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Comment by drfuchs | Hacker News Reader

Sure, back when I was a kid, both were in common usage, and I used them freely and unknowingly into adulthood. So, I was quite taken aback to belatedly learn of their etymology three decades ago.

I'm happy to hear your data point that "gyp" may already have fallen into disuse; or did you mean that you now intend to start using it now to signal your non-PC-ness? If so, others that I recall hearing in childhood but not lately, which you might also consider adopting, include: "indian-giver" (one who reneges), "jewing down" (bargaining excessively), "n....r work" (which seemed to mean "hanging around and not working" back in the day, but now Urban Dictionary has it as "easy, repetitive work").

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One thing we can be sure of is that trying to direct the language people use is a sure fire way to provoke a reaction. That goes for your ridiculous request for me to not use the word welch in the sense that i used it. If it had an association with the Welsh people that's long since been lost and I say that as someone who's lived on the border with Wales.

I think most adults are fine with hearing, "hey that word comes from a bigoted place" and replying, "oh I had no idea, I'll try to use a different word in the future."

That sounds like a very odd conversation between two adults to me. Sounds more like a mother teaching her child. The word welch is fine, the fact that it has historical origins makes the word even more interesting. It's survived until now and we're no more enlightened than previous generations who also used it. In fact thinking we are, as we do, is one of the conceits every period seems to have.

There are many ethnic and racial slurs that were used in previous generations - that doesn't mean they are acceptable today. Surely you don't use some of the examples drfuchs gave even though they were once common place.

Of course I don't, we all conform, why is another question.

It seems like a bit of a stretch to assume the idioms someone uses can reliably indicate their moral character. As with anything, granting people the most charitable interpretation of their actions can go a long way. Is the person using the term gyping actually showing their hatred for the gypsies? It's not impossible, but that's not a very charitable interpretation of their actions

damn I looked at your profile!

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