From: "Old Goat" <olgoat-AT-nebi.com>
Subject: Re: boorish temper
Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 16:48:55 -0500


Malodor, if I were to call you a "gadjo twerp" to which of those two words
would you more likely take offense?  The answer, of course is it would
depend upon who or what you are.

My folk detest the term "Gipsy/Gypsy" by about a 65-40 (we often cheat)
split -- against -- according to the latest Zogby poll, but no gadjo that I
know considers the "big G" word even mildly offensive or owt but a term
descriptive of a certain ethnicity and/or lifestyle.  As for the derogatory
term "gadjo/gadji" the understanding outside the Romany community is even
less so, as the term is virtually unknown amongst the gadji.

As has been pointed out elsewhere any language, no matter how precise, only
possesses said precision within certain contexts generally determined by a
circle of users.  Any auslander who attempts to imprint and enforce alien
standards upon said users is -- generally speaking -- being a putz and a
pain in the arse.  My clan has a saying, "Who keeps to his own business
keeps his kar (penis)."  Even a clueless gadjo should have no problem
inferring meaning from that one.

old goat
withdraw consent


 Maldoror writes:

it amazes me how anti-progressive and uncritical this
list is. apparently questioning status quo is not
something this list is about.