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Philippa · Post by **Philippa** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 7:51 am

kim wrote:
Philippa wrote:
Dandy Forsdyke wrote:I think 'Spook' could be viewed as an offensive word in the US.
Oh I had no idea. In what way could it be viewed as offensive then? Because I've never heard of it in that way. (Could very well be because I'm not a native speaker of English)
Don't worry Phillipa, the word "spook" was used as a negative term term towards African Americans back in the day. The term wasn't used quite as much as the more familiar negative words and as far as I know is rarely used any more (I could be wrong on this...it may be used more often in the Southern states) So chances are few people would recognize it to mean anything other than ghost here in the US.

Ah I see.

DiVicenzo · Post by **DiVicenzo** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 6:02 pm

Philippa wrote:
kim wrote:
Philippa wrote: Oh I had no idea. In what way could it be viewed as offensive then? Because I've never heard of it in that way. (Could very well be because I'm not a native speaker of English)
Don't worry Phillipa, the word "spook" was used as a negative term term towards African Americans back in the day. The term wasn't used quite as much as the more familiar negative words and as far as I know is rarely used any more (I could be wrong on this...it may be used more often in the Southern states) So chances are few people would recognize it to mean anything other than ghost here in the US.
Ah I see.

I am a native English speaker Philippa and had never heard of this word being used as a spy or in the negative way in the US until this fabulous programme! It's a great TV programme - each episode is like watching a roller-coaster ride.

Whiskers · Post by **Whiskers** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 10:46 pm

Although many assume the change of name was so as not to offend, I'm not convinced it's got anything to do with race at all. Although I knew of the race link, I wasn't aware of the MI5 angle. That didn't matter in the UK as it was on a major channel (BBC1), but I think calling it MI5 for US viewers was simply to let them know what to expect.

Watch any episode of 'Scooby-Doo' and I'm sure you'll hear Shaggy use the word 'spooks' many times - they're certainly not bothered about using it in episode titles. I also seem to remember the ghosts in Casper comics being referred to as spooks.

Spades is another word that's been used in America in the same way, but do Americans play poker with Hearts, Clubs, Diamonds and Shovels? No, of course they don't.

And yes Barry, it is a great TV programme. Utterly unmissable!

kim · Post by **kim** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 10:58 pm

The "spook" was never really commonly used and I think it faded out pretty much in the early forties or fifties, so it's not likely the title of a tv show created in the sixties and beyond would have raised many eyebrows here in the US.

I think the only reason why I ever knew the word had been used negatively is from reading and hearing older family members use it when I was quite young. I don't think I've ever heard it used since then by anyone except in movies dealing with historical events.

mousemeat · Post by **mousemeat** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 4:32 am

kim wrote:The "spook" was never really commonly used and I think it faded out pretty much in the early forties or fifties, so it's not likely the title of a tv show created in the sixties and beyond would have raised many eyebrows here in the US.

I think the only reason why I ever knew the word had been used negatively is from reading and hearing older family members use it when I was quite young. I don't think I've ever heard it used since then by anyone except in movies dealing with historical events.

yer that old, huh ? (LOL) went to school with amelia Earhart ?

Been yrs,since I've heard that term, even down here in Elvis Central, and I'm a former 'yankee' for pete's sake !

Heard of the show, MI-5, but haven't seen it, it's on DVD sets here, looks like I'll have to pick it up...sounds smashing...funny how the title was changed for North America.....

kim · Post by **kim** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 11:48 am

yer that old, huh ? (LOL) went to school with amelia Earhart ?

Of course not! Sheesh! I taught her how to fly!

ShaggE · Post by **ShaggE** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 1:32 pm

^ Except, y'know, she kinda ended up disappearing. Nice flight lessons there, dearest mother. Nice flight lessons indeed.

Harumph.

Harumph, I say!

kim · Post by **kim** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 3:11 am

ShaggE wrote:^ Except, y'know, she kinda ended up disappearing. Nice flight lessons there, dearest mother. Nice flight lessons indeed.

Harumph.

Harumph, I say!

I said I taught her how to fly...I never said anything about navigating. So HA!

ShaggE · Post by **ShaggE** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 9:38 am

Yeah, and I bet you "only" taught Spain how to do Inquisitions, right?

How convenient... Case closed... It all fits neatly in a little airtight package... Nary a loose end to be found...

Or IS there? Might I direct you to a little-known scuffle commonly referred to as The Civil War? Now, as we all know, this so-called "Civil War" supposedly happened before you were born, isn't that right?

Oh, but what's this? Photographic evidence that you were involved? Let's just take a gander, shall we?

The "man" crouching on the far left certainly looks suspicious...

Could "he" be you wearing false facial hair? I do believe so!

FURTHERMORE, ladies and gentlemen of the *supposed* jury, our friend Kim here says that zombies don't exist, and therefore the Civil War couldn't have happened at all. Because as we know, the war started when an errant zombie shambled across the Mason-Dixon line. (As they are prone to doing.)

But that's just a little *too* convenient. And again, I direct you all to further evidence (that won't imbed, so I'll leave it as a link... a link of JUSTICE!):

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1235/149 ... f3.jpg?v=0

(Artist's rendering)

Could it be? It is! The very zombies that supposedly "don't exist".

What say you now?

What. Say. You. Now?

kim · Post by **kim** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 11:37 am

ShaggE wrote:Yeah, and I bet you "only" taught Spain how to do Inquisitions, right?

How convenient... Case closed... It all fits neatly in a little airtight package... Nary a loose end to be found...

Or IS there? Might I direct you to a little-known scuffle commonly referred to as The Civil War? Now, as we all know, this so-called "Civil War" supposedly happened before you were born, isn't that right?

Oh, but what's this? Photographic evidence that you were involved? Let's just take a gander, shall we?

The "man" crouching on the far left certainly looks suspicious...

Could "he" be you wearing false facial hair? I do believe so!

FURTHERMORE, ladies and gentlemen of the *supposed* jury, our friend Kim here says that zombies don't exist, and therefore the Civil War couldn't have happened at all. Because as we know, the war started when an errant zombie shambled across the Mason-Dixon line. (As they are prone to doing.)

But that's just a little *too* convenient. And again, I direct you all to further evidence (that won't imbed, so I'll leave it as a link... a link of JUSTICE!):

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1235/149 ... f3.jpg?v=0

(Artist's rendering)

Could it be? It is! The very zombies that supposedly "don't exist".

What say you now?

What. Say. You. Now?[/img]

I say come along love. It's time for your medications.