What's the most diplomatic and politically correct way to refer to non-Jews. Both in conversation, and in terms of this site?
-
1How about אינו יהודי? or Aeino Yehudi? or perhaps a Bnei Noach, if appropriate?– RCWJun 10, 2011 at 22:08
-
3Goyim or shgotzim were the noms de guerre in yeshiva. They may not be too diplomatic, though.– TzviJun 10, 2011 at 22:14
-
3Shkotzim isn't diplomatic, but goyim simply means gentiles in Hebrew. It only has a negative connotation when you say it with a negative intonation.– Adam MoshehFeb 19, 2012 at 21:12
-
I propose that this question be moved to meta.– Adam MoshehFeb 19, 2012 at 22:13
-
1@Adam Why? Is this question not about Jewish Life & Learning?– yydlFeb 19, 2012 at 23:37
3 Answers
I don't know of a problem with "gentiles", though "non-Jews" seems equally appropriate.
-
1
-
6
-
@IsaacMoses - Yes, but if the context is not explicit, then it can be ambiguous. Feb 19, 2012 at 22:36
I would suggest that the term "non-Jew" is both precise and neutral, and a perfectly acceptable halachic term as well, as halachic works such as the Shulchan Aruch often refer to א"י or אינו יהודי (non Jew).
I think that if people are talking in English, then the words "gentile" or "non-Jew" should be used. However, the terms gentile and non-Jew are likely to be inappropriate if the if the conversation is in more of a "Yeshivish" dialect, because these are both English words. How about Nokhrim (נכרים) or Zarim (זרים)? The latter terms both mean something along the lines of aliens or strangers.
-
How is it "inappropriate" to use sufficiently descriptive English words in an English conversation that happens to be in a "Yeshivish" context? Given that Yeshivish is entirely a folk dialect, I don't get how prescriptivism makes any sense with respect to it.– Isaac Moses ♦Jun 25, 2012 at 14:23