I remember "pope's nose" from my childhood, and my mother would have meant it offensively. Poor woman, I wonder how many opportunities slipped by when she forgot to inculcate us with her prejudices because she was too busy.
I've heard "jew you down" and "mighty white of you" used in straight-forward conversation by people who don't have the word irony in their vocabulary, and it was years before I realized what they meant. "Gyp" was used so casually I had no idea it referred to Gypsies.
"Indian summer" was always presented to us as the last chance to get your harvest in, somehow involving Indians because they knew they'd get a last patch of good weather so they didn't have to collect the crops too early, ie, showing off their land-savvy and bucolic wisdom. I learned recently that it's meant to be insulting in that it's a trick, not really summer.
What does "pope's nose" = "chicken butt" mean in a derogatory sense? I can't suss it out.
I googled "indian summer". There are a lot of theories, not many of them offensive.
I think it's that you pick the dirty part of the chicken, the part that you throw away, and call it after the most respected guy in the church.
I think it's that you pick the dirty part of the chicken, the part that you throw away, and call it after the most respected guy in the church.
It's just so....random. Huh.
I think it's that you pick the dirty part of the chicken, the part that you throw away, and call it after the most respected guy in the church.
Oh. Huh.
I always thought it was an appearance thing - it's kind of bulbous and red. What offense there may be I think is in an implication of drunkenness.
Oh good LORD. I take it all back!!! No one click that link!!
Too late. I'm trying to figure out how to collect my brain matter. I was unfamiliar with that website so I skimmed the bio/faq and a couple of links. It was too much for my skull to contain.
Also, the various "Dutch" phrases, like Dutch treat and going Dutch, are based on a stereotype of the Dutch along the same lines as "Indian summer".
eta: I somehow missed 25 posts....
There are a lot of theories, not many of them offensive.
Huh. Well, what do I know. I myself associated it with "Indian giver" -- that probably would have made a better analogy. I think it's the one I meant to use, honestly. So, er, I don't know about Indian summer. Feel free to Google.
Wikipedia has no offensive etymologies for it. So let's just pretend I said "Indian giver," okay?
I would pick the one ethnic reference that actually isn't offensive.
