Brahman or Brahmin

[Lance Nelson]

On Fri, 18 Aug 1995, Anthony Good wrote:

> *However, the -min ending is
> indicated to be derogatory.* I must say that, like many others, I 
> have always used the -man ending.

My South Indian BrAhmaNa friends and teachers, when speaking English, use 
the word "Brahmin."  I've never heard it used in a derogatory sense, has
anyone?  The -min ending is handy when one is writing in English about 
VedAnta, to avoid confusion with the term "Brahman" (ultimate Reality).

Thanks to all who have responded on this question (I don't think it has 
become a debate), which was prompted by a copy editor at a well-known 
academic press who wanted to change my Brahmin-s to _brAhmin_: lower 
case, italics, with a macron over the a.  Hmmmmmm. 

Lance
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Lance Nelson
Religious Studies    
University of San Diego
lnelson at pwa.acusd.edu
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