Picking up on wow's point regarding slang expressions used for other races reminded me of “Jerry” – a term used during the Second World War for a German soldier. There is a term “jerry-built” used on this side of the Atlantic (is it used elsewhere?) to describe shoddy work that will not last long. Most people associate it with the cheap German goods produced between the two world wars, but in fact the term was in use, particularly in speculative house building, in the middle of the nineteenth century. There is a naval term “jury” as in “jury rigged” or “jury mast” that means temporary; so a jury mast would be used if the original mast was broken away in a storm. I can find nothing to connect these two meanings - jury: temporary; Jerry: shoddy work. The OED gives each as being of unknown origin, but to me there seems a clear possibility of connection with jury being the older form. Has any one come across other examples, clues on derivation or possible links?