The term "coolie"

   From: "Trevor Nottle" <tnottle@picknowl.com.au>
   Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999 20:21:12 +0000

   The word
   'coolee'. 'kuli', 'coolie', 'koli' and other similar phonetic
   approximations is a word taken into the English language about 1598
   (first recorded use in print) and is derived from a Kujzerat (in
   India) word which means 'hired labourer' or 'farm labourer.' 

Okay...

   In
   itself it is a perfectly good, useful and accurate word that makes
   the English language richer for being adopted from another language.
   It is by no means derogatory, racist or distasteful. 

This is not true.  The word's origins may have been completely legitimate
but meanings shift over time.  Language evolves.

   Insofar as my
   use goes (despite my omitting to add the necessary noun - hat) it is
   a well understood descriptor of a conical hat woven from plant fibres
   that is common outdoor headwear, with minor variations, in many Asian
   nations. 

Oh!!  After reading all the messages in this thread before yours I just
assumed the reference was to the shape of an Asian person's eyes.  I had no
idea you meant a hat.  And I still wouldn't have known which hat you meant
until you described it further.  This really is not a universal descriptor.

May I suggest the term "flying saucer shaped" ??  I believe that one is
more wildly known around the world though I may be wrong.  And it won't
become offensive until we make off-world contact :-).

   There
   are many words that i could have chosen (many invented by US GI's in
   the Vietnam war that are very definitely distatsteful - to say the
   least; gook, chink, slope, geek etc.) 

I can not speak for Australia or other countries but, in the United States,
the term coolie is in the same category as those other words (except for
geek which means nerd here).

   Let us try to keep our focus on Mediterranean plants and not on the
   misconceptions which will separate us - if we let them.

I welcome succinct discussion on these issues.  When language changes we
have to change with it.  I would not wish to perpetuate a derogatory term
even in ignorance.  I am grateful for the warnings.  It is only because of
Medit Plants that I know that Kaffir (as in Lime or Lily) or Digger (as in
Pine) are offensive.  

Cyndi

_______________________________________________________________________________
Oakland, California            Zone 9 USDA; Zone 16 Sunset Western Garden Guide
Chemically sensitive/disabled - Organic Gardening only by choice and neccessity
_______________________________________________________________________________
"There's nothing wrong with me.  Maybe there's                     Cyndi Norman
something wrong with the universe." (ST:TNG)           cyndi@consultclarity.com
                                                 http://www.consultclarity.com/
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