Ghetto

[OpiateOfTheMasses]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35296993

Is this a real thing? The word "Ghetto" to me means slum/low-income/poverty all of that - but it doesn't relate to any specific race, colour or creed.

[Derived Absurdity]

It is and it does. Who uses the word "ghetto" to mean white trailer trash?

[OpiateOfTheMasses]

It must be an American thing because race had never even occurred to me.

I wouldn't use it for a Trailer Park cos in my mind it implies more permanent /older structures but that's the only reason.

[Derived Absurdity]

I don't know too much about the history of it, but it might just be an American thing. To me the word "slum" is also racially tinged too, though not nearly to the extent "ghetto" is. In America nobody ever uses "ghetto" to mean anything other than poor black neighborhoods, and maybe Latino ones, sometimes.

[BruceSmith78]

What DA said, except eliminate the word "maybe".

[CashRules]

DA and Bruce are correct as far as American usage is concerned. Personally I've never heard the word used for poor Latino areas but that may be because in my area the Latinos don't congregate in any one neighborhood, they're out living amongst the other white folks. I only know one black Latino and she's sitting on my lap as I type this.

Also, I've never heard ghetto used to describe poor black neighborhoods outside of major cities. In my area that would be Nashville, Chattanooga and Huntsville. Smaller cities and towns seem to all have their own local name for such neighborhoods and those names are often racist as hell.

[Cassius Clay]

Even if, for various reasons, some folks aren't familiar with the racial connotations, Tarantino certainly is.

[OpiateOfTheMasses]

I suppose if I think about it for a minute Ghetto makes me think of the Jews throughout European history - most notably in Nazi occupied Europe and in places like Poland where they were be forced into areas that became Ghettos before they were rounded up and taken away to the concentration camps.

But even before the rise of fascism Jews were often segregated in cities into areas referred to as Ghettos.

That's the only racist intonation a non-American is probably likely to apply to the word that I can think of - a historic one. And whilst there are a lot of race issues in America at the moment I don't think they're quite at the same level as the persecution of the Jews throughout European history.

But I've learnt something today I will be careful to avoid using the word in mixed company in the future.

[Cassius Clay]

And whilst there are a lot of race issues in America at the moment I don't think they're quite at the same level as the persecution of the Jews throughout European history.

What what?

I don't see the purpose of making such a comparison.

Are you saying you associate "ghetto" with Jewish people rather than blacks in part because Jewish persecution throughout European history is on another "level" than the "at the moment" American races issues?

[OpiateOfTheMasses]

I wasn't trying to belittle the issues in America - I was more making an observation on the changing use of the word and the associations people make.

As I said in the OP, in a contemporary setting I associate no racial characteristics with it.

[Cassius Clay]

You could say a European might more likely associate ghetto with Jews because of the persecution of Jewish people throughout European history, plus their lack of experience with the American use of the word...that is non-controversial. But, to say that you personally think the persecution of Jews is on a different level than American race issues is a different kind of assertion....and it doesn't really add anything to the point you're making.

[phe_de]

You could say a European might more likely associate ghetto with Jews because of the persecution of Jewish people throughout European history, plus their lack of experience with the American use of the word...that is non-controversial.

Until a few years ago, in Germany, Ghetto was more associated with Jews, especially because of the Warsaw Ghetto.
But in recent years, the word "Ghettoisierung" (could be translated as "Ghettoification") has become more prevalent in Germany to describe parts of big cities where groups of immigrants tend to live in big numbers. Usually it's used when one group of immigrants is particularly prominent, e.g. Russians or Turks.

[Cassius Clay]

I see.

[CashRules]

This thread is the reason I now have the worst song Elvis ever sang in my head. Thanks Opiate.

[Cassius Clay]

I like the Cartman version.

[OpiateOfTheMasses]

This thread is the reason I now have the worst song Elvis ever sang in my head. Thanks Opiate.

Sorry.

I have no idea what song you're talking about though...

[CashRules]

In The Ghetto

[OpiateOfTheMasses]

Makes sense.

I don't know it, but then I was never an Elvis fan.

[CashRules]

I was never an Elvis fan.

[OpiateOfTheMasses]

Hey - I've always been more into classical music. I don't like that Ghetto music.

(see what I did there? )

[Unvoiced_Apollo]

This thread is the reason I now have the worst song Elvis ever sang in my head. Thanks Opiate.

"Love me Tender"?