GPLv3

Comment 3289: A strong case against "Ty Coon"

It would make sense that Richard Stallman may have chosen a word like "Ty Coon," as it would be hangover from the common vernacular used by the post WW1 generation. However, the word is used less often now, and is generally applied to "old money" professions, such as "oil tycoons." The word it would seem was originally meant tongue-in-cheek as it is now. It was derived from the Japanese word 大立者, and used as a way to impress US invaders of Japan in the mid-19th-century. However, this does not seem like a lasting word, and certainly not one that a person can derive from greek or latin origins, thus, it will only be all the more confusing for non-native speakers to derive the meaning. Lastly, by splitting it up into "Ty Coon," it may even have a worse interpretation, namely that someone not understanding the word 'tycoon', with its tricky etymology, may look up "Ty" and "Coon." Ty being an uncommon word, (language code for tahitian, shortwave for "they") they would be left with Coon. Perhaps they would think that "Coon" meant the animal or perhaps they would look at its just as common meaning "disparaging term for a Black person."