Can the term “w**** t****” for the “rich and famous [who] act badly” be used as a derogatory ethnic...












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In the article White Trash: The Social Origins of a Stigmatype (Matt Wray, 2013), the author explains three use cases for the term white trash (not described in the dictionaries: Wiktionary, Dictionary.com, AHDotEL, Merriam-Webster; not really discussed on this very site; but some of which are alluded to on Wikipedia, despite being challenged as original research; see also Urban Dictionary, no challenging there):




  1. The typical use case (dictionaries) based on the etymology
    documented in the linked Q&A: (US, idiomatic, derogatory, ethnic
    slur) A poorly-educated white person or, collectively, white people
    of low social status (Wiktionary).


  2. What could be called the "badge of honor" use whereby "some white people now identify as “white trash” to signal rebelliousness and cultural difference [...]" (Wray's article), possibly how Trump used it in an interview from the Financial Times (as reported in the NYT):




    Luce reports the story of Trump telling foreign investors that his
    casinos would be flooded by “white trash.” What did he mean by “white
    trash,” the investors asked.



    Trump replied: “They’re people just like me, only they’re poor.”





  3. And a "third popular use of the term: to denigrate and punish the rich and famous when they act badly" (Wray's article, including the following quote):




    Despite her millions, Paris Hilton can be called out for a “trashy”
    lifestyle, and George Clooney can tell us, in his self-mocking kind of
    way, that beneath a dapper exterior, he’s really just white trash.
    And, as comedian and actor Tom Arnold said of his marriage to
    comedian, actress, and sometime political aspirant Roseanne Barr,
    “We’re America’s worst nightmare—white trash with money!”





These last examples are mostly self-referential/deprecating or somewhat minced ("trashy" lifestyle; compare with this about the same person). Don't know if I'm right or wrong but I equate this with a "person's moral failings" which is the primary difference from terms such as redneck (Wikipedia) and obviously none of those people are of "low social status". The Wiktionary entry lists the derived term white trash with cash but there is no actual page for it and Urban contains the variation "with money" which is contested (36/72). In any case it seems pretty clear (to me) the term is not only used in the same way it was almost 200 years ago and I'm trying to figure out if it's the meaning that's changing or expanding, or merely just context...




  • Is the third use case evidence it can stand on its own as a
    derogatory slur to call out privileged/rich well-known white people who fail morally and who don't come from a "humble background"; in such a case is it more accurate to talk about the person's white trashery ("The state or
    characteristic of being, resembling, or behaving in the manner of
    white trash", Wiktionary) or is that third use case a way of referring to this; is the modifier with cash/money better suited in making sure you're not confusing/drawing from the first use case?

  • Can you shed some light into the relative usage frequency of the third use case compared to the first two?









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    In the article White Trash: The Social Origins of a Stigmatype (Matt Wray, 2013), the author explains three use cases for the term white trash (not described in the dictionaries: Wiktionary, Dictionary.com, AHDotEL, Merriam-Webster; not really discussed on this very site; but some of which are alluded to on Wikipedia, despite being challenged as original research; see also Urban Dictionary, no challenging there):




    1. The typical use case (dictionaries) based on the etymology
      documented in the linked Q&A: (US, idiomatic, derogatory, ethnic
      slur) A poorly-educated white person or, collectively, white people
      of low social status (Wiktionary).


    2. What could be called the "badge of honor" use whereby "some white people now identify as “white trash” to signal rebelliousness and cultural difference [...]" (Wray's article), possibly how Trump used it in an interview from the Financial Times (as reported in the NYT):




      Luce reports the story of Trump telling foreign investors that his
      casinos would be flooded by “white trash.” What did he mean by “white
      trash,” the investors asked.



      Trump replied: “They’re people just like me, only they’re poor.”





    3. And a "third popular use of the term: to denigrate and punish the rich and famous when they act badly" (Wray's article, including the following quote):




      Despite her millions, Paris Hilton can be called out for a “trashy”
      lifestyle, and George Clooney can tell us, in his self-mocking kind of
      way, that beneath a dapper exterior, he’s really just white trash.
      And, as comedian and actor Tom Arnold said of his marriage to
      comedian, actress, and sometime political aspirant Roseanne Barr,
      “We’re America’s worst nightmare—white trash with money!”





    These last examples are mostly self-referential/deprecating or somewhat minced ("trashy" lifestyle; compare with this about the same person). Don't know if I'm right or wrong but I equate this with a "person's moral failings" which is the primary difference from terms such as redneck (Wikipedia) and obviously none of those people are of "low social status". The Wiktionary entry lists the derived term white trash with cash but there is no actual page for it and Urban contains the variation "with money" which is contested (36/72). In any case it seems pretty clear (to me) the term is not only used in the same way it was almost 200 years ago and I'm trying to figure out if it's the meaning that's changing or expanding, or merely just context...




    • Is the third use case evidence it can stand on its own as a
      derogatory slur to call out privileged/rich well-known white people who fail morally and who don't come from a "humble background"; in such a case is it more accurate to talk about the person's white trashery ("The state or
      characteristic of being, resembling, or behaving in the manner of
      white trash", Wiktionary) or is that third use case a way of referring to this; is the modifier with cash/money better suited in making sure you're not confusing/drawing from the first use case?

    • Can you shed some light into the relative usage frequency of the third use case compared to the first two?









    share







    New contributor




    asteroH-I is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
    Check out our Code of Conduct.























