blatte

English translation: rag head

10:16 May 3, 2018
Swedish to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc. / slang, racial slurs
Swedish term or phrase: blatte
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.
ehnsio
Sweden
Local time: 11:10
English translation:rag head
Explanation:
One option, especially referring to Arabs.



Selected response from:

Paul Lambert
Sweden
Local time: 11:10
Grading comment
Thank you! I think this is the most fitting in my context.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4rag head
Paul Lambert
4darkie(s)
Matt Bibby
4camel jockey/turban head
Deane Goltermann
4subhuman
Sven Petersson
2wog(s)
m_a_a_


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
rag head


Explanation:
One option, especially referring to Arabs.





Paul Lambert
Sweden
Local time: 11:10
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thank you! I think this is the most fitting in my context.
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4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
darkie(s)


Explanation:
There are other, worse terms obviously but I think this one strikes the right note for pretty much anyone with darker than white skin.

Matt Bibby
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:10
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
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.
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
camel jockey/turban head


Explanation:
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.

Deane Goltermann
Sweden
Local time: 11:10
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SwedishSwedish
PRO pts in category: 23
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you!

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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
wog(s)


Explanation:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wog

m_a_a_
Greece
Local time: 12:10
Native speaker of: Native in GreekGreek, Native in SwedishSwedish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Agneta Pallinder: Has the advantage of being as vague and lazy as "blatte" - but perhaps not used in US English??
8 hrs
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2 days 3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
subhuman


Explanation:
:o)


    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Untermensch
Sven Petersson
Sweden
Local time: 11:10
Native speaker of: Native in SwedishSwedish, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 27
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you!

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