Time to rid the Spanish language of outdated definitions
Drop antisemitic descriptions from Spanish lexicon, urge Jewish groups
Two entries in official Spanish dictionary rooted in centuries-old prejudice, say campaigners
More than 20 Jewish groups from Spanish-speaking countries and beyond have written to Spain’s leading linguistic authority asking it to remove antisemitic definitions from its dictionary that describe a judío (Jew) as “a greedy or money-lending person” and the related term judiada as a synonym for “dirty trick”.
In a letter to the 300-year-old Spanish Royal Academy (RAE), which chronicles and oversees the evolution of the Spanish language, the groups urge the institution to rethink the two entries in its official Dictionary of the Spanish Language on the grounds that they are outdated, “utterly antisemitic” and contrary to the Spanish constitution.
The fifth definition of judío that appears in the dictionary – flagged as a pejorative term – is “in relation to a person – greedy or money-lending”. The first definition of judiada, which notes that the word was originally used “with antisemitic intent”, is “a dirty trick or an action that is detrimental to someone”, while the second entry refers to “a crowd or group of Jews”.
The letter, backed by Spain’s Federation of Jewish Communities, the Anti-Defamation League and the Simon Wiesenthal Center, says such definitions belong to the tradition of antisemitism in Spain that led to the expulsion or forced conversion of the country’s Jewish population in 1492 under the Catholic monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella.
“The definitions of the word judío and judiada in no way reflect the true meaning of these terms,” the letter says. “These descriptions are the product of a medieval and renaissance terminology of rejection, envy and hatred directed at the Jews who, because of their work, had the highest incomes – which was one of the factors that led to their expulsion from Spain by the Catholic monarchs.”
The signatories acknowledged that the RAE had attempted to explain that use of the word judío to mean “a greedy or money-lending person” was pejorative, but said “as far as the international Jewish community is concerned, the move has served only to confirm that we are dealing with an untrue definition that feeds antisemitism, harming the image of Jews by condemning them as a group of greedy people or moneylenders”.
RAE sources confirmed the institution had received the letter and said it would be studying the groups’ requests.
In recent years, Spain has attempted to confront its antisemitic past and to treasure the social, historical and linguistic contributions of its long-exiled Jewish population.
In 2015, the Spanish government attempted to atone for what it termed the “historical wrong” of the expulsion and persecution of its Jewish communities by offering citizenship to the descendants of those who were forced from their homeland.
The offer, which expired in October 2019, resulted in 132,226 people of Sephardic descent applying for Spanish citizenship.
Nine years ago, the 52 eligible residents of Castrillo Matajudíos – which translates as Camp Kill Jews – voted in a referendum to change the village’s name back to Castrillo Mota de Judíos, which means Jews’ Hill Camp.
The village, in the northern region of Castilla y León, is thought to have been established in the 11th century by a group of Jews who had been expelled from a nearby settlement. Although it became a popular trading hub and home to more than 1,000 people, life changed drastically after the 1492 expulsion.
Some researchers believe the name was changed to signal loyalty to Catholicism and the crown, while others think it may have been a slip of the pen, changing mota (hill) to mata (kill). Over the past two years, Castrillo Mota de Judíos has been subjected to two antisemitic attacks and daubed with graffiti reading: “Camp Kill Jews, twinned with Aushwitch [sic]”; “Juden Raus [Jews Out]” and “Long live the Catholic monarchs”.
BBC News - Sephardic Jews invited back to Spain after 500 years http://t.co/6y4p8r6R0w (but muslims aren't).
— English in Madrid (@madteacher72) March 6, 2013
Spanish village to hold referendum over 'Kill Jews' name http://t.co/67UNltkCna
— English in Madrid (@madteacher72) April 22, 2014
Comments
I don´t know why the Spanish Royal Academy doesn´t want to change the definition of a judio and judiada. Beyond it was unfair, I think it´s stupid. I don´t understand why they can´t to eliminate these words which emanate from the Middle Ages.
What is more, I have just seen the word “judio” in the dictionary of Spanish language of the Spanish Royal Academy, the nineteenth edition (1970), and the definition of “greedy or money lending person” doesn´t appear in this book and, after, I have looked up the word “judiada” in the same dictionary and it doesn´t say nothing about dirty trick. It´s strange that, after, the RAE has admitted these terms.
Really, I have just seen two words, “judio” and “judiada” on the internet and I can see that both words are translated for greedy or money-lending person and dirty trick, respectively, in the electronic version of the twenty second edition of the dictionary of Spanish language (2001), that is, these words from the Middle Ages disappeared several years ago and, again, they have appeared now. I can´t understand it.
When the Europeans speak bad about The Spanish, specially in case of the Black Legend, we annoy very strong and, now, in 2023, we insult the citizens of the another country, Israel, as respectable as us and it doesn´t matter. Incredible!
See you.
In every language there are terms that we have for people of other nationalities or religions - some of them more offensive than others. I looked up polaco in the RAE but didn't find any meaning to call someone from a particular region of Spain (which I shall not name). I guess it has been removed. The case of judio is worse in that it uses an out-dated, insulting definition. I don't see any reasonable reason for keeping it in the dictionary.
I don´t know why the Spanish Royal Academy doesn't want to change the definition of judio and judiada. It is beyond unfair; it´s stupid. I don´t understand why they can´t eliminate these words which emanate from the Middle Ages.
What is more, I have just seen the word “judio” in the dictionary of Spanish language of the Spanish Royal Academy, the nineteenth edition (1970), and the definition of “greedy or money lending person” doesn't appear in this book. (this sentence was far too long!) I then have looked up the word “judiada” in the same dictionary and it doesn't say anything about dirty trick. It´s strange that the RAE has admitted these terms at a later date.
Really, I have just seen two words, “judio” and “judiada” on the internet and I can see that both words are translated for greedy or money-lending person and dirty trick, respectively, in the electronic version of the twenty second edition of the dictionary of Spanish language (2001), that is, these words from the Middle Ages disappeared several years ago and they have reappeared now. (such long sentences make it difficult to understand) I can´t understand it.
When the Europeans speak bad about The Spanish, especially in the case of the Black Legend, we get really annoyed and, now, in 2023, we insult the citizens of another country, Israel, as respectable as us and it doesn't matter. Incredible!