Why do you suppose it is no one knows this?

Sad to say, and let me get on my soap box here, the "average" American under 40 years old has had an abysmal education. Add to that sound-bite information shoveled out as news, and a seemingly total disinterest in doing the heavy lifting when it comes to actually thinking, reviewing, and judging the information available. So much easier, and entertaining, to get the news from People Magazine or biased web sites.

Don't even think about various newspapers. They don't read them. Too much work.

By the way, I knew what "Semitic" meant. But I did learn something today as for why.

Thank you.

Most people are probably more familiar with the term "anti-semitic" which relates to the an ill feeling against semites, or the jewish people.

The word semitic actually directly relates to the sub languages used in the middle east like hebrews, Isrealites, aramaic, arabic etc... it's most common use though still pertains as a reference to jewish people

Shem, Ham, and Japtheh.

Ham was the "black son", Shem was the "yellow son", and Japhtheh was the "white son."

Therefore, Middle Easterners and I guess Asian people are descended from Shem.

Or did I not pay enough attention in church to remember this stuff? Also, it's in A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters by Julian Barnes.

It seems the word is used only when someone is being called anti-Jewish or anti-Israeli. So most people have taken semitic to mean the same as Jewish.

Semetic pertains to the language spoken by the Semites in Bibical times , in modern times by Arabic and Hebrew. It also refers to Shem and his many decendents in bibical times. By the way I didn't look it up!

MOE! LARRY! THE CHEESE! THE CHEESE! I bet alot of people don't know what this refers to either and they will all go on to enjoy a happy, productful life.

ok we all bow to the smart person, we are all un educated idiots here.

Oh wait i am in the 1% group... never mind

i dont know what it means, and it doesnt bother me one bit.