is "slope" a racist term in Scotland

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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,170
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    Ok Tangled, seeing as you missed the point - if one has heard of the words used to describe South Asians beginning with 'p', and black people, beginning with 'n', does that by itself make that person racist? Of course it bloody doesn't.

    Anyway, baldbilluk has already as good as admitted his comment was completely bloody stupid, so it's all good.
    I probably have missed the point :blush:
  • 80sfan80sfan Posts: 18,522
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    degsyhufc wrote: »
    Obviously by the fuss cause it's not a well known term.

    I'd heard it before from watching Vietnam films/documentaries. I still wouldn't think it would be well known outside that frame of reference.

    I remember hearing the term 'slope lover' in an episode of Aussie soap Richmond Hill back in 1989 when referencing a Vietnamese character. Never heard it since though
  • Katrina_WoodsKatrina_Woods Posts: 105
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    There is a saying in Scotland, "you are heading for a slippery slope " has been used for generations. how is this racist? It means you are going downhill fast, usually said when someone is misbehaving. like "your jacket is on a shoogily nail" i have never heard of in a derogatory sense
  • degsyhufcdegsyhufc Posts: 59,251
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    There is a saying in Scotland, "you are heading for a slippery slope " has been used for generations. how is this racist?
    It isn't.
    i have never heard of in a derogatory sense
    Doesn't mean the term doesn't exist as a racial insult just because you've never heard it used in that way before.
  • MaxatoriaMaxatoria Posts: 17,980
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    Well its time to change all the maths books that talk of the S-word of a graph etc and since the S-word is already used for the word S**t is this going to be the SL-word?
  • Katrina_WoodsKatrina_Woods Posts: 105
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    the question was asked specifically to Scotland, my reply has been heard in Scotland. i am sure if you asked the population of Scotland they would say the same
  • NotaTypoNotaTypo Posts: 4,253
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    There is a saying in Scotland, "you are heading for a slippery slope " has been used for generations. how is this racist? It means you are going downhill fast, usually said when someone is misbehaving. like "your jacket is on a shoogily nail" i have never heard of in a derogatory sense
    It's not. It's the context of the word. The TGs were pointing out a "slope" on a bridge. The bridge was slightly lobsided and had a Vietnamese man standing on it. So there was the generic and racist use of the word in an attempt to be "funny".

    It's like the word "chink"; used in its proper context it's perfectly acceptable - "a chink of light coming through the curtains." When referring to a Chinese person, it's not acceptable.
  • ChipPaperChipPaper Posts: 18,521
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    The word was quite blatantly used in a racial context, and those saying the complaints received or Ofcom's ruling is ridiculous are either ignorant or one of those people who complain about 'PC gone mad' because it means they can't be openly racist/sexist/homophobic anymore. I wonder if the same people would jump to Clarkson's defence if he used a racist term about black people, or is it only Asians that are fair game?
  • ValerianValerian Posts: 2,224
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    Never heard of it before the Top Gear incident.
  • dodradedodrade Posts: 23,681
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    In America Spooks was renamed MI5 because apparently there the former is also a racist term for black people rather than a nickname for spies.
  • dgi_mdgi_m Posts: 318
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    Once again it wil just be the BBC blowing things out of proportion to keep themselves in the limelight and show that they're trying to be all proper.
  • *Sparkle**Sparkle* Posts: 10,955
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    I'd never heard of it used with that meaning before, but it was obviously a term known to a lot of people, and most importantly, the Top Gear presenters knew exactly what they were saying when they said it, and it seems everyone who knew that meaning also knew it was derogatory.
  • nanscombenanscombe Posts: 16,588
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    Valerian wrote: »
    Never heard of it before the Top Gear incident.

