Apparently, I am a racist Scrabble player

[rosiecat]

As an example for a word you can or can't use?

[amanda_tlg]

As an example for a word you can or can't use?

One you can.  But I always capitalize words like Jew and Christian. I dunno, it just feels more respectful.

[hobish]

Hmmm...ex-girlfriend and i used to play Scrabble with the bar tender at our local watering hole and he would beat us every time.  

I would think "Jew" would not be in the Scrabble dictionary just because it is a proper noun, not because it is a racist slur. As PP's have said, if that is, then so are Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, etc. That doesn't even make sense.

[Dandy Andy's Daddy's Love]

Egads, I missed the "other" Scrabble thread....did I just open up a recently sealed can of worms or something?

No, but in the other thread "Scrabble" was the word we used to describe certain nighttime activities that take place between two people who really love each other.

[rosiecat]

Really!!  I'm surprised.

Okay - can you use the word Christian or Muslim?  (Just for the sake of argument).

[Brentwood]

My DH, who is Jewish, says no, the word is not racist or offensive.

I wouldn't think that Jew would be allowed in scrabble - it's a proper noun.

I just checked my "official scrabble" dictionary - third edition - and Jew is not there.

I also couldn't find it in the on-line scrabble dictionary.

We love Scrabble - wanna come over and play?

It depends on which dictionary you use. If it's TWL (Tournament Word List), it would not be allowed. SOWPODS, which is more lenient, probably allows it.

Edited to correct myself. I just checked TWL, and it allows the word also.

[TootsNYC]

It's a proper noun.

It's truly in the Official Scrabble Dictionary?

Though--I guess it's a non-proper noun if you use it in the slang sense meaning "to bargain shrewedly or unfairly with [someone]" or "to haggle"--which is a racist term. (Interestingly, the lower-case "bargaining" word is in my American Heritage dictionary, but NOT my Merriam-Webster.)

But this is Scrabble--the racism isn't pointed or important. (frankly, I think obscene terms should be legit in Scrabble--both kinds. and in fact, my DH & I play str*p Scrabble, where playing an obscene term wins you a "point")

I think this person was offended because you were winning.

[amanda_tlg]

Egads, I missed the "other" Scrabble thread....did I just open up a recently sealed can of worms or something?

No, but in the other thread "Scrabble" was the word we used to describe certain nighttime activities that take place between two people who really love each other.

Ahh. I kinda thought so. Well, in that case, Dh & I don't play Scrabble. We have 'recreation' time.  

Really!!  I'm surprised.

Okay - can you use the word Christian or Muslim?  (Just for the sake of argument).

I honestly don't know. But Jew is listed as an example of an allowed word. They didn't go into the other religions. Maybe because 'Jew" really is a hotly debated word  

[Brentwood]

BTW - The Scrabble dictionary doesn't bar words merely because they are or can be offensive. Plenty of words with offensive meanings are allowed in the game.

[Bathing One]

Toots, your mention of "strip Scrabble" made me laugh.  I can just imagine someone telling her (very) good friend, "DH and I played strip-Scrabble last night, and then we had a good game of Scrabble."

[TootsNYC]

"Jew" is allowed because it is  not ALWAYS capitalized.

When a shopper jews the store clerk, he is angling for a better price--and that terminology is not capped.

That terminology--that verb--is based on a racist stereotype. THAT is what makes "jew" racist.
The proper noun "Jew" is NOT racist.

But I think the word's racist status does not affect whether you can use it in Scrabble.

[veryfluffy]

The word jew as allowed in Scrabble is not the proper noun, it is the verb. It is offensive. Nonetheless, it is allowed, at least in the British version. I think that the US Scrabble word lists have been purged of many swear words and offensive terms, but I've played words in games that I would never say out loud or use.

Playing an offensive, eg racist word in Scrabble doesn't mean that you are condoning the meaning of the word. It simply means you know it exists and will give you the most points.

[MyFamily]

First, as a JEW, I don't find the use of the word racist.  As Toots points out, to jew someone though is a racist term.  Either way, though, using the word in a game of scrabble is not racist.  It acknowledges the existence of a word and you were able to create that word using your tiles.  It would be like telling a vegetarian that they cannot use the word steak, because they find the existence of steak to be offensive, so therefore they cannot acknowledge that the word steak exists.

OP - your friend gets many points, though, for creative cheating.

[amanda_tlg]

Whew, for a minute there, I was worried I would have to give up bagels to atone 

But I am now obscenely late for DS's football practice, because I kept refreshing to read everyone's posts. But I'll be back later!

[rosiecat]

I agree with Toots.  She was aggravated that you were winning.

Since she challenged your word, then you found it in the dictionary, too bad.  You leave the word on, and she gets penalized.  (But I understand you wanting to remain friendly!)

I would think that "jew", without the capital letter, would be considered slang (and nasty slang at that), and also would not be allowed.


(Outposted a little).
Now I'm curious - what other "offensive, eg racist" words are allowed in Scrabble?  (no, don't post any, please - I'll go look at the dictionary).

I know if I tried to use Jew in Scrabble, playing with DH or my MIL (the scrabble maven) it would be thrown off the board in a heartbeat!!