not a good comparison.

my solution is this and you will love it! just shorten it to J and call everything J

eg: J cars, J culture, J food, J music, etc. it is much shorter and no one will get offended if not a little confused.... also japan shortened is not exactly JAP its JPN...

i say do what you feel is right but dont be lazy and give ppl the wrong impression...

btw you seem to be able to write abbreviation ok but not japanese??? funny that...

masahiro

:werd:

agreed. my mates don't get how 'nip' or 'jap' is offensive. even though i tell them thes just like calling a african american 'African American'.

having said that i think i'd rather being called 'jap' than 'nip'

i ask this do you consider 'aussie' or 'pom' derogatory?

wrxkilla Mentor

wrxkilla

Posted
Posted

yes this could go on forever.

i mean we have poms, aussies, yanks, lebos, wogs, krauts etc etc

i think in this modern day alot of people dont realise the cultural importance (ie the derogitory nature) of these words.

I call my mates wogs, my mates call me a pom. I take no offence.

but if the japanese culture views this as an extremely offensive word like 'nip' then maybe we as a culture should attempt to be more sensitive.

I thought the words 'Jap' sort of dulled out the meaning and just became short for japanese towards and after 2000.

In the 50,60,70,80s and even the 90s it was offensive, but now i think alot of western culture just uses it as short without knowing its aggressive meaning.

Just like we call Americans - Yanks.

Michael

GTRSRULE!!! Grand Master

GTRSRULE!!!

Posted
Posted
yes this could go on forever.

i mean we have poms, aussies, yanks, lebos, wogs, krauts etc etc

i think in this modern day alot of people dont realise the cultural importance (ie the derogitory nature) of these words.

I call my mates wogs, my mates call me a pom. I take no offence.

but if the japanese culture views this as an extremely offensive word like 'nip' then maybe we as a culture should attempt to be more sensitive.

I thought the words 'Jap' sort of dulled out the meaning and just became short for japanese towards and after 2000.

In the 50,60,70,80s and even the 90s it was offensive, but now i think alot of western culture just uses it as short without knowing its aggressive meaning.

Just like we call Americans - Yanks.

Michael

yeah i kind of agree about the whole poms, aussies, yanks, lebos, wogs, thing. as long as it's not 'nip' jap i don't mind. who are krauts again?

Intensevil Community Regular

Intensevil

Posted
  • Author
Posted

kraut = german

Kraut actualy means cabbage, the term is derived from sourkraut (sourcabbage).

I have 2 german parents but was born in aus and i take no offence if someone calls me a kraut, if anything i'd be proud of it (proud to have german heratige, not proud of what the country has done in the past)

  • 2 weeks later...
cowie165 Veteran

cowie165

Posted
Posted

I don't think that comparing 'Jap' with 'Aussie', 'Pom' or 'Yank' is on the money.

IMO it would be more like Jap = Skippy = Seppo.

Being called an aussie is np, I am one ;), but if you stopped at the lights and shouted, "Learn how to drive Skippy mate!" I'd be pissed off.

ghostryder76 Newbie

ghostryder76

Posted
Posted

I found out that JAP was not polite thing to say when I was very young. I used to watch a lot of Kung Fu movies and I vividly remember the Chinese and the Japanese hated each other. And the Chinese Kung Fu guys used to always say "Damn Japs". So when I see the word Jap, I would have to agree that it's totally disrespectful.

I'm from America and moved to Perth recently. I dont know if I was drunk or what but there is an actual place of business called Jap Import Parts or something like that. I was like What the hell! That's just wrong.

:P

Intensevil Community Regular

Intensevil

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thats kind of what i was getting at. It's a word where the culture that uses it kind of defines whether its derogatory or not. I know that americans see it as a racial slur not an abbreviation. But in australia barely anyone uses it in that context

180Pete Contributor

180Pete

Posted
Posted

personally i think its the context that its in that gives the word the real meaning, so for people to refer to "Jap" stuff or people isnt derogertory, however if you were to use it in a sub standard manner then the word takes on a more "racist" meaning.

Pete

totoro Collaborator

totoro

Posted
Posted

well as a japanese i have one thing to say to yall.

if you thought it was deregotary can you do us japanese a favour and school/educate the next person who uses it and maybe it will change....

i guess a lot of australian businesses use it as an abreviation so there is nothing to stop them.... from off the top of my head i can only think of Japanese Motorsport who actually put it in full... the rest is Jap this Jap that.... i guess those businesses have no deep interest in japanese culture...

masahiro

Rezz Grand Master

Rezz

Posted
Posted
I'm from America and moved to Perth recently. I dont know if I was drunk or what but there is an actual place of business called Jap Import Parts or something like that. I was like What the hell! That's just wrong.

:(

Yep, I'm from Perth, and I remember seeing that company too! Now after 5 consecutive years in Japan, I KNOW I'm gonna cringe when I see all these aparently reputable companies using 'Jap' quite legitimately when I go back.

Hey Msahiro, we should make a **'Japan Foundation' in Perth where we try and educate and provide info on all things Japanese... I know it's been done at a corporate level already, but to aim it specifically to the 18 to 35 year olds would be pretty cool.

**Trade Mark. Don't steal my idea LOL

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