Re: Word usage in group versus out of group.

Nik Taylor wrote:

>  Some come from common
> names, like "Dago" for Italians, from Diego, or "Mick" for an Irishman
> (From Mc-).
In the 18th century, the English called the Spanish (not the Italians)
"dagoes"; the shift probably happened in the U.S. in the late
19th century.

"Yankee" probably belongs to this category (Dutch "Jan Kees", John
Cheese).

>  Basically, are there any other tendencies, I wonder?
The native name of the people, country, or language:  polack, chesky,
hunky (= "Hungarian"), russky.

Also derogations based on (supposed) cultural properties:
greaser, honky, yankee.

> Also,
> where does "Spick" for Hispanic come from?
It's a shortened form of older "spigotty", but where that comes
from nobody knows.

--
John Cowan      http://www.ccil.org/~cowan              cowan@ccil.org
        You tollerday donsk?  N.  You tolkatiff scowegian?  Nn.
        You spigotty anglease?  Nnn.  You phonio saxo?  Nnnn.
                Clear all so!  'Tis a Jute.... (Finnegans Wake 16.5)