The word Yid (/ˈjiːd/; Yiddish: איד), also known as the Y-word,[1] is a Jewish ethnonym of Yiddish origin. It is used as an autonym within the Ashkenazi Jewish community, and also used as slang by European football fans, antisemites, and others. Its usage may be controversial in modern English language. It is not usually considered offensive when pronounced /ˈjiːd/ (rhyming with deed), the way Yiddish speakers say it, but some may deem the word offensive nonetheless. When pronounced /ˈjɪd/ (rhyming with did) by non-Jews, it is commonly intended as a pejorative term. It is used as a derogatory epithet by antisemites along with, and as an alternative to, the English word 'Jew'.[2]
In Britain, the word "yid" and its related term "yiddo" are also used to refer to the supporters and players of Tottenham Hotspur. Originally, the word was used in a derogatory manner by rival fans; it is now used as self-designation in a non-pejorative sense by Tottenham fans, according to the Oxford English Dictionary.[3][4] The Football Association, Merriam-Webster, and Cambridge Dictionary all state that the word is "offensive".[5][6][7]
- ^ "Dictionary definition of 'Yid' now includes Tottenham fans". The Independent. 13 February 2020.
- ^ Kim Pearson's Rhetoric of Race by Eric Wolarsky. The College of New Jersey. Archived 2007-08-10 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Yid, n." Oxford English Dictionary.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
yiddowas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ ""Yid"". Cambridge Dictionary. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
- ^ ""Yid"". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
- ^ The JC. "David Cameron: Yid is not hate speech when it's Spurs". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 25 November 2016.