David I Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 Mind you that all sheep-shagging jokes in Scotland are about Welshmen. All sheep-shagging jokes in Wales are about Scotsmen. DavidI 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kovan Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 I have the distinct impression that my point is being lost so here is a final attempt. There is a modern context to the original word "japie" with derivitives being "yarpie" (which lexigraphicaly could even be a new word) and you will find most antipodeans do not use this as derogatory and ironically most young South Africans will not even know what the word means Then there is a historical contetx (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/yarpie) dating back as far as to the Anglo-Boer war and WWII when the term "Japie" WAS definately derogotary. The word "plaas japie" was even used as a derogary word BETWEEN South Africans. I hope this makes it clear to you Stalin's Organist? Now as to my original point, I leave it up to you to read the post by JonS and make up your own mind as to how he intended to use the word given the historical context explained above. McIvan - Nope, sorry to dissapoint, my original post was not mildy histerical and in search of a target. The post was directly targeted to a specific person in reaction to IMHO a mediocre, ill-informed and off topic post that had a malicious whiff to it. I merely called him out and tried to get his answer (and not all the other well intentioned but misguided replies) I will contain my histeria and take your parting remarks and partisanship my stride my friend 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broompatrol Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 What I love about this forum is I have learned how to offend people all over the world in a myriad of ways! I can use the term Nazi/Soviet/Swede apologist (that really gets their goat!) and now I have the "J" word? But seriously, since I am a poor "Yank" from Southern California (where most people don't even really know what a Yank is..) I would be curious to hear from members from around the globe as to what terms really are insulting and which are friendly. :confused: Yank is friendly unless you're from the Southern US, but my southern cousins would not be offended if someone from across the pond said 'Yank' because they know it means US American, not Yankee. (My in-laws are from Tennessee and Connecticut, we have some intersting family discussions). But to be honest I don't really know how 'Kiwi' sounds to a New Zealander. Is it condescending? I'm pretty sure 'Aussie' is okay because its also a brand name. My Canadian friend doesn't seem to mind 'Canuck' or 'Hoser' but he draws the line at 'drooling neanderthal'. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highliner Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 It must be remembered that when they spoke of the North African Campaign as being a "nobler war" they refered to the amount of civillian/collateral damage, being less than had previously been witnessed in Europe for instance.Plus, the sun does funny things to ya brain. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McIvan Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 Originally posted by kovan: .....sorry to dissapoint, my original post was not mildy histerical.. ....a mediocre, ill-informed and off topic post that had a malicious whiff to it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 Originally posted by highliner: It must be remembered that when they spoke of the North African Campaign as being a "nobler war" they refered to the amount of civillian/collateral damage, being less than had previously been witnessed in Europe for instance. Thre are a couple of possible reasons for this. firstly there jsut weren't that many people in teh area. Secondly they weer "only" the natives, and whether we like it or not 65 years ago your average European didn't have much regard for the natives. And neither did we colonials - there's a pamphlet from WW1 for NZ soldiers in Egypt tellign them that they should not think of the natives there as being as "good" as Maori.....I'm pretty sure attitudes in WW2 were pretty similar. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Enigma Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 Well there was quite alot of Italian colonists in North Africa and Benghazi was on the receiving end of over 1000 bombing raids in 2 years ... one of the most bombed places of the war iirc. So there we go ... its was completly inhumane in North Africa. [ June 15, 2007, 04:33 AM: Message edited by: the_enigma ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highliner Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 WAVELL`S 30,000 Western Desert December 1940/Febuary 1941 In a short and memorable campaign, the British defeated the Italians in Egypt, Lybia and Cyrenaica....As it was happening, it was transformed into a legend. The campaign was unique of its kind, in that it was fought in a virtually empty but well-defined arena. It was pure theoretical war-game soldiering.....Nothing like it had happened before in modern history but it offered a classic example- unhappily not yet followed- of nations fighting a war without making it total. If ever limited war was shown to be practical, in modern terms and with modern weapons, it was in the Western Desert. (John Connell, 1909-65) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Enigma Posted June 16, 2007 Share Posted June 16, 2007 For those who may be wondering, its called Operation Compass 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Task Posted June 17, 2007 Share Posted June 17, 2007 I suggest reading "War Without Hate: The Desert Campaign of 1940-43." A really great read. Right on the cover an injured German soldier offers an injured Brit a light . I think in this theatre of war, each side treated each other truly as human beings. There also some great accounts such as one where a British and German soldier huddled in a trench together through a heavy artillery bombardment. They talked about their families back home and such. