Four Everyday Terms with Offensive Origins

Whether or not you care if people get offended by stuff you say is up to you. And anyone who calls you out for THESE terms today might be pushing it. But here are four everyday terms you probably didn't know had offensive origins . . .

1. "No can do." Today it's a folksy way of saying you can't do something. But in the 1800s, it was a way of making fun of CHINESE people who spoke broken English.

2. "Long time no see." It's basically like the last one, but it was a way of imitating how Native Americans spoke English.

3. "Gypped," as in being cheated out of something. It's offensive to some people because it furthers the stereotype that gypsies are dishonest thieves.

4. "Paddy wagon." The name "Paddy" used to be short for Patrick. And it was also used as a derogatory term for Irish people. It might be connected to police vehicles because cops back then were commonly of Irish descent.

(Oxford Dictionaries)

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