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retrosorter
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2005 10:31 pm
Post subject: pepsi mae west |
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The epithet "pepsi" or "pepsi mae west" has for a long time been
applied to French Canadians, by English- Canadians because of their
supposed preference for Pepsi over Coke and for liking the chocolate
bar called Mae West. Does anyone know when this term originated and
whether it still is considered insulting? The reason I ask is because a
couple of daysd a group of Quebecois youths referring to each other as
"pepsis" in a light-hearted manner. |
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Guest
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| Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2005 11:25 pm
Post subject: Re: pepsi mae west |
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"retrosorter" <hrichler@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:1118853095.605579.271690@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
| Quote: | The epithet "pepsi" or "pepsi mae west" has for a long time been
applied to French Canadians, by English- Canadians because of their
supposed preference for Pepsi over Coke and for liking the chocolate
bar called Mae West. Does anyone know when this term originated and
whether it still is considered insulting? The reason I ask is because a
couple of daysd a group of Quebecois youths referring to each other as
"pepsis" in a light-hearted manner.
|
Yes, if directed by an anglophone at a francophone. Also franco to franco if
used in a disparaging tone of voice (the class thing, doncher know. And yes,
it exists everywhere. The class thing, I mean.)
On the other hand, the way it was used in your case was not unusual either.
It's a joke. They probably used "f*ck", too. To them, it wouldn't be
swearing.
Cheers, Sage |
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Ben Mercier
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2005 11:26 pm
Post subject: Re: pepsi mae west |
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"retrosorter" <hrichler@sympatico.ca> a écrit dans le message de news:
| Quote: | The epithet "pepsi" or "pepsi mae west" has for a long time been
applied to French Canadians, by English- Canadians because of their
supposed preference for Pepsi over Coke and for liking the chocolate
bar called Mae West. Does anyone know when this term originated and
whether it still is considered insulting? The reason I ask is because a
couple of daysd a group of Quebecois youths referring to each other as
"pepsis" in a light-hearted manner.
|
It's spelled "May West" and it's not a chocolate bar, it's a small cake:
http://img272.echo.cx/img272/8606/maywest3fq.jpg
As for being called Pepsi, it's not considered "insulting"...mainly because
it's not used in Quebec at all and very few quebecers know about this
story...the "victim" most likely wouldn't give a shit and give a weird look
at the offender.
Ben |
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Denis Beauregard
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2005 11:31 pm
Post subject: Re: pepsi mae west |
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Le 15 Jun 2005 09:31:35 -0700, "retrosorter" <hrichler@sympatico.ca>
écrivait dans soc.culture.quebec:
| Quote: | The epithet "pepsi" or "pepsi mae west" has for a long time been
applied to French Canadians, by English- Canadians because of their
supposed preference for Pepsi over Coke and for liking the chocolate
bar called Mae West. Does anyone know when this term originated and
whether it still is considered insulting? The reason I ask is because a
couple of daysd a group of Quebecois youths referring to each other as
"pepsis" in a light-hearted manner.
|
Why do you consider them as insulting ?
Pepsi: it seems only Quebeckers purchase more pepsi than coke. The
reason seems to be the advertisements. In Quebec, Pepsi is using
Claude Meunier, humorist and author of La Petite Vie, a very popular
sitcom (I think it scored among the 5 or 10 more seen programs and
even the replays were in the top 10 of a typical season). So, calling
us "pepsi" is not very meaningfull. It only means we drink more pepsi
and this is only because of the choice of Meunier.
May West: this is not a chocolat bar but a cake. Again, this is not
very insulting. The name is from a local made pastry by Stuart,
purchased in 1979 by Vachon (company renamed Culinar in 1977 but
Vachon was kept as a brand) and owned by Saputo since 1999.
http://www.vachon.com/produits.php?lg=en and click May West to see
what is a May West !
Calling "black" a black is not by itselt insulting. It is by
associating it to pejorative names that you change the scope.
Denis |
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Ben Mercier
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2005 11:34 pm
Post subject: Re: pepsi mae west |
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<sage@allstream.net> a écrit dans le message de news:
ntZre.2388$g4.32754@tor-nn1.netcom.ca...
| Quote: |
"retrosorter" <hrichler@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:1118853095.605579.271690@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
The epithet "pepsi" or "pepsi mae west" has for a long time been
applied to French Canadians, by English- Canadians because of their
supposed preference for Pepsi over Coke and for liking the chocolate
bar called Mae West. Does anyone know when this term originated and
whether it still is considered insulting? The reason I ask is because a
couple of daysd a group of Quebecois youths referring to each other as
"pepsis" in a light-hearted manner.
Yes, if directed by an anglophone at a francophone. Also franco to franco
if
used in a disparaging tone of voice (the class thing, doncher know. And
yes,
it exists everywhere. The class thing, I mean.)
On the other hand, the way it was used in your case was not unusual
either.
It's a joke. They probably used "f*ck", too. To them, it wouldn't be
swearing.
|
Fuck is used and no, it's not swearing.
