Prince William

[Olderkids]

I am pleased to let you know that Prince William is on good form, visiting my home town today, meeting our football team and pulling a pint in the local. He clearly prioritised his engagements this week and this was far too important to miss⚽️🤣

Toerag is offensive, I am so old that it was used commonly when I was a kid but its real meaning is to refer to an Arab/North African - as in Tuareg. I lived in the Middle East for many a year - try using it there and see what happens to you. It's in line with many other old phrases that used to describe people from other countries.

No daisy you are the one being rude!
Alice should stay right where they are!

I’m glad you did, I was a bit shocked at how it’s being thrown around as a joke - and now it’s being minimised. I’m a speechless and upset tbh

(Rolls eyes)

Yes unfortunately I’ve had it thrown my way a lot growing up

Given what I’m reading now I think it should be reported.

Good change of post! Who do you want it reported to?

Good. Go for it

I’d like to think I’d react with more kindness and compassion if a racist slur was highlighted to me

Your post came after mine

It’s just so so telling.

Zero surprise here.

Alice you have lost me, what do you mean?

Ok
I'll start off with apologies
I used to call my kids that along with scamp and rascal. It was a colloquial term used where I come from
I will obviously never use it again

I think you can see that no one on here has deliberately used it to upset you.

Yes Daizy, that’s for the best.

I literally never, ever, heard that association before in my life.

It's a bit old hat as a term now anyway, but I never knew it was offensive...

My FIL born in 1919 used some less than satisfactory names. They had a black family dog. He fought in WW2 and of course awful names were used for Germans, Italians, Arabs etc. These were in common uses in speech in the 1950s but we should have moved on from these now. I'm surprised to see people using these still. We then wonder why there are MPs and other vocal groups creating havoc today. When will it end?

My lack of surprise? I’m going to just leave it for you and others to figure out. It’s quite clear if you read through what just happened.

But let’s note that I was the one being roundly mocked.

I have to say It’s not a term I use daily. I tend to use swear words now

I have really tried to look this up, and I can't find any sources that link toerag (British) to the Middle Eastern racial slur. All the etymology points back to other sources (ropes in ship toilets, cloths to wrap feet...), even ones that mention the Tuareg people seem to go on to dismiss a potential link due to certain evidence showing this isn't the case. From everything I can read it seems that two words, which sound similar, developed in different parts of the world from different origins. Would be happy to read journals saying different, I just cannot find them?

Sounds like you are accusing people of something.
sometimes we know an expression and assume it’s harmless, as I did. Then you find out it’s not. So i for one am now educated.

Take from it whatever you like. I pointed it out and was mocked. Big shocker.

Growing up, we were never allowed to use the term. My family are Irish and linked it to poverty, wrapping your toes in rags. It was a very offensive term, and I've never used it because of that. The Tuareg link is interesting, but if the pp has lived in the Middle East and has that heritage, we should take note. It's quite possible that both terms blended etymologically. It's certainly not pleasant.

Alice can you please stop trying to get mileage out of this now
It has been acknowledged by me and others that we had no idea and will stop.using the term, plus apologies from me
I think that could be the end of the matter now surely?