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sarisataka

(22,163 posts)

10. The racist definition of Semites was developed in the 1770s

Reply to eppur_se_muova (Reply #5)

Sat Nov 8, 2025, 02:29 PM

Nov 8

And did include Arabs and Jews. The term antisemitic however didn't appear until about one hundred years later and not used to broadly refer to "Semitic people" but specifically to Jews.

It was considered softer than the common term used then of Judenhass, lit. "Jew hatred"

Those who claim the word "antisemitic" includes Arabs and other "Semitic" people are trying to force a meaning onto the word that never existed.

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gulliver tritsofme Behind the Aegis

26 replies

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Highlight:

Replacing "antisemitic" with "Jew-phobic" [View all] gulliver Nov 8 OP

When people have attempted to muddle the meaning of antisemitic sarisataka Nov 8 #1

That definitely adds a forceful historic bite to it gulliver Nov 8 #7

Can you give an example of who and what you would consider phobic JI7 Nov 8 #2

Arachnophobia, agoraphobia... gulliver Nov 8 #11

This message was self-deleted by its author PeaceWave Nov 8 #12

It's definitely one pathway, fear to hate gulliver Nov 8 #14

But how about when it comes to Jewish people JI7 Nov 8 #17

This message was self-deleted by its author PeaceWave Nov 8 #3

Phobia implies fear; anti- as a prefix mostly means against biophile Nov 8 #4

This message was self-deleted by its author PeaceWave Nov 8 #6

I agree but it depends on the audience gulliver Nov 8 #9

Sounds reasonable, yes biophile Nov 8 #22

The term "Semite" is basically inaccurate and effectively obsolete, so why isn't "Anti-Semitic" the same ? eppur_se_muova Nov 8 #5

The racist definition of Semites was developed in the 1770s sarisataka Nov 8 #10

That's the thinking behind removing the hyphen Mosby Nov 8 #13

Here's my take: semite is race oriented, and jew relates to theology. RedWhiteBlueIsRacist Nov 8 #8

I couldn't remember what its derivation was, if I ever knew muriel_volestrangler Nov 8 #15

That take is incorrect sarisataka Nov 8 #16

I see 'shem' as the remnant of a much longer phrase that has been shortened into one syllable. RedWhiteBlueIsRacist Sunday #25

"Shem" means, roughly, "name", and can have the same implication of "reputation" as in English muriel_volestrangler Sunday #26

Semitic is a language group Mosby Nov 8 #20

Why? Behind the Aegis Nov 8 #18

I'm largely in agreement gulliver Nov 8 #21

Language as a weapon Behind the Aegis Nov 8 #23

I see antisemitism as prejudice too. gulliver Nov 8 #24

Those two expressions have very, very different meanings. MineralMan Nov 8 #19