Shu and I were in Dubuque, Iowa, this weekend, and there was an interesting editorial in their local newspaper. Apparently there has been an increase in crime in Dubuque, and

quote:

Some longtime residents readily blame newcomers to the community, particularly those arriving "from Chicago and Milwaukee" -- essentially, code words for African-American -- for all these problems.

Code words? Have you heard that terminology before? Is there another word for it? At first I wondered if euphemism were the correct term for it, but clearly it is a different concept.

Yes, I've often seen that use.

Yes - it's not rare hereabouts.

Yes, the term and its use .

Well, it's easy to figure out what they mean, but neither Shu nor I had heard it used that way.

"Euphemism" does not have the same pejorative connotation as the conspiratorial "code word."

It's a political conjugation, similar to:

"Horses sweat, men perspire, women glow."

or

"I'm resolute, you're stubborn, he's a pig-headed fool."

It's when the person you're talking to said "...and it's THOSE people who did it..." and you know without asking just which ethnic group he's referring to.