TITLES THAT ANNOY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19529, 11 July 1925, Page 21

TITLES THAT ANNOY.

NICKNAMES FOR NATIONS. Nows despatches report that one of tho causes of friction between tho Sudanesw and Egyptian troops, in tho recent phase of tension, has boon the former's adoption of tho nickname "gypsies’’ that lias long boon commonly used by British residents in Egypt when chatting among themselves about the Egyptians, writes Bu*sott-Dighy in ‘‘T.lVs Weekly." Wo use tho term in quite n. careless, gonial way—not in tho least meaning it as an insult. But for some reason tho Egyptians, strongly resent it. "Wo ourselves —or a good many of ns at any rate—object to being termed Britishers by tho Americans. Tho Americans have a strong antipathy to being called Yanks, though they have given that name to one of their most beloved baseball teams. Tho Japanese huto being called Japs; why on earth should they be so touchy about it goodness only knows. Thorn is no suen word as Japan or Japanese in their language. Nippon is what they call their con ul ry. A Chinese who understands any English holds himself to he grossly insulted if he is called a Chink, and he much dislikes being termed a Chinaman, though ho knows wo call ourselves Englishmen. Tho Hungarian labourers in tho United States and. Canada do not like tho name Hunkies Hint is commonly applied to them, and only ’the lowest caste Italian labourer in America submits to the goneray sobriquet of Wop or Guineo. Swedish emigrants to America do not like hong called Big Swedes, or Scots being called Scotties. Nor docs tho French emigrant like being addressed as Froggie. And trouble breaks loose at onco, with n bang, if you address a group of emigrants from Ireland to Boston os "you Micks.’’ It is not safe cither to address Mexican labourers in America as "you Greasers,” though every American speaks of them ns Greasers because of their greasy look, The Canadian Indians do not like being called Broods, though they have learned to put up with it by now. Most of tho Indians in and around Canadian white settlements are half or quarter-breeds, with a streak of white in them —hence their name. Gormans in America and Canada dislike tho term Dutchmen, which is commonly applied to them, though tho Dutch clo not mind being called Hollanders. A few of us peoples, however, do not mind our nicknames a hit. We English do not mind Americans calling us Johnnio Bulls, nor do the Blue Noses otf Nova Scotia care. The Samoyedos of tho White littoral and North Siberia aro quite resigned—though their name is tho Russian word for cannibals. And the Aussics? They glory in their name!