I just used the word "gypped/jipped" and one of my clients kindly informed me that it is a racist term. I had no idea! I guess I'd never thought about it, but apparently it equates the Gypsy or Roma people to being thieves/cheats. Yikes! I'm glad I know now and will strike it from my vocabulary.
Am I the only one who did not realize this?!
kiwi / 633 posts
holy crap! I'm guilty of that too. I will have to find an alternative. Thanks for the PSA 
nectarine / 2458 posts
I don't think most people think it's racist, I never would have thought of that.
hostess / watermelon / 14932 posts
woops...i say that a lot!!
i also say heebie jeebies, but i feel like i've read somewhere that is bad too - but i can't remember. anyone know??
squash / 13199 posts
No i dont think I ever heard anyone use that word though and I dont know what it means either
kiwi / 613 posts
Wow I had no idea. On a side note, I was totally obsessed with that TLC show My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding...I guess there are a bunch of them living in West Virginia. I don't know any in real life, so even if I said jipped/gypped, nobody I can think of would be offended.
GOLD / eggplant / 11517 posts
I knew...but I'm Jewish so we are well aware of what kind of terms are offensive since there are quite a few in relation to us.
pomegranate / 3980 posts
That is something that I have never put together before, makes sense though!
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
I think most people don't know the origins of the word, which isn't surprising, since I don't think there are a lot of Gypsy/Roma in the US. It's a lot more prevalent (obviously) in Europe.
coconut / 8854 posts
I didn't know this, and truthfully, I don't know if I will go out of my way to stop saying it....
honeydew / 7444 posts
Yep, i think i learned that in high school.
@Navy_Mommy: Unfortunately, there are a lot of terms a lot of people don't think are racist (but are). For instance, i learned the term "Indian giver" from an Archie comic but had no idea it was offensive until DH corrected me!
nectarine / 2458 posts
@Freckles: right, if we dissected the English language 3/4 of it would have originally been offensive to someone, but that doesn't mean using the term today is horrible.
hostess / wonderful persimmon / 25556 posts
I had no idea...just like I had no idea the word "Gypsy" was offensive!!! Yeesh.
cantaloupe / 6800 posts
I've never heard that! It makes sense though. I'm willing to bet that most people haven't heard that either, I don't think i'll stop saying it either @MrsBrewer: lol it's not something I use often so I wouldn't remember to correct myself!
wonderful pea / 17279 posts
I was told, politely, by a friend a few years ago the origin of the expression. I never really thought about the word was spelled, but I stopped saying it immediately.
I
honeydew / 7091 posts
Interesting - I had no idea! I don't really use the word too often, and if I ever do use it, it's to someone like friends or family, so I probably won't work too hard to remember to remove it from my mind 
ETA: I always thought of it in my head as 'jipped'. If I had seen it spelled out as 'gypped', I miiiight have made a connection?
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
3/4 is probably a high amount, but in case anyone is interested, Bill Bryson's book Mother Tongue is a great resource!
grapefruit / 4441 posts
@MrsBrewer: There are enough other words I can use that I feel I should at least try to avoid one that's potentially offensive. I just read an article that likened gypped/jipped to another slur - "jewed" [out of money] and that was enough to horrify me.
coconut / 8854 posts
@78h2o: I guess the point I was trying to make is that I don't know if I have ever even said "gypped/jipped" in a conversation before. I have heard it being used, and I know what the term means. But I don't think I will go out of my way to make sure I never use that word because I know whom ever I would say it to in casual language would know that in the context I'm not meaning to offend anyone, nor would that even cross their minds. I'm just saying.
cantaloupe / 6751 posts
I had no idea it was an offensive term!
@Navy_Mommy: I think if the term is offensive to some group of people, it IS horrible to use it. Just my 2 cents. *shrug*
cantaloupe / 6751 posts
@78h2o: "There are enough other words I can use that I feel I should at least try to avoid one that's potentially offensive." <-- exactly!
blogger / eggplant / 11551 posts
@78h2o: I had no idea! I'm going to immediately strike it from my vocabulary too!
pear / 1664 posts
Hah, I always thought gypped was a more 'pc' term for the old word people used decades ago, 'jewed', which is obviously offensive to Jewish people.
bananas / 9899 posts
I knew of this. I'm much more careful about using words like "retard" and "gay" in the wrong context than "gypt/jipped".
hostess / eggplant / 11068 posts
I think I kind of knew but forgot because as soon as I saw the title of this thread I knew what you were going to say.
There is a large-ish/growing Gypsy/Roma population in the area that I work in...It's a struggle for sure. Interesting topic.
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
@pui: I am glad you wrote this. I will be honest here, I have a friend who used "retard" in casual conversation, she was being cut off while driving and said it out of frustration. It changed my relationship with her. I don't apologize for admitting that I think less of people when they use terms that are offensive, especially people that KNOW it is offensive and continue to use it. There are so many other words available.
bananas / 9899 posts
@looch: I have one friend who gets very offended when anyone uses "retard" like that (he works closely with disabled people) but uses "gay" as a synonym for "stupid" constantly. He doesn't get how hypocritical he's being lol.
I think I mostly use "cheated" or "rip" instead of "gypt" but I'll admit I have still used it even though I know it's offensive to some. I should probably try to train it out of my vocabulary.
honeydew / 7589 posts
I did humanitarian work with Romani (commonly known as "Gypsy") people for many years and have many close friends and even an "adopted daughter" of sorts within the community.
It bothers me a lot when I hear the word. I do give allowance for those that don't know any better, but when I hear someone that knows better use it just because they don't think there are any Roma around, that really bothers me.
honeydew / 7444 posts
@Navy_Mommy: While a term may have been acceptable a long time ago, meanings change. I think we should be more concerned about what the word means now and whether or not it offends a group.
honeydew / 7687 posts
I did know, but I am a word nerd. I don't use it. Words are wonderful; I do my best to use those that aren't derogatory.
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