I believe the derogatory term, 'kike' may also have a Latin origin in the word 'caicus', meaning 'blind', and is a reference to the stereotype of Jews as having thick glasses, therefore poor eyesight.
replied to: reuthful
Replied to: I believe the derogatory term, 'kike' may also have a Latin...
This makes sense too:
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=kike
replied to: melintur
Replied to: This makes sense too:
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=kike
It just doesn't make sense to me that this ethnic slur originated on Ellis Island, given the long, exceedingly unfortunate history of antisemitism. The Holy Bible makes clear that the Romans hated Jews.
Classical Latin is widely taught that the "c" is pronounced as a hard sound; hence "caicus" would be pronounced "kaikus", "blind"; the pleural is "caici", pronounced, "kaiki". It's surely likely that somewhere throughout the centuries, "kaiki" did not become kike',sad to say.