Quote:
Originally Posted by Catlady
...My trusty Merriam-Webster dictionary, 11th edition, still defines "fagot" as a bundle of sticks, "gay" as happy, and "dago" as a person of Italian or Spanish descent, with the tag "usually offensive." There is no reason to change such words for the modern reader...
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Agreed. It provides a chance for the modern reader ignorant of the terms' older and/or alternate meanings to learn and to improve their language skills.
BTW, my 1970s vintage Shorter OED agrees, indicating that "dago" was an American term originally indicating someone of Spanish origin (a bastardization of "Diego") and currently (read: in the 1970s) included Italians.