    Nope, nor me. Slant was the word but I guess slope is just a synonym for slant. :roll eyes:
  • zx50zx50 Posts: 91,228
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    What's the first post got to do with showbiz?
  • denial_orstupiddenial_orstupid Posts: 665
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    ChipPaper wrote: »
    The word was quite blatantly used in a racial context, and those saying the complaints received or Ofcom's ruling is ridiculous are either ignorant or one of those people who complain about 'PC gone mad' because it means they can't be openly racist/sexist/homophobic anymore. I wonder if the same people would jump to Clarkson's defence if he used a racist term about black people, or is it only Asians that are fair game?

    he has and they did .
  • NotaTypoNotaTypo Posts: 4,253
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    he has and they did .
    Eeny meeny miney mo(ron)
    Catch a racist by the toe
    If he squeals, who cares, he's a racist. Let the tosspot squeal!
  • Safi74Safi74 Posts: 5,580
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    I'd never heard of it. What are it's origins?

    I think some people need to get a sense of humour rather than complaining at every little thing.

    Can fat people complain to OFCOM? Or ginger people? Or any other group that have been so often joked about over the years?

    I am in no way condoning racism (or any other kind of insult), if this is what Clarkson intended. However I do feel people need to realise when it is a joke, all be it one in poor taste.
  • NotaTypoNotaTypo Posts: 4,253
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    Safi74 wrote: »
    I'd never heard of it. What are it's origins?
    This link explains it fairly well. http://bit.ly/1pCzer9

    I think some people need to get a sense of humour rather than complaining at every little thing.

    Can fat people complain to OFCOM? Or ginger people? Or any other group that have been so often joked about over the years?

    I am in no way condoning racism (or any other kind of insult), if this is what Clarkson intended. However I do feel people need to realise when it is a joke, all be it one in poor taste.
    In other words, suck it up, people of ethnic origins when Jezza takes the piss out of you, okay? You're just a humourless ni**er, p@ki, chink, wop, gook, spick, paddy, wog, kike etc
  • Keith_13Keith_13 Posts: 1,621
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    Ah I see other references below
  • Safi74Safi74 Posts: 5,580
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    NotaTypo wrote: »
    In other words, suck it up, people of ethnic origins when Jezza takes the piss out of you, okay? You're just a humourless ni**er, p@ki, chink, wop, gook, spick, paddy, wog, kike etc

    Excuse me?😡

    Certain people have always been unpleasant to minorities of all kind. Why aren't they defended when they are insulted?
  • NotaTypoNotaTypo Posts: 4,253
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    Safi74 wrote: »
    Excuse me?😡

    Certain people have always been unpleasant to minorities of all kind. Why aren't they defended when they are insulted?
    Because racist sacks of shit don't deserve defending. The BBC let Clarkson away with being a pig because he brings in money. He should have been fired ages ago.
  • LumstormLumstorm Posts: 447
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    You can add me as another Scot that uses the word slope as meaning an incline I have never heard of it being used as a racist term.

    According to Chambers dictionary "slope noun 1 a slanting surface; an incline. 2 a position or direction that is neither level nor upright; an upward or downward slant. 3 a specially prepared track for skiing, on the side of a snow-covered hill or mountain. verb (sloped, sloping) intrans 1 to rise or fall at an angle. 2 to be slanted or inclined. sloping or slopy adj. slope arms to place or hold a rifle on the shoulder with the barrel sloping back and up.
    ETYMOLOGY: Anglo-Saxon aslupan to slip away." no mention of any racial slur.
  • zx50zx50 Posts: 91,228
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    NotaTypo wrote: »
    Because racist sacks of shit don't deserve defending. The BBC let Clarkson away with being a pig because he brings in money. He should have been fired ages ago.

    Clarkson was very clever by mumbling the offending word so much that you couldn't actually make out for certain that he had actually said it. I think that's why the BBC kept him on. Saying this though, I think it would take an awful lot for them to sack him.
  • Safi74Safi74 Posts: 5,580
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    NotaTypo wrote: »
    Because racist sacks of shit don't deserve defending. The BBC let Clarkson away with being a pig because he brings in money. He should have been fired ages ago.

    But it's ok to make bigoted comments towards everyone else then is it?
  • stvn758stvn758 Posts: 19,656
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    It's a very old word, not something that seems to be in common usage today.
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