In English, the use of the word goy can be controversial. Like other common (and otherwise innocent) terms, it may be assigned pejoratively to non-Jews.[6][7][8] To avoid any perceived offensive connotations, writers may use the English terms "gentile" or "non-Jew".
In Yiddish, it is the only proper term for gentile and many bilingual English and Yiddish speakers use it dispassionately[9] or even deliberately.
The term shabbos goy refers to a non-Jew who performs duties that Jewish law forbids a Jew from performing on the Sabbath, such as lighting a fire to warm a house.