Wallace Reinger DDS
Feb 06, 2025
Is Arab a racist slur?
Is the term "Arab" considered a racist slur? There was an argument at work today between two ladies who were having a private conversation. Another lady overheard them use the word "Arab," got extremely offended, and started yelling. The two ladies apologized, explaining they didn’t mean any harm, but the offended lady remained upset, and the situation escalated into a heated argument. She claimed that "Arab" is a racial slur and that the correct term is "Arabic." I don’t quite understand the distinction. What do you think?
10 Answers
Well it does sound the same and its hard to distinct Arabics from Persians so I guess you have to ask what they are before you label them. Or just ask whats the difference so that you know
Arab (a person of arabic descent.) Same thing. Now towel head, camel jockey, etc… those are racial slurs, just like infidel is to a muslim. By the way, a muslim believes that all unbelievers are infidels and should die. If arab was a slur, I think Saudi Arabia might change their name.
It probably depends who says it and where you are in the world. The word “Arab State” doesn’t carry any issues, but who says it and who hears it does. The Japanese don’t like “Jap” The comment below about Persians not liking Arab doesn’t make sense….They call themselves Persians out of convenience and possibly cowardliness to avoid American persecution for being Iranian…especially after the hostage crisis during the Carter administration. Unfortunately when a word becomes commonplace for something sensitive, it eventually becomes politically incorrect to use….Handicap is a perfect example.
That other lady sounds like a nutjob! “Arab” is a noun (as in, “George Noory is an Arab”), whereas “Arabic” is an adjective (as in, “A friend of mine studied Arabic literature”). That lady either is an Arab who’s oversensitive about being an Arab and playing the Race Card, or she’s having an exaggerated PMS episode – or both.
i don’t see it as a racial slur, but some people(like this lady) take it offensive.
i see arabic as a language, and arab as the race.
my guy is arab, and i don’t know how he’d take it, if someone were to call him an arab up front.
your question is a good one though.
People learn to play the “race” card early in our country, don’t they?
They probably heard the word as a sneer (or wanted to). Someone IS an Arab, but they can BE Arabic.
Don’t call a Persian an Arab. They WILL get upset.
And I am White, Anglo-Saxon, Irish-Germanic Protestant. Get it right, please.
Nov 04, 2024
arab is the person and arabic is the language. I don’t think it’s a slur.
Jan 31, 2025
I think it depens on how you say it. Your inflection.If its said with an incriminating tone then yes it would be a slur.
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