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donnap99
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« on: May 23, 2006, 04:46:00 pm » |
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Regarding the word "goy". If you've never heard the word, never mind. I'm having a disagreement with someone (a non-Jew) who believes that it is a derogatory term. I have never used it or thought of it as a derogatory term. He believes it is akin to the "n" word. That floored me. So my question is -- what is your opinion? I wonder if it is not thought of as pejorative in the Jewish community, but it is perceived as such by the non-Jewish community? Feel free to ask your friends, too, and let me know. I want to know as many opinions as possible. Thanks! DonnaP99 |
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cmeknit
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« Reply #1 on: May 23, 2006, 07:22:14 pm » |
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Hi Donna,
My understanding (based upon many years working in New York City) is that goy or goyim are the Hebrew or Yiddish words for someone who is not Jewish. Neither is a derogatory term as far as I know.
Chris
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adminbydesign
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« Reply #2 on: May 23, 2006, 07:40:22 pm » |
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Good old Merriam-Webster on line has this to say:
"Yiddish, from Hebrew 'goy people', sometimes disparaging."
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Jackie G
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« Reply #3 on: May 23, 2006, 10:56:14 pm » |
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I have heard it and would know it as something not very nice Jackie, Peer Moderator www.iqps.org |
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potofgold
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« Reply #4 on: May 24, 2006, 08:51:59 am » |
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It's not a word I hear often these days, but I don't think I've ever heard it outside the Jewish community. I've never considered it offensive but can see it might be deemed as such in a non-Jewish environment. I suppose in my view it depends on the context of the sentence and would see it in a similar way as the use of the term "paki", ie if you're talking to someone from Pakistan they often refer to themselves as "pakis" but if you're using it in an intended derogatory way like "oi paki" then it would be offensive. I don't remember seeing the "n" term used in a non-offensive way since the PC brigade started. ----------------------------------  |
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abigails
Newbie
Posts: 11
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« Reply #5 on: May 30, 2006, 12:06:53 pm » |
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Depends on the context the word is being used. However, Goy and Shiksa (the femail equivalent) can be used in a derogatroy way amongst the Jewish community, alternatively, it can be simply used to describe someone who is not Jewish.
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donnap99
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« Reply #6 on: June 01, 2006, 03:22:49 pm » |
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My "survey" - here and with a bunch of emails - has enlightened me. It's about 50/50 whether people think of it as derogatory. But that's 50% more than I realized before all of this! Guess that's a word I'll be making sure to use in a well-defined context only with those who would know how I mean it. It is a unique word, and it kind of disturbs me that it has taken on this connotation. DonnaP99 |
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radaro
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« Reply #7 on: July 20, 2006, 07:31:17 pm » |
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GOY - n Hebrew (GOY); pl. goyim (GOY-eem) Common biblical word meaning "nation" or "people." Today, it is most often used among Jews to refer to someone who is not a Jew. Unlike "gentile," is it often used disparagingly.
SHIKSA - n. Yiddish (SHICK-sa) A gentile girl or woman. The word is a distortion of the Hebrew root sheketz, which refers to the flesh of a taboo animal in the Torah. Since intermarriage to non-Jews was taboo, this word applied to them. This is a derogatory term.
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