But "Pepsi" is not used to describe someone else in Quebec, period. (There
is no such thing as "lower class" = Pepsi's)
Ben |
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nancy13g
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 12:05 am
Post subject: Re: pepsi mae west |
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retrosorter wrote:
| Quote: | The epithet "pepsi" or "pepsi mae west"
has for a long time been
applied to French Canadians,
by English- Canadians because of their
supposed preference for Pepsi over Coke
and for liking the chocolate
bar called Mae West. Does anyone know
when this term originated and
whether it still is considered insulting?
|
Urbandictionary.com apparently defines it as a "derogatory term for low
class French-Canadians" (similar to calling someone "trailer trash",
perhaps?)
Googling for the terms "pepsi" plus either "May West" or "Mae West"
doesn't turn up many references to the phrase, and the ones I saw
seemed to indicate that it's considered a rather light-hearted insult
these days. One poster explained it as the Canadian equivalent of "an
RC Cola and a Moon Pie". |
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Marko Jotic
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 12:25 am
Post subject: Re: pepsi mae west |
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Ben Mercier wrote:
| Quote: | "retrosorter" <hrichler@sympatico.ca> a écrit dans le message de news:
The epithet "pepsi" or "pepsi mae west" has for a long time been
applied to French Canadians, by English- Canadians because of their
supposed preference for Pepsi over Coke and for liking the chocolate
bar called Mae West. Does anyone know when this term originated and
whether it still is considered insulting? The reason I ask is because a
couple of daysd a group of Quebecois youths referring to each other as
"pepsis" in a light-hearted manner.
It's spelled "May West" and it's not a chocolate bar, it's a small cake:
http://img272.echo.cx/img272/8606/maywest3fq.jpg
As for being called Pepsi, it's not considered "insulting"...mainly because
it's not used in Quebec at all and very few quebecers know about this
story...the "victim" most likely wouldn't give a shit and give a weird look
at the offender.
Ben
yes, it used to be insulting like "canuck" was until we had the "Crazy |
Canucks" ski team
--
Marko Jotic
"Common sense is anything but common".
From the notebooks of Lazarus Long. Robert A. Heinlein.
Handmade knives, antique designs, exotic materials at
http://www.knifeforging.com/
----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =---- |
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Robert Pauzé
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 1:08 am
Post subject: Re: pepsi mae west |
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Les origines sont plus lointaines que la publicté de Meunier. La vraie
raison c'est qu'effectivement il se vendait plus de Pepsi que de Coke au
Québec et à cette époque pour le même prix, le format du Pepsi était plus
gros. Donc les anglos nous considéraient comme des 'CHEAPS' de boire une
marque qui offrait quelques onces de plus pour le mëme prix. On laissait
sous-entendre que l'on sacrifiait la qualité pour la quantité.
Effectivement, il s'est toujours plus vendu de pepsi que de coke au Québec
et nous serions donc une exception en amérique.
"Denis Beauregard" <no@nospam.com.invalid> a écrit dans le message de news:
dko0b1hg6vgi3f7u72g6pr7nnabfg71icl@4ax.com...
| Quote: | Le 15 Jun 2005 09:31:35 -0700, "retrosorter" <hrichler@sympatico.ca
écrivait dans soc.culture.quebec:
The epithet "pepsi" or "pepsi mae west" has for a long time been
applied to French Canadians, by English- Canadians because of their
supposed preference for Pepsi over Coke and for liking the chocolate
bar called Mae West. Does anyone know when this term originated and
whether it still is considered insulting? The reason I ask is because a
couple of daysd a group of Quebecois youths referring to each other as
"pepsis" in a light-hearted manner.
Why do you consider them as insulting ?
Pepsi: it seems only Quebeckers purchase more pepsi than coke. The
reason seems to be the advertisements. In Quebec, Pepsi is using
Claude Meunier, humorist and author of La Petite Vie, a very popular
sitcom (I think it scored among the 5 or 10 more seen programs and
even the replays were in the top 10 of a typical season). So, calling
us "pepsi" is not very meaningfull. It only means we drink more pepsi
and this is only because of the choice of Meunier.
May West: this is not a chocolat bar but a cake. Again, this is not
very insulting. The name is from a local made pastry by Stuart,
purchased in 1979 by Vachon (company renamed Culinar in 1977 but
Vachon was kept as a brand) and owned by Saputo since 1999.
http://www.vachon.com/produits.php?lg=en and click May West to see
what is a May West !
Calling "black" a black is not by itselt insulting. It is by
associating it to pejorative names that you change the scope.
Denis
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Don Phillipson
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 1:11 am
Post subject: Re: pepsi mae west |
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"retrosorter" <hrichler@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:1118853095.605579.271690@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
| Quote: | The epithet "pepsi" or "pepsi mae west" has for a long time been
applied to French Canadians, by English- Canadians because of their
supposed preference for Pepsi over Coke . . .
|
1. Yes, Pepsi is sometimes used as an insult.
(But the only French Canadan I know who drinks
pop for choice prefers Pepsi.)
