May 3, 2018 10:16
6 yrs ago
1 viewer *
Swedish term
blatte
Swedish to English
Social Sciences
Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc.
slang, racial slurs
This comes from a sociological study on the Swedish police and the riots in the Malmö suburb of Rosengård in 2008. As the police were filming the incidents, one of the officers referred to the people rioting as "blattedjävlar". As this video was later leaked to the media, somewhat of a scandal erupted involving both the individual police officers and the Malmö police department.
So what I'm looking for here is an English (US) equivalent to the derogatory term "blatte", which in Swedish refers to someone who is foreign and does not look typically "Swedish". In other words, it would not (ordinarily) be used for someone from Germany or Russia, but may be used for someone from Spain or Greece and would definately be used for someone from the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and so on.
Due to the sensitive nature of these types of racial slurs, please note that I do not condone the use of such terms - in fact, I find them nasty and demeaning.
So what I'm looking for here is an English (US) equivalent to the derogatory term "blatte", which in Swedish refers to someone who is foreign and does not look typically "Swedish". In other words, it would not (ordinarily) be used for someone from Germany or Russia, but may be used for someone from Spain or Greece and would definately be used for someone from the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and so on.
Due to the sensitive nature of these types of racial slurs, please note that I do not condone the use of such terms - in fact, I find them nasty and demeaning.
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 | rag head |
Paul Lambert
|
| 4 | darkie(s) |
Matt Bibby
|
| 4 | camel jockey/turban head |
Deane Goltermann
|
| 4 | subhuman |
Sven Petersson
|
| 2 | wog(s) |
m_a_a_
|
Proposed translations
4 mins
Paul Lambert
Sweden
Sweden
Native in English
Works in field
Sweden
Always on time
Native in: English 
Works in: Swedish to English, Norwegian to English, Danish to English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Selected
rag head
One option, especially referring to Arabs.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you! I think this is the most fitting in my context."
4 mins
darkie(s)
There are other, worse terms obviously but I think this one strikes the right note for pretty much anyone with darker than white skin.
Note from asker:
| Thank you! |
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Paul Lambert
: That seems a little too mild. It would be like translating "skitstövel" as "you meanie".
4 mins
|
|
Thanks for the input! I think in context, i.e. 'bloody darkies', it's very offensive indeed, although I guess that's a subjective opinion. In fact even without the expletive, I still find it very offensive.
|
1 hr
Deane Goltermann
Sweden
Sweden
Native in Swedish
&
English
Sweden
Easy reading - Good writing
Native in: English 
, Swedish
Works in: Swedish to English
Related KudoZ points
:
23
camel jockey/turban head
A little looking says your term refers to Middle Eastern/northern African folks derogartorily -- https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/blatte
This suggestion came into fashion after I moved here, and is still used. As in "f**in camel jockeys" from definition 2 here -- https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Camel Jockey Then if you want to sound nastier you'd use 'towel heads' or 'rag heads.'
These generally (technically??) refer to 'Arabs' or Middle Easterners.including Pakistanis.
Racists in the US are pretty specific about origin, with a variety of other nasty terms for Latin Americans (and everyone else for that matter -- from Irish, to German, Italians and Greeks to name only a few), so these wouldn't be considered together. I was once called a 'PR' for having been born in Venezuela... and was provided the definition "PR applies to everyone south of Texas," when I objected to the geographical inaccuracy since PR refers to Puerto Ricans. But 'spics' certainly applies to Latinos in a highly derogatory way....
Now you got me started but this'll give you some ideas.
This suggestion came into fashion after I moved here, and is still used. As in "f**in camel jockeys" from definition 2 here -- https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Camel Jockey Then if you want to sound nastier you'd use 'towel heads' or 'rag heads.'
These generally (technically??) refer to 'Arabs' or Middle Easterners.including Pakistanis.
Racists in the US are pretty specific about origin, with a variety of other nasty terms for Latin Americans (and everyone else for that matter -- from Irish, to German, Italians and Greeks to name only a few), so these wouldn't be considered together. I was once called a 'PR' for having been born in Venezuela... and was provided the definition "PR applies to everyone south of Texas," when I objected to the geographical inaccuracy since PR refers to Puerto Ricans. But 'spics' certainly applies to Latinos in a highly derogatory way....
Now you got me started but this'll give you some ideas.
Note from asker:
| Thank you! |
1 hr
wog(s)
Note from asker:
| Thank you! |
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Agneta Pallinder
: Has the advantage of being as vague and lazy as "blatte" - but perhaps not used in US English??
8 hrs
|
2 days 3 hrs
Sven Petersson
Sweden
Sweden
Native in Swedish
&
English
Sweden
Medical Translator
Native in: Swedish , English
Works in: English to Swedish, Danish to Swedish, German to Swedish, and 13 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
27
Discussion
Perhaps with an explanation in parentheses ... "(a Swedish equivalent to) ...