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Kim Pearson

© 2003-4. All Rights Reserved

 

SPIC

INTRODUCTION

"We call them gringos, they call us spiks." "What does that mean?" "Well…there are many Puerto Ricans in New York, and when someone asks them a question they say, ‘I don spik inglish’ instead of ‘I don’t speak English.’ They make fun of our accent" (Santiago 73).

Esmeralda Santiago’s explanation of the word spic in this passage from her novel When I Was Puerto Rican illustrates the origin and negative connotation of the word. It explains that Americans referred to Hispanics as spics because they had a heavy accent and could not probably pronounce the English language.

This first definition of the word is not what is traditionally thought of when the word spic is used. Part of the definition is similar to why Hispanics were called spics.

SPIC (also spick, spik)
  1. An Italian. (Derogatory; likely from the following route spaghetti.) Also said to be from "no spica di English" [US slang, early 1900s]

    2. This definition is more of the traditional definition and it demonstrates the negative

    connotation of the word.
  2. Any Hispanic: a Latin American, a Mexican, a Spaniard, or a Portuguese. [Derogatory. US slang 1900s to the present]

    3. This definition also illustrates another way that the word spic has negative overtures.
  3. Spanish language, especially as taught in college. [Derogatory. US slang mid 1900s to the present]

This definition from another source depicts a similar origin of the word. What I found to be interesting is that people with a Caribbean background or from the Caribbean were not included in this definition.
  1. A highly offensive term referring to a Spanish-speaking person from Mexico or Central or South America (slang taboo). [Early 20th Century shortening of spiggoty, of uncertain origin: perhaps from a nonstandard pronunciation of "(no) speak the (English)"]

This definition from the Oxford English dictionary is basically the same as the other definitions provided above. The difference with this definition is that it does not include second generation Hispanics, who although were born in America, are still referred to as spics.
  1. A contemptuous and offensive name for a Spanish-speaking native of Central or South America or the Caribbean: a spiggoty.

    2. 1913 H.A. Franck Zone Policeman 88. i. It was my first entrance into the land of the panamenos, technically known on the Zone as "Spigoties" and familiarly with a tinge of despite as Spigs.

    1916 E. Peixotto Our Hispanic Southwest 102. The Mexican men they despise and call "spicks".

    1928 S. Lewis Man Who Knew Coolidge II 116. We need a supply of cheap labor and where get it better than by encouraging these Wops and Hunks and Spigs and so on to raise as many brats as they can?

    1936 Opportunity Aug. 239/I. Frank was just a "huerco" to his mother, "spick" to his white schoolmates in Queensville, Texas.

    1949 W. Faulkner Knight’s Gambit 137. I didn’t intend that a fortune-hunting Spick shall marry my mother.

    1953 F. Scott Fitzgerald Tender is Night ix. 275. "He’s a spic!" he said. He was frantic with jealousy.

    1964 E. Lacy Pity Honest ii. This is becoming a tough neighborhood full of Spics.

    1977 D.E Westlake Nobody’s Perfect (1978) 39. You’d put your kid in school with a lotta niggers and kikes and wops and spics?

     

     

     

     

    This definition of the word is consistent with the definition referring to the fact that the word spic is used to describe the Spanish language. Following the definition are examples of where the word has been used in this context.
  2. The Spanish language; specifically Spanish-American.

1933 E. Hemingway Winner Take Nothing (1934) I wish I could talk spik… I don’t get any fun out of asking that spik question.

1977 American Speech (1975) L.67 "I’ve had two years of Spic."

The following are examples of various instances where the word spic is used as an adjective rather then a noun.

1919 Ladies Home Journal Sept.27 The marines had been… silencing the elusive "spick" bandit in Santo Domingo.

1950 R. Moore Candlemas Bay 29. Jerry Canneri or Carnoodle. Some such damn spik name.

1976 N. Thornburg Cutter and Bone 74. A nigger fag and two spic girls with a pet monkey.

 

The word spic is a derogatory term whether used as a noun or as an adjective. According to the sources, the word has been around since the early 1900s. This word was very hard to find information on. Although all the dictionaries state that it is a slang word, it could not be found in any of the slang dictionaries. I would find it very interesting to know how many people who use this derogatory term actually know its origin or know exactly who and what they are insulting. Being Hispanic I have been unfortunate enough to come across this word several times in my life. It has not been until recently that I actually know what it means. People need to become educated before they go around using words that to them may not have a meaning but for Hispanics hold a history of racism and oppression.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

Encarta: World English Dictionary.

New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1999.

Santiago, Esmeralda. When I Was Puerto Rican.

New York: Vintage Books, 1993.

Simpson, J.A. The Oxford English Dictionary: Second Edition.

Oxford: Clarendon Press, Vol.XVI, 1989: Scot-Styx.

Spears, Richard. Slang and Euphemism: A Dictionary of Oaths, Curses, Insults, Sexual

Slang and Metaphor, Racial Slurs, Drug Talk, Homosexual Lingo and Related Matters.

New York: Jonathan David Publishing Inc., 1981.

 

copyright by Barbara Pereda

February 28, 2002

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