2. Next to no English-Canadians have ever
heard of May West. (They may know Jos-Louis,
another brand of cake.)
3. If you want to stick the knife in, call your
French Canadian friend ketaine (from English
kitten: it refers to his aesthetic taste.)
--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada) |
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retrosorter
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 2:16 am
Post subject: Re: pepsi mae west |
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I seem to remember first hearing the term "pepsi" used to describe
French-Canadians in the 1960s and the term supposedly derived for the
preference among French Canadians of Pepsi over Coke. It always struck
me as a not-too-malicious designation - somewhat akin to "'frog"(for a
Frenchman). "kraut" (for a German) and "pea soup" (for French
Canadians) because of culinary preferences. The former Prime Minister
Jean Chretien used to say that he was proud to be a "pea soup." But
whereas, French-Canadians seemed aware of the designation "pea soup",
I got the impression that the designation "pepsi" was not as well
known, that is why I was surprised when I heard French Canadians using
the term "pepsi" to describe themselves. Also , I seem to recall that
sometime in the 1980s, the term "pepsi" morphed into "pepper" and this
became probably the more common designation. |
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Euh
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 2:24 am
Post subject: Re: pepsi mae west |
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| Quote: | Fuck is used and no, it's not swearing.
But "Pepsi" is not used to describe someone else in Quebec, period. (There
is no such thing as "lower class" = Pepsi's)
Ben
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Moi je l'ai entendu et utilise assez souvent.
On disait par exemple: "les Pepsi de Aylmer" dans le sens de "les pas
de classe" |
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Agnostica
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 2:49 am
Post subject: Re: pepsi mae west |
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"retrosorter" <hrichler@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:1118853095.605579.271690@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
| Quote: | The epithet "pepsi" or "pepsi mae west" has for a long time been
applied to French Canadians, by English- Canadians because of their
supposed preference for Pepsi over Coke and for liking the chocolate
bar called Mae West. Does anyone know when this term originated and
whether it still is considered insulting? The reason I ask is because a
couple of daysd a group of Quebecois youths referring to each other as
"pepsis" in a light-hearted manner.
|
Frenchies were also called Peppers and Frogs.
Not so much any more. |
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CDB
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 3:52 am
Post subject: Re: pepsi mae west |
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"Agnostica" <agnostica@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:Mv0se.5423$Qr3.848874@news20.bellglobal.com...
| Quote: |
"retrosorter" <hrichler@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:1118853095.605579.271690@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
The epithet "pepsi" or "pepsi mae west" has for a long time been
applied to French Canadians, by English- Canadians because of their
supposed preference for Pepsi over Coke and for liking the
chocolate
bar called Mae West. Does anyone know when this term originated and
whether it still is considered insulting? The reason I ask is
because a
couple of daysd a group of Quebecois youths referring to each other
as
"pepsis" in a light-hearted manner.
Frenchies were also called Peppers and Frogs.
Not so much any more.
|
Whether such terms are insulting really depends on the social and
economic positions of the groups involved. "Pepsi" was a considerable
insult as late as the 1950s, before the Quiet Revolution, coined, like
"gorf", by the relatively small, rich, and insular Montreal anglo
community, aka "Westmount Rhodesians",* who also famously and
offensively would direct French speakers to "speak white". I imagine
these offenses were perpetrated far less often than they were
recounted, though.
Not a thing that the sensible would pride themselves on, the
preference for one brand of toxic swill over another.
________________
*Keith Spicer coined that one, I think before he became Commissioner
of Official Languages. |
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Oliver Cromm
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 4:04 am
Post subject: Re: pepsi mae west |
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* retrosorter wrote:
| Quote: | The epithet "pepsi" or "pepsi mae west" has for a long time been
applied to French Canadians, by English- Canadians because of their
supposed preference for Pepsi over Coke and for liking the chocolate
bar called Mae West.
|
I recently heard that phrase for the first time; it was supposed to
stand for a "Quebecois' breakfast". I was unconvinced, because the
breakfast drink is undoubtedly coffee.
--
People are more likely to change their religion
than change their writing system.
-- Charles Hockett, 1952 |
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Peter Moylan
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 4:42 am
Post subject: Re: pepsi mae west |
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Marko Jotic turpitued:
| Quote: | yes, it used to be insulting like "canuck" was until we had the "Crazy
Canucks" ski team.
|
This is a slightly different phenomenon, and one that you'll see all
over the world. An insult can often be turned into a non-insult if
the target group starts using the word as an ordinary word. It's a
very effective way of taking the sting out of a racist term. (It
doesn't cure the underlying racism, but that's a different story.)
Right here in alt.usage.english you'll often see respected regulars
referring to themselves as old farts. Historically "old fart" was
an extremely offensive phrase. Now that the old farts themselves
use it, it's become harder to offend them.
--
Peter Moylan peter at ee dot newcastle dot edu dot au
http://eepjm.newcastle.edu.au (OS/2 and eCS information and software) |
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