Talk:Shyster

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Also slightly racist.

Jewishy sounding reference to 'scamming' or 'conniving' and generally not said in polite company.

Ironically, saying a word is "Jewishy sounding" is actually racist, while the word "Shyster" is not; the etymology is derived from the German word excrement, and is used to describe scamming or conniving people, most often lawyers. stufff (talk) 18:53, 4 March 2021 (UTC)

Unironically, saying "calling out racism is the real racism" is a pretty suspicious thing to say, and the German relation sounds like a retcon--another thing fascists are fond of. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2600:8802:704:6C00:64C6:483:312B:230C (talk) 02:04, 21 March 2021 (UTC)

Can we establish a consensus as to whether the term Shyster has been adopted as an antisemitic slur, as a recent uncited edit has re-raised this point? aricooperdavis (talk) 09:29, 26 August 2022 (UTC)

I have added commentary on the matter by the UK's ASA, an advertising self-regulatory agency, as well as the Jewish organisation Board of Deputies of British Jews. I wouldn't say there's a clear consensus towards it not being offensive, as there seem to be some holdouts, however etymologically ininformed, that claim it to be. 9³ (talk) 10:33, 12 October 2023 (UTC)

It's not an anti-Semitic slur. I, a Jew, don't think it is; no one in my family thinks it is; no Jew that I've ever known personally thinks it is; a quick search online will show that the vast, vast majority of Jews do not view it as a slur.

The source of "OMG THATS A SLUR DON'T SAY THAT" is nearly unilaterally, as far as I have seen, presumably-well-intentioned-but-ignorant goyim who are almost certainly confusing it with "shylock", which IS an anti-Semitic slur.

Shyster comes from the German word for shit and basically means calling someone a piece of shit or a shit head. If it sounds like a Jewish term, that is because Yiddish is derived from German. The word itself, though, is fully German-derived and has nothing to do with Yiddish other than ignorant, non-Jewish people who think it sounds like Yiddish for some reason.

Shylock, on the other hand, is a character from a Shakespeare play that is an absolutely absurdly racist caricature of a Jewish man and it is absolutely viewed as, and used as, a slur. ~2026-27599-3 (talk) 20:20, 13 January 2026 (UTC)

This outrageous nonsense continues whenever the word “Jew” is uttered, branding those who use it as “anti-Semites.” “Jewish” refers more to Yiddish, and as a German, I can confirm this based on my linguistic intuition: I considered the term to be Yiddish, and I strongly suspect that this is where it originated. [Edit by someone who happened upon this comment: no one gives a shit if you consider the term to be Yiddish. It isn't. You are wrong. Your intuition has failed you. Cope. Seethe. Move on.]

Shyster probably has no Jewish connection.

Suggested addition to the bibliography:

Gold, David L. 1989. "The English Noun shyster Probably Has No Jewish Connection." In his Jewish Linguistic Studies. Pp. 35-41. AlageveR45 (talk) 20:43, 30 July 2024 (UTC)

Shy

Hang on, I remember learning that, contrary to my assumption that it was based on Scheißer, that it was ACTUALLY about a 'shy' like a shady carnival game, e.g. a coconut shy. Because they're always crooked. I didn't just hallucinate that, even if that's a total lie shouldn't it be referenced under etymology myths? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2601:449:4582:CB00:0:0:0:F155 (talk) 07:24, 18 November 2024 (UTC)

No. It's literally derived from scheiße. The contextual use is that the person in question is full of shit, a shit head, a bullshitter, or a piece of shit.

Random things a single person has heard should not be referenced under etymology myths. You are not the main character of Wikipedia. ~2026-27599-3 (talk) 20:25, 13 January 2026 (UTC)