Spooky

[snopes]

Comment: This past Halloween, I was told by several friends that the
adjective "spooky" was racist because it referred to the derogatory term
"spook" used for Black people. Is this the case, or are they simply two
words that come from the same source?

[Nick Theodorakis]

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=spook

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spook

Nick

[Floater]

Originally Posted by Nick Theodorakis

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=spook

Swed. spok "scarecrow"

Never heard that word before. The Swedish word for ghost, on the other hand is spöke.

[llewtrah]

I'd never heard of spook having a racial sense. I'm guessing this is US-specific. Seems like an instance of a perfectly harmless word being comandeered as an insult with the result that even its normal, harmless use is affected by taboo.

I start to wonder if there will be any words left in US English that don't have a racial sense attached to them!

[Cyrano]

Originally Posted by Floater

The Swedish word for ghost, on the other hand is spöke.

I also thought it had a common root with the French "spectre".

[Don Enrico]

Originally Posted by Floater

The Swedish word for ghost, on the other hand is spöke.

Low German (the language spoken in the north of Germany and parts of the Netherlands) has "spök" or "spöken" for all things paranormal as well. Having visions (and fortune telling) is called "spökenkiekerei" = seeing ghosts.

"Spuk" is indeed German for ghost or apparition

Don "I see dead people" Enrico

[Eddylizard]

Originally Posted by llewtrah

I'd never heard of spook having a racial sense.

I've heard the word used in this sense but rarely.

I always assumed it had something to do with the notion of not being able to see a black person in the dark until they open their eyes and you can see the whites of the eyes. Thus the spook meaning ghost or to startle comparison.

[Floater]

Originally Posted by Don Enrico

Low German (the language spoken in the north of Germany and parts of the Netherlands) has "spök" or "spöken" for all things paranormal as well.

A very large part of the Swedish vocabulary comes from Low German, including "spok" and "spöke" (according to the Swedish Academy Word Book).

[Troberg]

Originally Posted by Floater

Never heard that word before. The Swedish word for ghost, on the other hand is spöke.

Agree. "Spok" is probably just a misspelled Star Trek character.

Originally Posted by Floater

A very large part of the Swedish vocabulary comes from Low German, including "spok" and "spöke" (according to the Swedish Academy Word Book).

Yep. Tegnér, a Swedish poet, language professor and member of the Swedish Academy (the prime authorities on the Swedish Language) proclaimed Swedish to be "ärans och hjältarnas språk" (the language of honor and heroes) and that it should be cleansed from foreign influence. The fun thing is that in that statement, there is one word which doesn't originate from Low German, "och" (and).

While we are discussing ghosts, the word "ghost" is probably connected to the German "Geist" and the Swdish "gast", as well as the English "ghast".

As a side note, Swedish has borrowed "Geist" as well, but in the other meaning, as in "spirit" (not the ghostly kind, but as in the state of mind, such as "spirit of peace" or the German "Zeitgeist").

The British TV spy show "Spooks" was retitled "MI-5" in the US. I seem to recall hearing that the reason was that the original title was considered offensive over there. I'd be interested to know if that's true.