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What do you think of the phrase "He jewed me down"?

What do you think of the phrase 'He jewed me down'?

  • I'm highly offended by the phrase!

    Votes: 7 10.8%

  • It's an insensitive choice of words

    Votes: 34 52.3%

  • It depends entirely on the context

    Votes: 10 15.4%

  • As long as it's not refering to real Jews

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • It's just an old expression that perfectly expresses its meaning!

    Votes: 14 21.5%
  • Total voters
    65
MyOwnDrum

MyOwnDrum

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A buddy of mine used this the other day. He's an electrician and owns his own business. He was talking about how some customers try to jew him down on prices, and other aggravations of running his business. There aren't many Jews around here, so I know he was using this phrase as an idiom, not because he's a bigot. Plus, I know he's not a bigot.

What do you think of the phrase?
 
Never heard the phrase before, so no opinion.
 
MyOwnDrum said:
A buddy of mine used this the other day. He's an electrician and owns his own business. He was talking about how some customers try to jew him down on prices, and other aggravations of running his business. There aren't many Jews around here, so I know he was using this phrase as an idiom, not because he's a bigot. Plus, I know he's not a bigot.

What do you think of the phrase?
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Depends on who's using it, who they're saying it to, and why. Racial stereotypes can be hilarious under the right circumstances. ;)
 
CrusaderRabbit08 said:
Never heard the phrase before, so no opinion.
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It means to drive a hard bargain. It's based on a stereotype of Jews being aggressive in getting a good deal, to the point of ruthlessness.
 
Kandahar said:
Depends on who's using it, who they're saying it to, and why. Racial stereotypes can be hilarious under the right circumstances. ;)
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Sometimes political correctness can rob our language of its richness.
 
Depends on context.

For example:

Mama Case: "Did you know this is the man performed your circumcision?"

Me: "He the guy who Jewed me down?!?!??!1"



I feel the above is OK.
 
It's insensitive, but only to the extent that it shouldn't be used in polite company.
 
Korimyr the Rat said:
It's insensitive, but only to the extent that it shouldn't be used in polite company.
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I agree. I wouldn't say it around a group of strangers, because I wouldn't want to offend anyone. But my roommate and I say **** like that (and worse) all the time to each other, just because it's funny.
 
I think it can definitely be seen as offensive, but I've also heard the phrase used a lot.
 
It's an old phrase that really has no offensive meaning, except to those who are looking for things to get offended by. People need to lighten up.
 
I don't see where its useful. The idea ban be portrayed by using other words and ultimately using stereotypes can be harmful because it can help to give people who need a group to blame (liberals, conservatives, rich people, poor people, various ethnic groups, etc) more ammo which does no-one any good.
 
It is an apt description for an age old tradition.....;)
Somehow, "He Scotched me down" or "He Dutched me down", just doesn't work......:lol:
 
Ikari said:
I think it can definitely be seen as offensive, but I've also heard the phrase used a lot.
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It seems you drive a hard bargain. :)

I'm 90% certain it doesn't offend most libs.

.
 
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It was commonplace 30-60 yrs ago. My Dad, who most definately had nothing against Jews at all, used it regularly. I was in my 20's before it even occurred to me that someone might take it as a "racial" slur.

When I was growing up in the country, there was a lot of barter and private sales. Typically EVERYONE asked 20-40% more for something than they would "take", and EVERYONE buying tried to "jew him down" on the price.

Someone who could negotiate the price down to the bare minimum the sellar was willing to take was viewed with respect; thus, the young Goshin assumed that this meant Jews were held in respect for being hard bargainers. I was actually surprised as a young man to hear someone say that Jews were often resented for being sharp at business... this ran contrary to my early experiences, that a sharp trader was respected.
 
I guess I'm not easily offended- it doesn't bother me, just as other slang terms don't.
 
I've known Jews who have used the expression.

It depends on the circumstances.
 
I'm Jewish and I use the expression pretty frequently. But then...you know...I'm Jewish. I wouldn't be cool with people using that who were rather openly anti-semitic, but the way a lot of Jews deal with these things is we laugh it off or we out-anti-semite them in return to throw them off balance.

A perfect example of this is when that Danish guy did that whole Mohammed cartoon thing, and Iran in a perfect display of the non-sequitur, ran a competition for who could draw the most offensive anti-Jewish cartoon (I'm sure it made sense at the time). In response to that, Israel hosted its own competition to see who draw a way cleverer...anti-Jewish cartoon. Jews are just much better at self abasing humor, so naturally the Israelis' cartoons were a lot better.
 
Cardinal said:
the way a lot of Jews deal with these things is we laugh it off or we out-anti-semite them in return to throw them off balance.

In response to that, Israel hosted its own competition to see who draw a way cleverer...anti-Jewish cartoon. Jews are just much better at self abasing humor, so naturally the Israelis' cartoons were a lot better.
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To me, that's a much more effective way to manage being offended than to get uptight and pissed off, then live your life waiting for the next offense. Learning to laugh at oneself and being comfortable in your own skin are major milestones imo.
 
MyOwnDrum said:
A buddy of mine used this the other day. He's an electrician and owns his own business. He was talking about how some customers try to jew him down on prices, and other aggravations of running his business. There aren't many Jews around here, so I know he was using this phrase as an idiom, not because he's a bigot. Plus, I know he's not a bigot.

What do you think of the phrase?
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There is a lot of irony in that statement. In the business that I manage, practically none of the people who attempt to "jew us down" on prices are Jews.
 
I'm a jew, the jocks are bigger tight arses:shock:
 
Did you guys know that the word "gyp" (as in "the fraudster gypped me") is a racial slur against gypsies? I just found that out a couple years ago when I went to Italy. I guess it just goes to show you that sometimes people have been saying things for so long that they lose their original meaning, and people say them without even thinking about who they might offend. I don't think we're quite there with "jewed me down" yet, but maybe in another few decades. ;)
 
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Kandahar said:
Did you guys know that the word "gyp" (as in "the fraudster gypped me") is a racial slur against gypsies? I just found that out a couple years ago when I went to Italy. I guess it just goes to show you that sometimes people have been saying things for so long that they lose their original meaning, and people say them without even thinking about who they might offend. I don't think we're quite there with "jewed me down" yet, but maybe in another few decades. ;)
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I had a teacher in high school who was a Romani and was hugely offended when people said "gypped." She drummed it out of all of us.
 
Jews and Gypsy's. for whom the bell toles
 
My friends and I actively reference, "bring jewed" in terms of money and power. We also reference, "Motza balled" if you're manhood has come into question by a Jew
 
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