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike Posted June 17, 2007 Share Posted June 17, 2007 I've got a photo of a German soldier offering a Soviet captive a light too..... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Enigma Posted June 17, 2007 Share Posted June 17, 2007 Originally posted by Stalin's Organist: I've got a photo of a German soldier offering a Soviet captive a light too..... ...before they threw him down a slave mine and worked him to death. ...before they plonked him hin a POW cage and let him frezze/strave to death. etc etc 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Other Means Posted June 17, 2007 Share Posted June 17, 2007 Originally posted by Stalin's Organist: I've got a photo of a German soldier offering a Soviet captive a light too..... Was he covered in petrol? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Enigma Posted June 17, 2007 Share Posted June 17, 2007 Originally posted by Other Means: </font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Stalin's Organist: I've got a photo of a German soldier offering a Soviet captive a light too..... Was he covered in petrol? </font> 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike Posted June 17, 2007 Share Posted June 17, 2007 no - the German was quite dry. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Enigma Posted June 17, 2007 Share Posted June 17, 2007 But we want to know if the same is true for the Russian... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike Posted June 17, 2007 Share Posted June 17, 2007 Of course not - where would a Russian soldier get petrol from? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Enigma Posted June 17, 2007 Share Posted June 17, 2007 From the German pouring it over him? Alas never mind, if there is one thing ive learnt from German General memoirs is that there troops were spotless so all this talk of Germans burning Russian soldiers is just a disgrace! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike Posted June 18, 2007 Share Posted June 18, 2007 the German would then be more likely to throw a matach at him ratehr then lean in close to light a cigarette!! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Enigma Posted June 18, 2007 Share Posted June 18, 2007 Originally posted by Stalin's Organist: the German would then be more likely to throw a matach at him ratehr then lean in close to light a cigarette!! He might have been winter and he had a frozen nose ... then it would make sence, some 3rd degree burns to melt the ice off! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonS Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 I've been away, and didn't realise this thread had risen like a pheonix. Originally posted by kovan: There is a modern context to the original word "japie" with derivitives being "yarpie" ... and you will find most antipodeans do not use this as derogatoryIf it ain't derogatory, what is your problem? ... I leave it up to you to read the post by JonS and make up your own mind as to how he intended to use the word ...Or you could ask him. He'd probably say "mildly derogatory". Like "pom", "yank" (esp to a southener), "redneck", or "dingo". Also used in a generally inclusive manner to refer to all white South Africans. The post was directly targeted to a specific person in reaction to IMHO a mediocre, ill-informed and off topic post that had a malicious whiff to it.Mediocre, ill-informed, off topic, and malicious huh? Correcting someones misconceptions is off topic? Correcting someones mistaken ideas about a battle is mediocre? What do you think was mediocre, ill-informed, off topic, and malicious about my post. Perhaps you think I'm casting aspersions on the fighting prowess of the Yar... Glorious South Africans. Too bad. I stand by all of it. * 5(SA)Bde did fight well on 23 Nov, but they were out of position, and leaving open one side of the box probably wasn't the smartest way to deploy in a fluid situation. * 5(SA)Bde did not fight 'to the last man', unless that now means 'to the last man surrendered'. * The Germans did suffer pretty badly. * Pienaar was notably cautious thereafter, which contributed directly to the damage suffered by 2(NZ)Div at Sidi Rezegh on 1 Dec. Do you specifically disagree with any of that? If so, what? [ June 18, 2007, 09:24 PM: Message edited by: JonS ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David I Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 Like a long forgotten salami in the back of the fridge, the thread suddenly makes it's presence known. DavidI 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FAI Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 Originally posted by David I: Like a long forgotten salami in the back of the fridge, the thread suddenly makes it's presence known. DavidI Especially one that is covered in petrol.. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanonier Reichmann Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 But with no light being offered to it. Regards Jim R. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John D Salt Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 Originally posted by Kanonier Reichmann: But with no light being offered to it. It's in the fridge. Fridges have lights. No need to offer it one, just open the door. All the best, John. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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