Is it rascist? Probibly yes I know!

MrIncredible | 00:34 Sat 26th Jun 2010 | Family & Relationships

29 Answers

If your child comes home from school dirty or in from the garden dirty is it acceptable to call them a dirty arab? (NO i hear you cry out in unison)

I always use the term mucky pup but the other day i said dirty arab (not sure why, never used it before and probibly havn't heard the expression since the 1970's) and my wife was mortified.
but it made me think where it came from?
my parents might have said it to me as a child or most definalty my grandparents.....but were /are arabs dirty.......maybe filthy rich but why dirty or is this an expression confined just to my family relativesor area?

Clingy babies - do they cry 'to get their own way' or are they genuinely upset?

Swimming

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MarkRae

Rascist? Probibly?
You'd have thought that a fascist would have learnt to write the language of his beloved country correctly...

MrIncredible

Question Author

I cant write welsh?

MarkRae

> I [cant] can't write [welsh] Welsh?

Sieg Heil!

MrIncredible

Question Author

Thanks for the grammer lesson...wish i could stay up for more but your boring the elbow out of me.....;p)
oh and is it your a tithead or tit head?
many thanks in advance

craft1948

No I remember when I was little that arabs were described as dirty....

MrIncredible

Question Author

oh and before i forget....nice pic!
but I wouldn't hang around any playgrounds sporting that beard if I was You?
Unless your already on the register than hey go for it...what have you got to lose?

MarkRae

> your boring the elbow out of me.....;p)
> oh and is it your a tithead or tit head?

Neither...

Your = belonging to you.
You're = you are.

ttfn

It is an expression I too grew up with - among many others which if repeated would probably get me banned. What a long road it has been to get to this point!

craft1948

Right....no arabs then.

mike11111

An Arab is an old name for an urchin or guttersnipe (from street Arab) hence the expression 'dirty little arab', common at one time but now virtually redundant. It probably originates from the child beggars in the Middle East in the 19/20C. I remember using the phrase in the 60s/70s but would not think of doing so now. When in use it was more of a humorous reproach to a child who had got himself dirty while playing outside, and had no real racial overtones.

theboytippex

Don't worry about the racist thing Mr Incredible, although there will be some PC do-gooders out there that may Tut, Dirty Arab is the term given to arab oil barons who live extravengent lifestyles contrasting to their poor slave workers.
Generally dirty arab people live in Duabi, drive luxury cars, own palaces, degrade women, wear silk turbans and marry slutty women who will do anything for a buck.
While there slave workers live in derelict conditions, recive minimal pay and work 12hr days in 50 degree heat

MarkRae

> if I was You?

If I were you.

> Unless your already

Unless you're already

craft1948

Mark you are really looking a bit of a tw at here.....

MarkRae

> Mark you are really looking a bit of a tw at here....

I feel so sorry for you...