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      In the article White Trash: The Social Origins of a Stigmatype (Matt Wray, 2013), the author explains three use cases for the term white trash (not described in the dictionaries: Wiktionary, Dictionary.com, AHDotEL, Merriam-Webster; not really discussed on this very site; but some of which are alluded to on Wikipedia, despite being challenged as original research; see also Urban Dictionary, no challenging there):




      1. The typical use case (dictionaries) based on the etymology
        documented in the linked Q&A: (US, idiomatic, derogatory, ethnic
        slur) A poorly-educated white person or, collectively, white people
        of low social status (Wiktionary).


      2. What could be called the "badge of honor" use whereby "some white people now identify as “white trash” to signal rebelliousness and cultural difference [...]" (Wray's article), possibly how Trump used it in an interview from the Financial Times (as reported in the NYT):




        Luce reports the story of Trump telling foreign investors that his
        casinos would be flooded by “white trash.” What did he mean by “white
        trash,” the investors asked.



        Trump replied: “They’re people just like me, only they’re poor.”





      3. And a "third popular use of the term: to denigrate and punish the rich and famous when they act badly" (Wray's article, including the following quote):




        Despite her millions, Paris Hilton can be called out for a “trashy”
        lifestyle, and George Clooney can tell us, in his self-mocking kind of
        way, that beneath a dapper exterior, he’s really just white trash.
        And, as comedian and actor Tom Arnold said of his marriage to
        comedian, actress, and sometime political aspirant Roseanne Barr,
        “We’re America’s worst nightmare—white trash with money!”





      These last examples are mostly self-referential/deprecating or somewhat minced ("trashy" lifestyle; compare with this about the same person). Don't know if I'm right or wrong but I equate this with a "person's moral failings" which is the primary difference from terms such as redneck (Wikipedia) and obviously none of those people are of "low social status". The Wiktionary entry lists the derived term white trash with cash but there is no actual page for it and Urban contains the variation "with money" which is contested (36/72). In any case it seems pretty clear (to me) the term is not only used in the same way it was almost 200 years ago and I'm trying to figure out if it's the meaning that's changing or expanding, or merely just context...




      • Is the third use case evidence it can stand on its own as a
        derogatory slur to call out privileged/rich well-known white people who fail morally and who don't come from a "humble background"; in such a case is it more accurate to talk about the person's white trashery ("The state or
        characteristic of being, resembling, or behaving in the manner of
        white trash", Wiktionary) or is that third use case a way of referring to this; is the modifier with cash/money better suited in making sure you're not confusing/drawing from the first use case?

      • Can you shed some light into the relative usage frequency of the third use case compared to the first two?









      share







      New contributor




      asteroH-I is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.












      In the article White Trash: The Social Origins of a Stigmatype (Matt Wray, 2013), the author explains three use cases for the term white trash (not described in the dictionaries: Wiktionary, Dictionary.com, AHDotEL, Merriam-Webster; not really discussed on this very site; but some of which are alluded to on Wikipedia, despite being challenged as original research; see also Urban Dictionary, no challenging there):




      1. The typical use case (dictionaries) based on the etymology
        documented in the linked Q&A: (US, idiomatic, derogatory, ethnic
        slur) A poorly-educated white person or, collectively, white people
        of low social status (Wiktionary).


      2. What could be called the "badge of honor" use whereby "some white people now identify as “white trash” to signal rebelliousness and cultural difference [...]" (Wray's article), possibly how Trump used it in an interview from the Financial Times (as reported in the NYT):




        Luce reports the story of Trump telling foreign investors that his
        casinos would be flooded by “white trash.” What did he mean by “white
        trash,” the investors asked.



        Trump replied: “They’re people just like me, only they’re poor.”





      3. And a "third popular use of the term: to denigrate and punish the rich and famous when they act badly" (Wray's article, including the following quote):




        Despite her millions, Paris Hilton can be called out for a “trashy”
        lifestyle, and George Clooney can tell us, in his self-mocking kind of
        way, that beneath a dapper exterior, he’s really just white trash.
        And, as comedian and actor Tom Arnold said of his marriage to
        comedian, actress, and sometime political aspirant Roseanne Barr,
        “We’re America’s worst nightmare—white trash with money!”





      These last examples are mostly self-referential/deprecating or somewhat minced ("trashy" lifestyle; compare with this about the same person). Don't know if I'm right or wrong but I equate this with a "person's moral failings" which is the primary difference from terms such as redneck (Wikipedia) and obviously none of those people are of "low social status". The Wiktionary entry lists the derived term white trash with cash but there is no actual page for it and Urban contains the variation "with money" which is contested (36/72). In any case it seems pretty clear (to me) the term is not only used in the same way it was almost 200 years ago and I'm trying to figure out if it's the meaning that's changing or expanding, or merely just context...




      • Is the third use case evidence it can stand on its own as a
        derogatory slur to call out privileged/rich well-known white people who fail morally and who don't come from a "humble background"; in such a case is it more accurate to talk about the person's white trashery ("The state or
        characteristic of being, resembling, or behaving in the manner of
        white trash", Wiktionary) or is that third use case a way of referring to this; is the modifier with cash/money better suited in making sure you're not confusing/drawing from the first use case?

      • Can you shed some light into the relative usage frequency of the third use case compared to the first two?







      word-usage usage pejorative-language





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      asked 7 mins ago









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