If I’m not mistaken it was originally to describe Italian immigrants during whatever period of time (world war 1 maybe?) and it was a acronym for Without Papers. As in not having a visa.
I could be mistaken though, I read that once from one source so not really done any due diligence.
If I’m not mistaken it was originally to describe Italian immigrants during whatever period of time (world war 1 maybe?) and it was a acronym for Without Papers. As in not having a visa.
I could be mistaken though, I read that once from one source so not really done any due diligence.
Sounds like folk etymology. Like how “fuck” is supposedly an abbreviation for whatever-the-hell but it’s just… not.
There was no such thing as a visa during that time. Immigration documents did not really exist until 1924 and the slur was already in use by then.
You are mistaken, that is a myth.
Interesting, I just got this from Merriam-Webster.