Re: Japs can't pronounce L's (the Japanese convert L's into R's)

On 7/4/2024 2:24 PM, Ross Clark wrote:

On 5/07/2024 8:29 a.m., J. J. Lodder wrote:

Mike Spencer <mds@bogus.nodomain.nowhere> wrote:
>

nospam@de-ster.demon.nl (J. J. Lodder) writes:
>

Whoever, it is a good usage point to remember that 'Jap',
no matter how used, is considered to be denigrating and insulting
by the Japanese. Even as Jap., in well-meaning abbreviations.
>
So best advice is to avoid it under all circumstances,

>
Interesting to note that Neal Stephenson, in _Cryptonomicon_, has
USain characters, marines actively engaged in WWII in the Pacific
theater who consistently refer to their foes as "Nips".
>
The only occasion of "Jap" usage is by a Colonel at Marine Barracks
in DC when interviewing a seargeant recently returned form active
combat duty in the Pacific.  A footnote says,
>
     Men with experience in Asia use the term "Nip".  The Colonel's use
     of "Jap" suggests that his career has been spent in the Atlantic
     and/or Caribbean.
>
P. 114 in the original hardcover ed. if anyone cares.

>
There a a few other uses of 'Jap' in the book,
outnumbered by the use of 'Nips'.
The author also uses 'Nipponese' a lot.
But then the 'Yanks also outnumber the Americans.
>
During wars, many people may use denigrating slang
to refer to their enemies.
It is also common that after those wars have been over for some time,
using the same denigrating terms gets frowned upon.
It gets to be regarded as uncivilised behaviour.
Like refering to Hirohito, on a state visit to the Netherlands,
as 'that Jap'. (1971)
>
Some groups however suffer from deep frustrations,
and go on with it forever.
It becomes just a symptom,
>
Jan
>

by [symptom] -- you mean like a disease
                             or a (psych.)  disorder?

 "Nippon" is the way they say it in Japanese (nowadays more commonly "Nihon"). The J- versions have come to the west via Chinese (cf. Marco Polo's "Zipangu"). Perhaps that is part of what the Japanese don't like about them.
 This all brought back a phrase which lodged in my mind years ago. My sister was reading "Three Came Home", Agnes Newton Keith's memoir of her experiences in a Japanese internment camp in North Borneo, 1942-45. The internees were allowed to write letters to family, but they were required to refer to their captors as "the friendly Nipponese".
 

that's pretty interesting.
                    When Brits were beginning to trade in China...
there was a certain character that the Chinese like to
use for Westerners... (whch they resented so much that....)